Barbarian Chic! -- myArmoury.com

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Hi All,

This is custom designed scabbard for an Albion Atlantean - Conans' sword. It is the first time I have delved into the fantasy world with my work and not an area that perhaps comes naturally to hand with me as my area is firmly in the documented past.

I think because of my practical nature and my love of the past, which is nothing if not practical, my absolute priority was to make a working scabbard for the sword and being quite a heavy brute it needed to be strong and it needed to have a few suspension points as it was to be worn on both a belt harness and a back harness.

Aesthetically I wanted it to show the scabbard makers craft and the craft of the culture it purportedly comes from. The 'traditional' scabbard for this sword is mainly fur and the actual underpinnings of what goes on under the fur is hidden. The sword is clearly a crafted object and for the scabbard to be such an after thought in craft terms, felt wrong.

With this in mind I wanted the scabbard to be sculptural, as is the sword, and to show the runes, as these are clearly important to the owner. I did manage to get some fur in there and used boar, as the coarseness would reflect the stereotypical barbarian (at least in my head) more than something soft like rabbit and it does in fact help to hold the blade in.

The scabbard itself is made of ash and fabric/glue covered and then leather covered to make a seriously tough object and the fittings are brazed copper and have been beaten but not polished. Maybe its me, but I can't see barbarians polishing.

I hope you like the overall effect and any comments or questions are of course very welcome.

Tod

Mark Routledge · Industry Professional

Thats an eyecatching piece of work Tod, picks up the theme perfectly. There is a lot of work gone in to it for sure, very nice indeed.

Peter Johnsson · Industry Professional

I had to look twice before I saw what you had done with this.
Original design and good thinking on this project!

You managed to make this scabbard subtly suggestive and almost elegant.
;-)

I do not know if that is a bad thing to say to a barbarian or not...

Good work Tod!

Etienne Hamel · Posted: Tue 20 Nov, 2012 1:52 pm Post subject:

what i like the most about this scabbard design is the fur piece, very original and very appealing Happy

thanks for sharing Big Grin

Robin Smith · Posted: Tue 20 Nov, 2012 2:52 pm Post subject:

Whoa... Very cool. Very sleek looking, which is incredibly hard to do with a Conan sword

Joe Fults · Posted: Tue 20 Nov, 2012 6:50 pm Post subject:

Really neat.

Really creative.

Very cool.

Jack Savante · Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2012 2:12 am Post subject:

Nice work!

It couldn't have been easy coming up with a scabbard for such an unusual sword, but you did a good job of it.

Marko Susimetsa · Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2012 2:56 am Post subject:

Very nice, indeed, and suits the sword well! Happy

Martin Francis · Posted: Wed 21 Nov, 2012 3:31 am Post subject:

A simple proof that even objects of fantasy can benefit from first rate conception, design and implementation of detail by a master. There is room for sound and logical principles of design to be applied to items away from the mainstream and I do like it.

I wonder if the surprise is that we are so surprised.... ?

Martin F

Matthew Stagmer · Industry Professional

Nice vision! It works perfectly with the feel of this sword.

Johan Gemvik · Posted: Thu 22 Nov, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject:

Great work!

This sword and scabbard is what Arnold should have in the new movie.

Paul B.G · Posted: Thu 22 Nov, 2012 7:19 pm Post subject:

Combining the fantasy with the historic, something like this would look kinda cool with an Albion Viceroy Wink

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Many thanks guys, I really appreciate it as I was a little unsure of this one as it is foreign ground for me.

Martin Francis wrote

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Fri 23 Nov, 2012 2:34 pm Post subject:

Leo, looks great and well harmonized with the style of the sword. I also like that it logically gives support up to the main part of the crossguard and doesn't cover only the lower part of the blade below the bronze framed ricasso: Some scabbard designs for this Conan sword either become very broad and " clunky " to fit over the ricasso or ignore it completely by only covering the edged part of the blade.

One can adapt period designs to " fantasy " projects by using what one knows about period designs that where after all designed to be functional.

The freedom in " Fantasy " design can be intimidating for one used to following period authenticity as one doesn't have a starting point and limits to adhere to ..... too much freedom one may not feel sure how to start ?

On the other hand I think you where very successful in applying you experience with period design on this project.