Effective immediately, Crusader Monk will be offering carved scabbard cores instead of laminated cores. Good business has allowed for significant investment in equipment for my shop, and better equipment means a better product.

My cores will still remain to be some of the strongest on the market, just as my laminated cores were known to be. They will remain to be slightly overbuilt to provide superior durability. However, the traditional Crusader Monk flattened hexagonal cross-section will now be more rounded and lenticular in shape. The scabbard will be more in tune with it's historical counterparts by having a carved two-piece core instead of a laminated 3-piece one. The new cores will be slightly thinner, in most cases around 1/2" to 5/8", depending on the thickness of your sword.

This is a tremendous step for my production, as the improved cores take roughly the same amount of time to produce as the laminated ones. There will be no increase in my wait time - and it's worth pointing out that my wait on any new commission has never been more than 5 business days since I have been in operation, with no backlog/queue EVER! Crusader Monk will continue to get your commission completed and back to you faster than many vendors take to answer an email.

The investment in labor to bring this product to light will be slightly higher, making our basic scabbard go from $200 to $225 in price, but it is well-worth the marginal added costs. In short, out product has evolved significantly, and I think my customers will be quite happy with the results!