[Martin Moser]

Hello :-)

I'm starting to make a scabbard for a Langes Messer, planning on a carved and stamped decoration and two by-knives. All the depictions I have found so far show little detail, be it decoration or how the scabbard was attached to the belt. Are there any surviving 16th cent.originals of such scabbards perhaps? So far I'm not aware of any, obviously (I have looked at a number of paintings of course). I have also found some input and advice here on this forum in other discussions about Langes Messer, Bauernwehr and the like.
Going from those I am thinking about an "invisible" suspension on the backside of the scabbard. I was considering having the by-knives one below the other (because of the small width of the scabbard), but that doesn't seem right, so will try and fit them at the top and next to each other as was the standard.

Here a few pics showing where I am at the moment:


(Langes Messer in the wooden core of the scabbard (next to my Katzbalger, for proportions)


(some test variants for the scabbards decoration, not final yet)


(first trial stamped lettering)
Thanks in advance for any kind of advice, opinion, pictures, or other references that might help me on!

Martin

[Radovan Geist]

Hello Martin,

Your project is looking good - I´d love to see the result. I´m afraid I cant help much, but:
Scabbards for (langes) messer have been discussed in multiple threads on this forum (like this one: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...;start=22) but there are also others). But as far as I remember the scabards they´ve shown were only repros or period art. However, they do have some details on suspension methods (like knotted suspension, very similar to katzbalger).
I have seen only few surviving originals, mostly from luxury high-end weapons. See for example this hunting grosse messer of Emperor Maximilian in Vienna:
http://sword-site.com/thread/462/hunting-grosse-messer-maximilian and some pictures might be also somewhere here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98015679@N04/sets/72157634787266045/
I´m not sure how much would that be representative for a "normal" messer - it´s a hunting weapon, a highly ornate one and was made at the end of 15th cent. But the way by-knives were aligned on this particular scabbard is very interesting.

[Martin Moser]

Hello Radovan! Thank you for your reply and the links, more food for thought and I need to get to Vienna, amazing what they have. I also gleamed a little detail in the form of the chape of the Katzbalger on one of those pictures that gave me an idea how to overhaul mine in the future at some point.

[Martin Moser]

Hello all,

finally got around to work a bit more on the scabbard, doing the leather cover and starting with the decoration:

[Tim Lison]

Looks great! I really like the lettering! What will the color be when it's finished? Have you decided on a suspension?

[Martin Moser]

Hi Tim,

the final coloring will be black. I'm going to go for a "invisible" suspension on the back of the scabbard, as seen on a number of paintings. Yesterday I got around to work some more on the scabbard, finishing the decoration and the chape.
The decoration of course is pure speculation, although the elements are mostly taken from existing originals of leatherwork (scabbards, covers, cases ...)

So, this is where I am at the moment:

[Mark Moore]

That is looking absolutely awesome! ............McM

[Ben Coomer]

Outta curiosity, where's the langes messer from?

Awesome leather work, by the way.

[Nathan Robinson]

That's looking great so far!

[Ian Hutchison]

Martin, the scabbard is looking absolutely fantastic so far. Very late Gothic/early Renaissance. It looks like something that would be right at home in an elder Bruegel painting.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Wow, that looks great, can't wait to see it finished.

[Martin Moser]

Hi Ben and all,

thanks for your kind words!

[Dean F. Marino]

That is STUNNING leatherwork... and the chape is interesting - did you make this? Never seen one in Green (or is that a protective coating?).

Core looks solid - curious as to whether or not you opted to line it? I don't tend to line mine, but have heard good things about this technique from others.

[Ben Coomer]

Thanks Martin. A langes Messer is on my list. After an arming sword, a two hander, and a spear, but on the list...

[Martin Moser]

[Radovan Geist]

that´s a really nice piece! your leather-work has a professional quality.

[Martin Moser]

Slowly, slowly getting close to finishing the scabbard. Today I dyed the leather black. What is left to do is to do the suspension and permanently attach the chape (once my son has decided whether he prefers to have it brass-colored or tinned).

Here is the new look:

[Peter Johnsson]

Thanks for showing such nice work!

[Kai Lawson]

Absolutely stunning. Bravo!