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Post by LittleJP on Oct 22, 2010 5:13:16 GMT
So, what prompted the switch?
As far as I know, it seems to be limited to the military near the 18th or 19th century, not sure exactly when.
Pro:
More durable
Secondary weapon?
Cons:
Dulled edge of blades easily if drawn improperly
Heavy
Anyone got any insights?
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Oct 22, 2010 6:12:09 GMT
That's something I'd like to know myself. If it was because they used primarily leather soft-scabbards (which I believe they did, rather than leather over wood, but I don't know for sure), the metal probably would have slowed the damage to the blade that a leather scabbard can cause. Plus, they were mostly cavalry or dress swords, so they wouldn't need a razor's edge since, at about a 40mph charge, a somewhat dull blade will cleave as well as a sharp one. That's the only reason I can think of and I'm pretty sure that's not it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2010 14:51:30 GMT
one reason could be that metal scabbards were easier to mass produce for those times. Also I know that 19th / early 20th within the British military both metal and leather covered metal scabbards were issued. The leather covered was considered a field scabbard and the metal as a dress piece.
cheers,
Bill
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Post by Freebooter on Oct 23, 2010 11:37:34 GMT
Metal ones are much more durable than leather or leather covered wood ones. I figure that it was simply that metal scabbards stood up to the riggers of military campaigning and use better.
Freebooter
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Post by Bogus on Oct 23, 2010 21:10:52 GMT
Plus metal is shiny, and people dig the shiny.  |
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Post by Dave Kelly on Oct 25, 2010 1:53:10 GMT
Easier fabrication and durability were the chief reasons for going with the metal scabbards. Sword was usually held in by a throat clip screwed into the mouth of the scabbard. Troopers concerned with the destrustion of their battle edges on their blades would remove the throat pieces.
Officers typically had a dress (parade) rig and an undress (field) rig. Scabbards for dress were often nickel plated. Field scabbards might be leather covered, rusted over deliberately or painted black. Just prior to WW I many countries started issuing anodized scabbards with non glaring powder finishes.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2011 23:20:41 GMT
My guess is that metal scabbards weren't used until relatively recently because blades for swords were hand-made and scabbards had to be custom-fitted and specially made for each sword. For this purpose something like wood or leather was probably much easier to work with. When military swords became mass-produced from a particular pattern making scabbards out of metal was probably easier to manufacture and was more durable to boot.
Pure speculation on my part though.
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Post by Bradleee42 on Feb 12, 2011 3:30:20 GMT
the ones made out of twinkies kept either getting eaten or falling apart. sorry, I know I'm a smart-$emprini , I can't help it sometimes.
Listen to Dave, he knows what he's talking about.
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Post by caferacer on Feb 12, 2011 4:11:59 GMT
now I'm hungry!
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Post by MOK on Mar 16, 2011 14:24:46 GMT
Well, starving people have eaten leather goods like belts before, so...
But yeah, I'd peg it primarily on durability, ease of manufacture and the bling factor. Never underestimate the bling factor.
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Post by MrAcheson on Mar 16, 2011 17:37:22 GMT
This. I think you'll find that the use of metal scabbards skyrocketed after the Bessemer process dropped the cost of steel through the floor in the 1850s.
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Post by Dave Kelly on Mar 20, 2011 14:04:47 GMT
Actually, along the same line, it was the development of wrought iron refinement post 1785 that spurred the chang over. 'course once Bessemer processing introduced cheap production steel everything transitioned yet again. ( Now we get fiberglass scabbards... ) :lol:
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