[J. Padgett]

I plan to snatch up one of the Albion Kingmakers as soon as they become available, and I'm also going to commision a custom scabbard for it. The problem is I'm not really sure what a scabbard and belt suspension for a XVIII from the middle to late 15th century would look like. If anyone could direct me to some pictures of this I would be most grateful. Period artwork, or period accurate reproductions would be great since I want to be as authentic as I can. I'm sure the person I get to make my scabbard will have more knowledge than me, but I'd like some ideas so I could at least come up with a basic design instead of just letting them have at it.

[Aaron Schnatterly]

The Kingmaker should be an impressive piece - can't wait to check it out myself. I understand your wanting to "get it right" - I've been somewhat obsessive over my own project, as has been evident, I'm certain. Bet it'd be both a challenge and a blast...

The XVIII is fairly common to the mid to late 1400's amongst nobility. Effigies of Nobility in the 15th C. are also around, and some in very good shape. I would start my research there... I have some pressing issues this afternoon, but hopefully will have a little time later on to look. I hate being unable to access my library... I have a couple of books that might have some good stuff in there... at home.

[Steve Maly]

Actually, I'm going to let Kevin Iseli just "have at it" for the Kingmaker scabbard I have on order.

This website (http://www.gothiceye.com/index.asp) has some good effigies from the period in which you are interested. During the last half of the 1400's, it looks like the suspension consisted of a single belt, slung at an angle across the hips with the scabbard attached directly to the belt.

[Aaron Schnatterly]

Killer resource, man! That site is loaded.

All of these folks are fully armoured - the style of belt wouldn't really work too well without faulds and tassets, so I have to ask if this was the only style. Other paintings and such appear to have a different suspension, but the resolution and download speeds I have out here, well, suck.

At any rate, here's an image from that site of the effigy of Richard Quartermaine, 1460, that shows this. It's either a knotted or 2-ring suspension.



Here's a second one - this time, John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk (d.1491). This seems to tie into the belt used to tie his breast and back plates together. This makes more sense to me, as it would be a double-wrapped suspension, and would be secure to any waist, with or without armour.

[Jared Smith]

I would advise you to buy a "moat sale" chape from Albion right now. You won't get a good chape as easily, nor make one in any where near the time that you can cut and customize this bargain $5.00 chape to your project.

I just recieved a "moat sale" large brass chape (about 5" long with a 1-1/4" tip radius suitable for a wide range of longswords) for my Crecey Grete scabbard project. I am very pleased with it and could not have even bought the raw mass of brass to make my own (assumming I had the forge/welding equipment...which I don't) for the price of $5.00. I had a friend cut a nice curved rim profile, using a metal cutting bandsaw, and shortened the massive 5" chape to a 3" curved rim profile chape very easily.

I have email ordered 2 more of these moat sale large brass chapes. I am sure that I can cut them and adapt them to a wide variety of future scabbard projects. I also bought one of the small steel chapes. This one is more suitable for swords with very acute points. It would probably work fine for forthcomming swords such as the Ringeck or Talhoffer. I would not recommend the small sized chape for Aron's Knight Sword scabbard as the small chape is more of a straight sleeve about 1" wide with a rounded tip radius (would not match Knight sword end profile.)

Jared Smith

[Aaron Schnatterly]

I agree - the chapes are probably a good deal for someone who needs the particular piece, but doesn't have the equipment or resources to make one from scratch. I would imagine, just as Jared said, that they are adaptable/modifiable. I know of a couple of other folks who are also going this route, and it should work well.

The Knight's scabbard core isn't quite finished - want to reshape the end a bit more, and do some minor adjustment before I start the leatherwork. That will actually widen the end a little, making the small one an absolute no-go. I do, however, plan on making mine myself - do have the anvils, hammers, and welding equipment now. That should yield a fairly exact look and fit. I'm sure I can also create period buckles and belt tips with a bit of playing around... Still have the Regent's to do - haven't gone past the thought stage. Next couple of months, probably, and I'll have both of them done.

[J. Padgett]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys! Steve, that link you posted is great. That one is definiately going in the bookmarks.

[Gordon Clark]

[Aaron Schnatterly]