A scabbard for my Talhoffer -- myArmoury.com

Michael Edelson · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject: A scabbard for my Talhoffer

This is the latest scabbard I made, this time for my Albion Talhoffer. It's a poplar core, covered in veg tanned leather, using Talbot's buckles and rivets from Revival Clothing.

The chape is a place holder I stole from my Windlass brass hilted rondel. Anyone wanna make me a chape? Happy

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Michael,
Nice! Where did the floral thingies come from?

Michael Edelson · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject:

Thank Chad.

I bought the floral thingies from Revival Clothing, but I don't see them there now. I hope I can still get them...I love those things. They were like 25 bucks for a pack of 30.

Christian Henry Tobler · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 1:17 pm Post subject:

Hi Mike,

We're out of them - that's all. They're not discontinued. It's just a matter of when Talbot casts up some more.

Best,

CHT

Michael Edelson · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

In that case I have floral rivets for sale, 30 bucks a piece. Happy

Christian Henry Tobler · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject:

Actually Mike...how many *do* you have left? David Teague is doing that Wisby-esque gauntlet project, but ran out of the floral rivets.

Cheers,

CHT

Michael Edelson · Posted: Sun 22 Mar, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject:

Not many, I'm afraid, maybe 10. And I need most of those to replace ones that fell off my Brescia Spadona scabbard.

Matt Easton · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 7:54 am Post subject:

That's gorgeous, good work!
How do you shape the insides of the two halves, out of interest?

Matt

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 8:40 am Post subject:

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 9:53 am Post subject:

Matt Easton · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 10:13 am Post subject:

I don't care that you cheated, but I am interested to know how you cheated?

Matt

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

That's really excellent work, Mike. Bravo!

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 11:31 am Post subject:

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 11:36 am Post subject:

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

Hi Michael -

Quick question because I'm not quire sure what I'm seeing in the photos: does the scabbard have a central ridge? if so, it looks like you either carved it into the core or glued something else in the center of the core to create it. Is this true?

Stylistically, it's a great effect whatever it is. I like it quite a bit.

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 12:34 pm Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 12:59 pm Post subject:

I'm confused. Is the core poplar or balsa?

I made a balsa gladius and scabbard a decade ago, painting everything with thinned wood glue in an attempt to add strength. I don't know how much that treatment mattered, but I was surprised by how sturdy the scabbard felt. Even after multiple moves that thing is intact and lying in a closet somewhere.

My main concern with making a balsa core would be that balsa can be too easy to work. It's so soft you can do much of the work with a craft knife and sandpaper, but the wood just flies off and it would be easy to remove too much. It can also take an impression easily and be deformed by pressure. Do you find any problems with that when using balsa scabbards with suspension?

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject:

Sean Flynt · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the clarification. The balsa idea intrigues me. Eliminating the leather, I could knock out "safety" scabbards of historical form for my collection much faster than I could make poplar equivalents. I don't do living history, so I don't need stitch-perfect scabbards, but I do need something to keep little fingers away from my sharps. This might be a good solution. I could paint `em or leave them natural and sealed. If they're all alike in finish, it would be obvious that they're just the means of safe display. In fact, I can imagine these kinds of light, uniform scabbards lashed to a poplar supporting frame so that they literally form part of the display. Hmmm.....

Dig:

Michael Edelson · Posted: Mon 23 Mar, 2009 2:50 pm Post subject:

Sean,

Covering the scabbard in leather is the easiest part, if you're happy with a glued seam like this:

All you do is draw a line down the middle of the core, glue the front and half the back (the line is on the back), then fold the leather along that line and cut away the excess with a scissor. Then glue the other half, fold the other side along the seam and cut again. You end up with what you see above.