The Effigy Scabbard is a courtly Scabbard. When the Scabbard pokes out from behind you're going to hit people when you turn. It doesn't help with dancing and it doesn't help with standing in a crowded room. And as far as picking things up, if you have a sword that is that fancy you also have a Lackey to pick things up for you.
But how'd you do the knee bend when dancing, and would you also be wearing effigy armour when dancing? Maybe the rattling of armour could compensate for possible lack of adequate musical percussion instruments.
"how'd you do the knee bend when dancing" Good question. Though I would say that it is easier to occasionally put a hand on the sword when kneeling or bowing than it is to have the hand there always keeping it from poking or swooshing someone.
According to iconography, it is very common for males to have their left hand on their left hips holding a sword or dagger during courtly dances. So, you may be up to something here...
Effigy's top tombs right? how would you represent an angle scabbard on an effigy, the length of the scabbard would disappear into the tomb below. It would make sense to carve a vertical scabbard even if in life it would have not been.
@@jamesj.mccombie5031 I feel like this is the most likey scenario unless there's other non effigy art to back up the straight leg style. The baldric style is also straight leg when worn though........so who really knows. As someone who's work machetes and tools hanging straight down I can tell you, angled is better. That sword will constantly be knocking on your leg as you walk or worse if you run. I doubt anyone actually wore it like that in a practical sense. There must have been a bit of an angle even if minor.
Some beautiful artistry on display. Scabbards always seem to be neglected. I still don't really understand why a $1000 Albion doesn't come with at least a utilitarian scabbard when my $200 Hanwei came with one.
My no-brand sword came with one but it's kind of useless as it's got two rings but no belt attachment stuff, and rattles like anything. It's a shame Albions don't come with a scabbard but it's giving me an opportunity to custom commission one for the Albion Prince I have on order.
I've found having it vertical it gets in the way less if you're using a polearm. If it's on an angle it sticks out in from and behind, flaps all around with each step, sometimes you punch the pommel or guard. It's horrible. I think angle carry would be more for civilian use and longswords, and then for war they'd be vertical. And if you need to squat you can push the scabbard with your knee as you lunge or sweep it away as you go down.
Do you think the "rain flap" on the second scabbard could be a catch to prevent you cutting into your garments as you foible the tip in-line to sheath the blade? Textile longevity was more important in historical times and a small ubiquitous tag on scabbard designs seems like a reasonable response to human imperfection.
I was thinking about this too, when Matt mentioned it being somewhat "funnely". It seems like a cheap and perfect solution to a very mundane, but also very much present problem.
MY pet theory about vertical scabbards is: Standing around in crowds at cort or in the army line! Previously warbands were smaller, so the fact that your scabbard was a wagging tail behind you was no problem, people left space enough that it was no big problem. When armies grow larger and more densely packed, and likewise courts grow more populous, also the sword is worn at court as an ornament rather than being left in the room or pack-chest as only a tool of war. That is MY theory. Who got any evidence (tapestries, illustrations or accords) to prove or dis-prove my theory??
Modern History TV has a good video about how annoying swords are on horseback. He speculated that the sword needed to hang straight down to avoid hitting the horse, and to make the draw slightly safer for the user. That, or put the sword on the saddle. I think you’re definitely right about the vertical hang being good for court, crowds, and tight formations.
not in German, there is means "pale and dead" Or "pale and death", depending on capitalization. But then they aren't German, so it wouldn't matter most likely.
A Turk once told me that it was the habit to toss the scabbard when drawing a yataghan. If you win the battle, there's plenty of time to find a scabbard afterwards; if you loose, there's no need.
In line with what you said about the scabbard that hangs straight down being for dress swords: if you’re wearing a sword in doors you might not want it to have your sword angled behind you because it is more likely to bump into things or people. The straight down style scabbard could be for indoor wearing.
Hey Matt, big fan of all the good work you've done with your channel, you're often shared to Re-eneactor and HEMA friends as a good source of information. Just to chime in about the early 1000s scabbard and how high swords sit, I've actually found its the opposite and that its better to have them sit high and tight when riding or running about. There is nothing more annoying than having your sword flap about between you, the horse and a shield. With the belt set up above the hips the sword fits neatly under the arm holding your shield and doesn't get in the way. Most sword blades of the period are 30-32" long....ish and you easily have enough arm length to draw them. Remember also that if the belt is loose the scabbard will move with the sword when you pull it, actually making it harder to draw free, especially with a well fitted scabbard. The problem they have in Game of Thrones isn't the position or height of the belt, its the length of the swords which are often longer than an arming sword or early medieval sword would be.
The vertical kind of wearing gives me one huge idea as to why - it's more convenient to wear every day. You don't bump into everything every time you turn around, it's much more convenient to wear in a tight formation, as it doesn't get in a way of other weapons and it doesn't dig into the ground when you lay down on your back (making it easier to sleep with it attached but more importantly - protecting it in case you get knocked back on your back)
I do not want to come off as hypercritical as I love your videos. And I know these things take up a lot of time to arrange, film and edit. However, a small inset in the corner of the screen showing a closeup of details being discussed would be very helpful in a lot of your postings. I know I couldn't do these videos myself for (name any reason that comes to mind), so I apologize for being pushy ahead of time. Cheers.
Scabbards were like pistol holsters. The gun essentially lasts forever if you take care of it properly, but the holster and belt will eventually wear out just by wearing it. Ditto a scabbard and suspension belt.
No matter what era or civilization people always be ballin'. Showing off their scabbards like rims on a Cadillac? Wearing the most outlandish clothes with stark colour combinations? Medieval nobles are basically rappers.
I would think the "rain flap" would be for rattle suppression. As you said you wouldn't want a perfect fitting scabbard because the wood will swell when wet but when dry the sword will rattle about inside of it. That little flap of leather pressing on the guard should be enough to prevent the rattling. The issue with excessive rattling with a scabbard wouldn't be noise prevention but to prevent excessive wear as the steel sword edge tries to cut through the wood while you walk around. The added noise prevention would just be an added bonus. As for protection from rain, they usually had an oiled cloth for wiping down their kit, that could be hung over the handle assembly and would keep water out without making it too slow to draw.
I almost wrote a nasty note about not even mentioning baldrics, but you saved it near the end. After all, baldrics have been used right the way around the world for 2,000+ years.
With a background in studying art history and sculpture, i have a simpler theory about effigy representations of sword positions. They are straight slabs of rock. For one, you adapt the model to the limits you have to make that slab, while also saving material. You either don't have the space to do an angled sword, seeing they were made either for covering tombs, or against a straight wall. Secondly, you need a giant slab of marble or stone, just for having a thing pointing away from the main body, wasting 99% of that material, while making the thing prone to breaking off. They kept it solid, and making it last or fit was a way bigger priority than the correct angle of the sword for historians of the future.
Tod, I would really appreciate a video on how to make the chape for a scabbard. Maybe scabbard fittings as a whole. I know that they aren't too complicated, but I am always on the lookout to find ways to do my work more quickly. I think I may be the slowest craftsman alive. Love the video.
Could the diagonal sword belt have remained in use over such a long period because it makes it easier to ditch the scabbard? Also, is there any evidence for fur lining scabbards? - Asking because a friend took a shortcut and only lined the top half of his scabbard reasoning that the fur would wipe the blade dry as the sword was replaced in the scabbard. Didn't have a problem until he left it in a tent on a very wet weekend and found that damp air in the scabbard(?) had got at the blade and whilst the top half was fine, the bottom half was very red and had started to pit.
those leather flaps at top of the scabbard were there to facilitate putting your sword back more quickly in to the scabbard and not injure your hand ( they were bend sightly to the exterior ) ;) ;) ;)
This is fascinating. Scabbards are often overlooked because they were practical and necessary. Sheaths are flexible or semi-rigid while scabbrds are rigid.
I think the scabbard should be of the same color of the grip. That flower decorated scabbard is magnificient. the best combo would be the sword with golden hilt and pommel (and maybe even a ruby like stone in the center of the pommel), blue grip, scabbard with golden throat and tip, the scabbard itself being blue like the grip of the sword, with floreal decorations.
ARX 351 I think it can look quite good to have a different color as long as there is some element that ties them together like the same kind of metal or metal decorations similar to the scabbard or maybe a gemstone in the color of the scabbard.
lol thank you i was sitting here with the scabbard for my lil sword having not a clue what i was supposed to do with the leather straps, seeing how its supposed to be tied (in the very first example) i feel more comfortable cutting the slit much further up
One comment about the "swords ridding very high" Hollywood thing (and also about the "gunslinger-style" thing). In some countries and times (example: Castille, X to XIV centuries), customarily knights used to wear belted swords and foot soldiers used to wear baldrics (it's even mentioned in the phrase "ceñir espada", "to belt a sword", as a knightly atribute). From my own experience as reenactor, a high-riding baldric (amusingly, even as high as a gunslinger's shoulder holster) is actually surprisingly comfortable and easy to draw, as much - if no more - than low-hanging baldrics. Not to mention, easy to keep off the rain under a soldier's raincloak. Period miniatures seem to suggest either way was personal preference - that, or a varied deegre of artist's skill (you can't rule that out, of course). But you won't see Hollywood having a character wearing a high-riding baldric, no, they won't. "They look silly," they say.
My Galco Kingtuk IWB holster for my Glock21 has a similar "rain flap" and its purpose is shielding the body from the weapon for comfort and to protect the weapon from body heat, moisture, and oils.
hey Matt, gotta say .. the collaboration vids with you and other creators meeting up in person are AWESOME. Seeing you along Tod, and ... I forget his real name, but Lindybeige etc - is awesome :D :D :D
I suspect the effigy scabbards are vertical to save the artist material and make the carving stronger. If you have a sword sticking out; you have a long spindly piece of stone/marble that takes a lot more material to carve the negative from. Or if the effigy is a casting, the tiny sword sticking out will be hard to fill with brass or whatever.
just after 4 minutes in, Matt starts talking about scabbards being worn high. With long scabbards, this would be impossible, but the Anglo-Saxons had a fashion of wearing their baldrics in such a way that held the swords very close to their body, almost vertical, and much higher than their counterparts in other nations. Having used it like this, I can tell you it is very effective, and keeps the scabbard secure. You can also then draw it vertically, which in a line of shield users takes up little space. Longer swords would struggle of course
Just had another thought. The one that is devorated is porbably much more usefull in an everyday setting where you go about your business. It seems easier to wear with cloaks and capes. If you own a scabbard like that you usually have ppl to pick up stuff, and fetch 'n' carry for you, and you're not drawing your weapon that often (men at arms take care of troublesome things).
Nice video with great information for us a bit too lazy to do proper research. :) Could you please do a video on that sword and dagger set? I can vaguely remember that pair being mentioned before in passing and would love to see more.
My guess for the issue (picking stuff up from the ground) with vertical scabbards that you mention not being a factor, is if they are commonly seen on effigies, surely those will be people who have servants and/or retainers who would be on hand to pick things up off the ground for them, so their scabbard design doesn't have to factor that in?
My thoughts on the "rain flap". Coming from an American point of view, as someone who carries a handgun on a regular basis in leather holsters, I think it might be a "passive retention" feature to hold the sword in the scabbard more securely. Especially if the scabbard is made with a looser fit to account for swelling that may occur in damp conditions. I know that this thread is two years old, but I just happened upon it.
Thanks for the video. If you wind up pulling the sword in extremis you might well ditch your scabbard entirely. That was an interesting line of thought you didn't really explore as far as I would like. Another thing that might happen in extremis would be to use the scabbard as a parrying stick. But how would you go about doing it? These rigs look pretty secure, I don't see any quick release. Seems like it would be easier to either ditch the scabbard or use it if you used a baldric instead.
Maybe they switched to vertical because it was easier to turn around? If you have an angled one and you turn around I would imagine knocking things over or hitting people. I would also imagine that a person with a sword would be quite rich, which is why they wouldn't bend down to pick something up.
The godawful medieval aesthetic is why I had my gambeson made with a blue-green linen shell, sunflower yellow satin lining, and scarlet stitching holding it all together. It looks hideous but I feel like a duke.
You might see that vertical Cary on the effigies because it was more practical to carve the stone without having a sword sticking out of the top of the effigy. Also the subject is laying down and it needs to be vertical if laying down.
Regarding taking cues from effigies for sword position - We should consider that depicting a sword in an angled position in an effigy simply would not have been feasible due to the fact that effigies were carved in stone and necessarily occupied a very tight space (ie: a niche in an alcove or the top of a stone coffin. Therefore it's quite possible that even if in life a sword is worn in an angled position, the artisan creating the effigy, had to take the liberty of depicting the sword hanging straight down.
I know this is an older video but the decorative patterns remind me a lot of modern sport rifles and pistols can be quite extravagant just for flair. The vertical hang seems might also have been for common courtesy as normal walking you won't have to worry about the tip swinging into something or someone behind you and when kneeling the user would push the pommel forward and might feel more natural to a user that wears a sword daily. Would there be methods of treating the wood with saps or lacquer to prevent moisture expansion? Great video enjoy Todd's workmanship.
There were styles of Japanese Sword Arts that required the scabbards to be fixed in place at a similar height to what you are showing at first. They manage to get the blades drawn by twisting their hip backwards. Shorter blades on average, but a friend who is 5'-3" tall was able to draw blades up to 34 inches from that position. Not that it actually matters, different sword styles from different regions.
I imagine the straight-down scabbard might be superior on horseback. A standard scabbard would hit the horse's leg, bounce around a lot more, and could easily fall out.
I think what a knight wanted was a suspension system that could be easily adjusted. Something that hangs straight down while you’re on horseback, but that hangs at an angle when you’re on foot. EDIT: Good comment below. They explained a pet theory that a vertical hanging scabbard was better for crowds, court, and tight formations. So archers and common men, and traveling nobles = angled carry. Courtiers and soldiers in tight formations and cavalry = vertical carry. Makes sense.
Curved swords can be tricky to make scabbards for. You have to make the opening big enough to account for the radius or you make a scabbard your sword won't fit. You can guess how I know that. To make all the stuff Todd makes a person has to be a Craftsman in many different areas. Todd has my respect, and I would think everyone else's.
Is it possible that the scabbards on the effigies were mounted that way as a sort of artistic interpretetion? It would be difficult to make a diagonal sword scabbard on a statue that is on its back.
Question : - particularly for you Todd, but also for Matt, Did the scabbards have any fluting down the inside fascia of the bulk wooden part of the scabbard body? And also having a drainage outlet at the base? This seems common sense.
I'd assume maybe the "rain flap" is more for deflecting dirt that's travelling upwards, grit and mud kicked upwards while horseriding and getting into the gap between the crossguard and the scabbard throat, than to protect against rain falling down.
Interesting you two mention carrying a sword high is bad as I tried the sling method with my sabre after watching one of your vids and, walking around on foot anyway, it was surprisingly convenient and still easy to draw. Granted, I'm 6'6" with long arms and likely drew the sabre across my body into a prime guard, so I have plenty of room to clear the blade vs an average height person. Probably not efficient for everyone, but conveniently makes use of the existing loops on my M1902 US Army Officer's scabbard with a simple gym bag strap.
Interesting about the tulwar scabbard, as I had read that Hindu, and Muslim dagger scabbards were very ornate, jeweled pieces of art. When the blade that went into it wore out or failed, a new one was made to fit the scabbard. The scabbard was the primary component of the pair.
You have to consider, that dyes were extremely expensive before the age of chemistry. So showing of a wide array of colours shows your personal wealth.
Would the oils/waxes, lubricants in general, used to keep the weapon from corroding, help lubricate a tight-fitting scabbard, making it easier to draw in a moist environment? Or perhaps the wood forming the scabbard be weather resistant or treated?
That "rain flap" does have a "bump" on top. If that bump is not only outwards, but also inwards, could it be that this was the "lock" to keep the sword from falling out? Especially if it was looser fit scabbard.
Superdry need to do a line of tight woolen hose for men.
You want to see us in tight woolen hose?
He wants to see "hoes" - different kind of video entirely... Farming implements, obviously
scholagladiatoria Yes please
b0ss please
Oh God No! BTW were you playing on mini siege yesterday evening or was there some clone?
Here is a medieval sword scabbard. Now, let me show you its features.
Einomies HA! HA! HA! HA!
Eddard Joerg Sprave, The Slingshot Channel. Watch any of his videos, you will get it :D
The Effigy Scabbard is a courtly Scabbard. When the Scabbard pokes out from behind you're going to hit people when you turn. It doesn't help with dancing and it doesn't help with standing in a crowded room. And as far as picking things up, if you have a sword that is that fancy you also have a Lackey to pick things up for you.
But how'd you do the knee bend when dancing, and would you also be wearing effigy armour when dancing? Maybe the rattling of armour could compensate for possible lack of adequate musical percussion instruments.
"how'd you do the knee bend when dancing" Good question. Though I would say that it is easier to occasionally put a hand on the sword when kneeling or bowing than it is to have the hand there always keeping it from poking or swooshing someone.
According to iconography, it is very common for males to have their left hand on their left hips holding a sword or dagger during courtly dances. So, you may be up to something here...
Effigy's top tombs right? how would you represent an angle scabbard on an effigy, the length of the scabbard would disappear into the tomb below. It would make sense to carve a vertical scabbard even if in life it would have not been.
@@jamesj.mccombie5031 I feel like this is the most likey scenario unless there's other non effigy art to back up the straight leg style. The baldric style is also straight leg when worn though........so who really knows. As someone who's work machetes and tools hanging straight down I can tell you, angled is better. That sword will constantly be knocking on your leg as you walk or worse if you run. I doubt anyone actually wore it like that in a practical sense. There must have been a bit of an angle even if minor.
Arming swords are beautiful..
BigHossHackworth, I agree! I think they're the most swordly of swords.
Arming swords are underrated
Some beautiful artistry on display. Scabbards always seem to be neglected. I still don't really understand why a $1000 Albion doesn't come with at least a utilitarian scabbard when my $200 Hanwei came with one.
My no-brand sword came with one but it's kind of useless as it's got two rings but no belt attachment stuff, and rattles like anything.
It's a shame Albions don't come with a scabbard but it's giving me an opportunity to custom commission one for the Albion Prince I have on order.
I've found having it vertical it gets in the way less if you're using a polearm. If it's on an angle it sticks out in from and behind, flaps all around with each step, sometimes you punch the pommel or guard. It's horrible. I think angle carry would be more for civilian use and longswords, and then for war they'd be vertical. And if you need to squat you can push the scabbard with your knee as you lunge or sweep it away as you go down.
Do you think the "rain flap" on the second scabbard could be a catch to prevent you cutting into your garments as you foible the tip in-line to sheath the blade?
Textile longevity was more important in historical times and a small ubiquitous tag on scabbard designs seems like a reasonable response to human imperfection.
I was thinking about this too, when Matt mentioned it being somewhat "funnely". It seems like a cheap and perfect solution to a very mundane, but also very much present problem.
MY pet theory about vertical scabbards is: Standing around in crowds at cort or in the army line! Previously warbands were smaller, so the fact that your scabbard was a wagging tail behind you was no problem, people left space enough that it was no big problem. When armies grow larger and more densely packed, and likewise courts grow more populous, also the sword is worn at court as an ornament rather than being left in the room or pack-chest as only a tool of war. That is MY theory. Who got any evidence (tapestries, illustrations or accords) to prove or dis-prove my theory??
Modern History TV has a good video about how annoying swords are on horseback. He speculated that the sword needed to hang straight down to avoid hitting the horse, and to make the draw slightly safer for the user. That, or put the sword on the saddle.
I think you’re definitely right about the vertical hang being good for court, crowds, and tight formations.
Matt and Tod would be a good name for a kids tv show. You can have that one for free.
not in German, there is means "pale and dead"
Or "pale and death", depending on capitalization.
But then they aren't German, so it wouldn't matter most likely.
Tod needs an apprentice to pass down his craft
^so much this!
I would love learning this stuff!
I volunteer so much !
i'm in
agreed
"We're going to be using Tod as a model"
A Todel, if you will
I so needed this! Im designing some scabards and belts for them now. Thank you.
A Turk once told me that it was the habit to toss the scabbard when drawing a yataghan. If you win the battle, there's plenty of time to find a scabbard afterwards; if you loose, there's no need.
Well, looks like I'm starting a savings fund for one of Tod's scabbard and sword belts. Gorgeous!
FANTASTIC. completely overlooked topic
Love your attention to functional details and ractics.
In line with what you said about the scabbard that hangs straight down being for dress swords: if you’re wearing a sword in doors you might not want it to have your sword angled behind you because it is more likely to bump into things or people. The straight down style scabbard could be for indoor wearing.
Hey Matt, big fan of all the good work you've done with your channel, you're often shared to Re-eneactor and HEMA friends as a good source of information. Just to chime in about the early 1000s scabbard and how high swords sit, I've actually found its the opposite and that its better to have them sit high and tight when riding or running about. There is nothing more annoying than having your sword flap about between you, the horse and a shield. With the belt set up above the hips the sword fits neatly under the arm holding your shield and doesn't get in the way. Most sword blades of the period are 30-32" long....ish and you easily have enough arm length to draw them. Remember also that if the belt is loose the scabbard will move with the sword when you pull it, actually making it harder to draw free, especially with a well fitted scabbard. The problem they have in Game of Thrones isn't the position or height of the belt, its the length of the swords which are often longer than an arming sword or early medieval sword would be.
The vertical kind of wearing gives me one huge idea as to why - it's more convenient to wear every day. You don't bump into everything every time you turn around, it's much more convenient to wear in a tight formation, as it doesn't get in a way of other weapons and it doesn't dig into the ground when you lay down on your back (making it easier to sleep with it attached but more importantly - protecting it in case you get knocked back on your back)
I do not want to come off as hypercritical as I love your videos. And I know these things take up a lot of time to arrange, film and edit. However, a small inset in the corner of the screen showing a closeup of details being discussed would be very helpful in a lot of your postings. I know I couldn't do these videos myself for (name any reason that comes to mind), so I apologize for being pushy ahead of time.
Cheers.
Scabbards were like pistol holsters. The gun essentially lasts forever if you take care of it properly, but the holster and belt will eventually wear out just by wearing it. Ditto a scabbard and suspension belt.
If you ditch the scabbard ,you can come back for it or, if you lose the fight, then you won't need it again.
No matter what era or civilization people always be ballin'. Showing off their scabbards like rims on a Cadillac? Wearing the most outlandish clothes with stark colour combinations? Medieval nobles are basically rappers.
Alfatazer _ and the vikings were even more extreme playboys...
2:57 LMAO that zoom. Does Tod approve? Should have also done another zoom at 7:04
Tod's packing heat
Awesome stuff! thanks :D
Make more videos! please...
Or else Brian Danner is going to kill us all
Doubly awesome!
I would think the "rain flap" would be for rattle suppression. As you said you wouldn't want a perfect fitting scabbard because the wood will swell when wet but when dry the sword will rattle about inside of it. That little flap of leather pressing on the guard should be enough to prevent the rattling. The issue with excessive rattling with a scabbard wouldn't be noise prevention but to prevent excessive wear as the steel sword edge tries to cut through the wood while you walk around. The added noise prevention would just be an added bonus. As for protection from rain, they usually had an oiled cloth for wiping down their kit, that could be hung over the handle assembly and would keep water out without making it too slow to draw.
Man Todd has some big guns
I almost wrote a nasty note about not even mentioning baldrics, but you saved it near the end. After all, baldrics have been used right the way around the world for 2,000+ years.
With a background in studying art history and sculpture, i have a simpler theory about effigy representations of sword positions. They are straight slabs of rock. For one, you adapt the model to the limits you have to make that slab, while also saving material. You either don't have the space to do an angled sword, seeing they were made either for covering tombs, or against a straight wall. Secondly, you need a giant slab of marble or stone, just for having a thing pointing away from the main body, wasting 99% of that material, while making the thing prone to breaking off. They kept it solid, and making it last or fit was a way bigger priority than the correct angle of the sword for historians of the future.
So much awesome information to use in my fantasy writing. Thank you! RIP Hollywood choreography--the future is here!
Tod, I would really appreciate a video on how to make the chape for a scabbard. Maybe scabbard fittings as a whole. I know that they aren't too complicated, but I am always on the lookout to find ways to do my work more quickly. I think I may be the slowest craftsman alive. Love the video.
Could the diagonal sword belt have remained in use over such a long period because it makes it easier to ditch the scabbard? Also, is there any evidence for fur lining scabbards? - Asking because a friend took a shortcut and only lined the top half of his scabbard reasoning that the fur would wipe the blade dry as the sword was replaced in the scabbard. Didn't have a problem until he left it in a tent on a very wet weekend and found that damp air in the scabbard(?) had got at the blade and whilst the top half was fine, the bottom half was very red and had started to pit.
I guess o ne of th epooches took a pis on the hilt, hence the damp air.
those leather flaps at top of the scabbard were there to facilitate putting your sword back more quickly in to the scabbard and not injure your hand ( they were bend sightly to the exterior ) ;) ;) ;)
Your videos are fascinating, even for one not particularly "In to" weaponry.
that straight scabbard crown detail is fantastic!
greetings from Perú :)
In the danish cavalry we use the vertical carry for riding, and use a hook for angled carry when dismounted.
Amazing quality video as always Matt. I too hope to one day own a scabbard made by Tod for my Albion Earl.
love this tod fella, proper crafts man
I love that Regent, it's so long and stiff
I love the look of it, but the pommel disagrees with my hand.
scholagladiatoria it’s all in the grip.
that's what she said!
sorry, I'll leave now.
Goodbye, Nerobyrne.
Beautiful work!
Well done. Thank you, gentlemen.
This is fascinating. Scabbards are often overlooked because they were practical and necessary. Sheaths are flexible or semi-rigid while scabbrds are rigid.
Excellent video guys, really loved it! An often neglected subject.
Kudos to Tod for great handywork & quick-change artistry!
I think the scabbard should be of the same color of the grip. That flower decorated scabbard is magnificient. the best combo would be the sword with golden hilt and pommel (and maybe even a ruby like stone in the center of the pommel), blue grip, scabbard with golden throat and tip, the scabbard itself being blue like the grip of the sword, with floreal decorations.
ARX 351 I think it can look quite good to have a different color as long as there is some element that ties them together like the same kind of metal or metal decorations similar to the scabbard or maybe a gemstone in the color of the scabbard.
Tod is the medieval GI Joe
lol thank you i was sitting here with the scabbard for my lil sword having not a clue what i was supposed to do with the leather straps, seeing how its supposed to be tied (in the very first example) i feel more comfortable cutting the slit much further up
One comment about the "swords ridding very high" Hollywood thing (and also about the "gunslinger-style" thing). In some countries and times (example: Castille, X to XIV centuries), customarily knights used to wear belted swords and foot soldiers used to wear baldrics (it's even mentioned in the phrase "ceñir espada", "to belt a sword", as a knightly atribute). From my own experience as reenactor, a high-riding baldric (amusingly, even as high as a gunslinger's shoulder holster) is actually surprisingly comfortable and easy to draw, as much - if no more - than low-hanging baldrics. Not to mention, easy to keep off the rain under a soldier's raincloak. Period miniatures seem to suggest either way was personal preference - that, or a varied deegre of artist's skill (you can't rule that out, of course).
But you won't see Hollywood having a character wearing a high-riding baldric, no, they won't. "They look silly," they say.
My Galco Kingtuk IWB holster for my Glock21 has a similar "rain flap" and its purpose is shielding the body from the weapon for comfort and to protect the weapon from body heat, moisture, and oils.
Getting ones weapon out quickly is paramount......takes notes on tip top tips
That purple scabbard is gorgeous.
Really fascinating! Thank you!
hey Matt, gotta say .. the collaboration vids with you and other creators meeting up in person are AWESOME. Seeing you along Tod, and ... I forget his real name, but Lindybeige etc - is awesome :D :D :D
I suspect the effigy scabbards are vertical to save the artist material and make the carving stronger. If you have a sword sticking out; you have a long spindly piece of stone/marble that takes a lot more material to carve the negative from. Or if the effigy is a casting, the tiny sword sticking out will be hard to fill with brass or whatever.
These different hanging methods remind me of the different types of shoulder holsters I was just shopping for lol
just after 4 minutes in, Matt starts talking about scabbards being worn high.
With long scabbards, this would be impossible, but the Anglo-Saxons had a fashion of wearing their baldrics in such a way that held the swords very close to their body, almost vertical, and much higher than their counterparts in other nations. Having used it like this, I can tell you it is very effective, and keeps the scabbard secure. You can also then draw it vertically, which in a line of shield users takes up little space.
Longer swords would struggle of course
Just had another thought. The one that is devorated is porbably much more usefull in an everyday setting where you go about your business. It seems easier to wear with cloaks and capes. If you own a scabbard like that you usually have ppl to pick up stuff, and fetch 'n' carry for you, and you're not drawing your weapon that often (men at arms take care of troublesome things).
Nice video with great information for us a bit too lazy to do proper research. :)
Could you please do a video on that sword and dagger set? I can vaguely remember that pair being mentioned before in passing and would love to see more.
Thanks for the information. I'll use it in my novel.
My guess for the issue (picking stuff up from the ground) with vertical scabbards that you mention not being a factor, is if they are commonly seen on effigies, surely those will be people who have servants and/or retainers who would be on hand to pick things up off the ground for them, so their scabbard design doesn't have to factor that in?
My thoughts on the "rain flap". Coming from an American point of view, as someone who carries a handgun on a regular basis in leather holsters, I think it might be a "passive retention" feature to hold the sword in the scabbard more securely. Especially if the scabbard is made with a looser fit to account for swelling that may occur in damp conditions. I know that this thread is two years old, but I just happened upon it.
13:30 maybe the vertical drop on the scabbard is artistic license so the scabbard doesn't stick out the back of the effigy?
Thanks for the video. If you wind up pulling the sword in extremis you might well ditch your scabbard entirely. That was an interesting line of thought you didn't really explore as far as I would like. Another thing that might happen in extremis would be to use the scabbard as a parrying stick. But how would you go about doing it? These rigs look pretty secure, I don't see any quick release. Seems like it would be easier to either ditch the scabbard or use it if you used a baldric instead.
Maybe they switched to vertical because it was easier to turn around? If you have an angled one and you turn around I would imagine knocking things over or hitting people.
I would also imagine that a person with a sword would be quite rich, which is why they wouldn't bend down to pick something up.
The godawful medieval aesthetic is why I had my gambeson made with a blue-green linen shell, sunflower yellow satin lining, and scarlet stitching holding it all together. It looks hideous but I feel like a duke.
You might see that vertical Cary on the effigies because it was more practical to carve the stone without having a sword sticking out of the top of the effigy. Also the subject is laying down and it needs to be vertical if laying down.
I like that they also used a historically accurate medieval camcorder.
These videos would benefit greatly from some final close-up shots like you've done before for some swords and myuseum displays.
Regarding taking cues from effigies for sword position - We should consider that depicting a sword in an angled position in an effigy simply would not have been feasible due to the fact that effigies were carved in stone and necessarily occupied a very tight space (ie: a niche in an alcove or the top of a stone coffin. Therefore it's quite possible that even if in life a sword is worn in an angled position, the artisan creating the effigy, had to take the liberty of depicting the sword hanging straight down.
FYI: one can use the chape tightness to tension ones scabbard without having to worry about the sword getting stuck.
8:20 it could be for some passive retention
I believe scabbards worn in a vertical position was done for tight formations.
Could you do a video on how you wear the bollocks/rondell dagger?
I know this is an older video but the decorative patterns remind me a lot of modern sport rifles and pistols can be quite extravagant just for flair.
The vertical hang seems might also have been for common courtesy as normal walking you won't have to worry about the tip swinging into something or someone behind you and when kneeling the user would push the pommel forward and might feel more natural to a user that wears a sword daily.
Would there be methods of treating the wood with saps or lacquer to prevent moisture expansion?
Great video enjoy Todd's workmanship.
There were styles of Japanese Sword Arts that required the scabbards to be fixed in place at a similar height to what you are showing at first. They manage to get the blades drawn by twisting their hip backwards. Shorter blades on average, but a friend who is 5'-3" tall was able to draw blades up to 34 inches from that position. Not that it actually matters, different sword styles from different regions.
I imagine the straight-down scabbard might be superior on horseback. A standard scabbard would hit the horse's leg, bounce around a lot more, and could easily fall out.
Great video!
5:45 Matt riding an invisible pony. Great stuff this.
No doubt about it. Todd is quite a Craftsman.
What you saif of 1.33 firdt ward as a draw is similar to my conclusion on mittelhut with rondeldagger from Meyer
I think the lips on the second scabbard is a help to put the word back in the scabbard
I think what a knight wanted was a suspension system that could be easily adjusted. Something that hangs straight down while you’re on horseback, but that hangs at an angle when you’re on foot.
EDIT:
Good comment below. They explained a pet theory that a vertical hanging scabbard was better for crowds, court, and tight formations.
So archers and common men, and traveling nobles = angled carry.
Courtiers and soldiers in tight formations and cavalry = vertical carry.
Makes sense.
I just watched you on Ancient Assassins season 1 episode 8 about Vlad the Impaler's Impalers
Should I watch a half-hour video about medieval sword scabbards?
Yes. I think i will.
Curved swords can be tricky to make scabbards for. You have to make the opening big enough to account for the radius or you make a scabbard your sword won't fit. You can guess how I know that.
To make all the stuff Todd makes a person has to be a Craftsman in many different areas. Todd has my respect, and I would think everyone else's.
Is it possible that the scabbards on the effigies were mounted that way as a sort of artistic interpretetion? It would be difficult to make a diagonal sword scabbard on a statue that is on its back.
Question :
- particularly for you Todd, but also for Matt, Did the scabbards have any fluting down the inside fascia of the bulk wooden part of the scabbard body? And also having a drainage outlet at the base? This seems common sense.
I'd assume maybe the "rain flap" is more for deflecting dirt that's travelling upwards, grit and mud kicked upwards while horseriding and getting into the gap between the crossguard and the scabbard throat, than to protect against rain falling down.
There are historical examples of rain gaurds but they were attatched to the hilt of the blade and fitted over the top of the scabard.
Interesting you two mention carrying a sword high is bad as I tried the sling method with my sabre after watching one of your vids and, walking around on foot anyway, it was surprisingly convenient and still easy to draw. Granted, I'm 6'6" with long arms and likely drew the sabre across my body into a prime guard, so I have plenty of room to clear the blade vs an average height person.
Probably not efficient for everyone, but conveniently makes use of the existing loops on my M1902 US Army Officer's scabbard with a simple gym bag strap.
I read that with rain flaps, you're supposed to tie a piece of string or cord around the flaps and grip to secure it.
realy interesting I want to see more about scabbards
Interesting about the tulwar scabbard, as I had read that Hindu, and Muslim dagger scabbards were very ornate, jeweled pieces of art. When the blade that went into it wore out or failed, a new one was made to fit the scabbard. The scabbard was the primary component of the pair.
You have to consider, that dyes were extremely expensive before the age of chemistry. So showing of a wide array of colours shows your personal wealth.
Not expensive if you used black walnut derived dye. Of course, you are talking about the red ones.And that stuff is permanent.
Would the oils/waxes, lubricants in general, used to keep the weapon from corroding, help lubricate a tight-fitting scabbard, making it easier to draw in a moist environment? Or perhaps the wood forming the scabbard be weather resistant or treated?
on the last scabbard, where it straps front, I would note that in earlier periods that front strap would conflict with a cod-piece.
Wrong Im afraid, the rapier scabbard dates from when codpieces were at their largest all the others predate the padded variety of codpiece.
Great vid mate, ty!
I'd rather have a good sword than a Rolex :D
That "rain flap" does have a "bump" on top. If that bump is not only outwards, but also inwards, could it be that this was the "lock" to keep the sword from falling out? Especially if it was looser fit scabbard.
Beautiful leatherwork, would be nice for you to post a link to his channel