[Harry Marinakis]

I have numerous question for you all about making metal lockets for scabbards and sheaths. Would any of the professionals like to share some of their secrets?

I am asking about load-bearing lockets with suspensions rings (see photo below, for example), and decorative bands that do not carry any loads.

How does one go about making a locket or band?

Do you bend sheet metal around the scabbard and solder or braze it? I can't imagine that you solder or braze it while it's attached to the scabbard. Do you overlap the sheet metal, or make a butt joint?

Do you braze it first, and then slide it onto the scabbard?

What material thickness of sheet metal do you use for either a load-bearing locket or a decorative band? Brass or bronze sheet for gold, and mild steel for silver?

How do make the locket tight enough that it's snug around the scabbard? How do you make it snug, but not so tight that it will damage the leather as you drive it into place?

How do you attach the rings? Do you solder or braze a tab onto the locket? Can you just use silver solder or do you have to use some other high-temp brazing rod? Some rings, like the ones shown below, appear to be rigidly attached to the locket. Other rings seem to be loosely attached to the locket.

I've been fooling around with this subject, and tried a few things, but I cannot figure out how to do it properly.

I'm using this photo below for an example simply because it's free and I'm not infringing on anyone's copyright. It's much more complicated than anything that I want to make.

Photo below courtesy of Søren Niedziella from Denmark
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scabbard_Tod_Prince_Medieval_Sword_6_(6242804509).jpg

[Leo Todeschini]

Hi Harry,

There is so much in your questions that it would take essays to answer and it would still not be clear, so the best thing is that if you find yourself over here, come and pop in and I can show you. I took Julien Messenge through the process and he seems to be doing rather well.

I love the work and research you do, so would be happy to help if you find yourself here.

Tod

[Hass Fernen]

Well you got the maker of that scabbard and one of the best scabbard makers out there to reply. Also Mr. Dominque Humbert has a lot of knowledge on scabbards and fittings.

https://www.facebook.com/humbertdominiqueartisanat/

Tod has some youtube videos where he talks about scabbard fittings and shows them too.

https://youtu.be/AVlXL7-keLM

https://youtu.be/8Kejh649_FM

https://youtu.be/n4CrDqRGo5Y