Sources for scabbard chapes -- myArmoury.com

Jared Smith · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 9:07 am Post subject: Sources for scabbard chapes

This has been touched upon in several previous posts. Some forum members who are making or are interested in making their own scabbards may wish to buy furniture, such as chapes, rather than have to make it as well as part of their initial scabbard projects. Making the chape really adds a whole different type of skill (metal working, jewelry making, etc.) that may not be within the existing skills and tools of someone who can otherwise perform the rest of the tasks required to make the scabbard. Such is my own case.

Ideally, the scabbard is made first, then the chape is made to fit it. For beginners such as myself, it is possible to fit the scabbard during its shaping to a pre-made chape. The leather that will be used as covering has to be temporarily wrapped while checking the chape fit / shaping the core. The main problem seems to be acquiring these chapes as seperate pieces. If one intends to collect a variety of swords, an assortment of premade chapes to choose from would be the ideal situation to have when shaping the scabbard tip.

There are at least a few sources for scabbard chapes. I thought I would list what I have seen in hopes that others might add on to the list.

Manning Imperial, Icelandic Chape item 292 is very nice reqproduction of an actual. Its quite pricey at around $150 U.S.
http://www.manningimperial.com/item.php?item_id=292

A very nice looking viking / saxon chape can be bought from quietpress.com (RQP Ltd. makes it?) for under 20$ U.S.
http://www.quietpress.com/swordfittings.html Look at the bottom of the page. I ordered one Feb. 10 and will describe its quality when I recieve it if anyone wants to know.

Albion "Moat Sale" chapes are pretty basic, but can be cut with a metal band saw to improve on their looks. They are a real bargain for a price of $5 U.S. I have bought (2) of each shown and think they can be adopted to a wide range of European longswords and single handed swords.
http://www.albion-swords.com/moat.htm

You can buy an actual historical chape that is refurbishable for prices ranging in the $300 to $1500 range through antique web auctions. Occassionally one will see a pretty well preserved chape dating as far back as 200 to 300 AD Roman period (tends to hit the $1500 to $1700 U.S. price range.) This is not really a route I would expect most forum members to be interested in, unless they are making a scabbard for an actual antique sword. Just thought I would mention it since I believe it is very achievable with patience.

I have started to email some who are offering professional scabbard making services to see if they are interested in selling just chapes or furniture. This may not be welcome, but I figured it best to ask and post my intentions. I will drop it if the inquirys are not welcome.

Anyone with more information to add, please do so.

Jared Smith · Posted: Mon 13 Feb, 2006 3:37 pm Post subject:

The chape from I ordered from quietpress.com came in today. It has an inside opening closer to 3/8" (as opposed to 7/16" as described on the web site) and is a reasonable quality casting (metal wall thickness is a little thicker on one side than the other.) It would work well for those who prefer scabbards that are fairly thin at the tip. It has a copper color (described as bronze, which I think is more accurate than brass in this case.)

Because of the openings in the design, it would be necessary to cover a core all of the way to the tip when using this chape. One could drill in through the edges (roughly a 1/8" flat ridge around the perimeter) and add small tacks to help it stay put.

Jared Smith · Posted: Mon 20 Feb, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject:

These chapes are relatively high priced, but I thought I would add them for completeness.
http://www.jelldragon.com/scabbards.htm

Custom scabbard makers contacted have been courteous, but not forthcomming on offering components.

Jean Le-Palud · Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2006 5:39 am Post subject: Chapes

Hi Jared,
Maybe you could be interested in checking this one: http://www.mercias.co.uk/

I got a chape and a mouth from them (for my "Dyback " sword) but I had lot of work to have them fitted to the scabbard I made.

Jared Smith · Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2006 4:07 pm Post subject:

Thankyou very much!

They have a pretty good representation of just about every basic style chape. Most of these are under $50 U.S., and look to be pretty good cast bronze (dark) products.

Jared Smith · Posted: Fri 10 Mar, 2006 4:19 pm Post subject:

I have recieved three chapes from Mercier. One was very small (more like a tip suited for a small sword.)

The two that are about right for most of Albion's Longsword models (late Norman pointed tip design, and medieval rounded tip design) have fairly thick openings (half an inch ...say 12 mm or greater.) They will probably not be to the liking of those trying to make ultra slim scabbards.

These are cast bronze. I would be curious if there is any reasonable possibility of heating and hammering cast bronze to flatten them out to an individuals tastes?

Jared Smith · Posted: Tue 06 Jun, 2006 4:07 pm Post subject:

This German HR-Replika site looks pretty good. I am trying to order two of the medieval period chapes. The web site does not appear to automatically process credit card information. We'll see how it goes.

http://www.hr-replikate.de/katalog/indep/over...&typ=2

W.H. Kalfsbeek · Posted: Wed 07 Jun, 2006 12:36 am Post subject:

Hi Jared

Maybe you want to take a look here, they look pretty good ... How's your German ?

http://www.dietraumschmiede.de/zubeh/zubeh.htm

Jared Smith · Posted: Wed 07 Jun, 2006 4:38 am Post subject:

My German is non existant unfortunately. I could not really tell if items were for sale or at what price. Many of the chape sold there appeared to be similar to ones shown at HR Replika.

R. Howard Dawkins · Posted: Wed 07 Jun, 2006 7:07 am Post subject:

Felix Wang · Posted: Wed 07 Jun, 2006 8:12 am Post subject:

Ron Reuter · Posted: Thu 12 Mar, 2009 10:12 am Post subject:

Jared,

Did you ever receive these?

http://www.hr-replikate.de/katalog/indep/over...&typ=2

I know it has been a while., but I may wish to order some myself, and was just curious how your experience with them was. Chapes are not easy to find! Also if you did order them, did you get the tinned version? I assume that would make them "silver"??

Thank you,

Ron

Jared Smith · Posted: Thu 12 Mar, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject:

I did. And I recommend them. They were the most usable "as received". (Not as thick walled, insides more smoothly finished than just normal castings. I am not sure but what they are hot forged brass made over a form. All this at "moat sale" prices.)

The full link to specific models has changed, but the web site is still active.

Julien M · Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2012 2:35 pm Post subject:

Tod recently updated his website (Tod's Foundry) with the below. These are the best ready made scabbard shapes I've seen (far more detailed that what's around the web, save for a few cast viking stuff here and there) , and Tod is launching with quiet a lineup. These will make even a clumsy attempt at DIY scabbard making look like the work of a pro...

J

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Jared Smith · Posted: Sun 01 Mar, 2015 2:34 pm Post subject: DBK custom scabbards chapes page

http://www.dbkcustomswords.com/scabbardchapes.html

DBK scabbards does have a separate page selling just chapes. I figure it is ideal for those who wish to make their own scabbard for some of the major sword brands named in the gallery of complete scabbards.