[Chad Arnow]

Hey folks,
I'm going to build a display cabinet for the ole collection this spring/summer. Hopefully that will keep my nieces and nephews from having a tragic poking-related accident..... Also, I won't have to lock my collection in a closet when the little urchins come over.

One thing I'm struggling with (besides my non-existent carpentry skills) is how to suspend the swords and their scabbards in the cabinet. I'd like it to be a flexible arrangement that can be changed whenever necessary. Obviously, I could just rest the points on the floor and lean them against the back of the cabinet, but I'd like something better than that.

I had a crazy idea while driving back from rehearsal tonight (due, no doubt, to the oxygen deprivation to the brain that comes with trombone playing): What if I used magnets or magnetic strips to suspend things? It would be an invisible mounting, and I could change the swords' placements with ease. Would that work?

Or what about moveable pegs that the guards would rest on? Anyone have any thoughts, idea, or suggestions on how to best display things in a cabinet?

Thanks!

[Andy Bain]

I've been thinking about the same thing, although I know my limitations well enough to have someone do the building for me. I played around with a few different ideas and I've pretty much settled on the moveable pegs. I'm going to have a pair of vertical lines of shallow holes for the pegs for each piece I want to display. Then as I want to change the display I can just move the pegs about to accomodate different pieces.

[Gary Venable]

I'm in the process of building a wall of book shelves with display spaces in between. My original plan (they always seem to change) is to use dark panel nails in the open spaces and wooden "hooks" in the tight one. The panel nails are dark in color and small but sturdy enough to hold most the pieces. I'm building everything out of oak so when I do remove the nails the holes are not noticeable and if they are a quick dab of dark colored wood filler makes it go away. The wooden hooks are a c shape and the sword is displayed vertically resting on its cross guard. I prefer these methods since I like to get them out and handle them and want to easily be able to remove and replace them without much hassel.

[Alexi Goranov]

Hi Chad,

I was browsing for a sword stand, and I saw this magnetic sword holder http://www.thesteelsource.com/html/magnet.htm. I do not know if you should use this device in your cabinet, but it shows that the idea with the magnets is very viable, and if it should work it gives you the unlimited flexibility with respect to arrangement.

Tell us how thing go.

Alexi

[Chad Arnow]

[Joel Whitmore]

If you coudl find strong enough magnets, perhaps you would get them double-sided. Place metal strips behind felt (or whatever you choose as a backing in your case) and you could stick magnets to metal strip and sword to magnets. It would be near invisible and infinitely moveable. I am not sure how large this magnet arrangement would be though. Rough illustration below.