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Post by erichofprovence on Aug 23, 2024 15:08:48 GMT
Good day my fellow nerds! I thought I'd make a thread that includes all my past and future projects, rather than constantly spam this section. This thread is meant to show all my projects, which includes: scabbard making for swords, daggers and knives, sword customisation, grip wrapping, and other smaller leather projects like medieval belts, pouches and bags. A quick word about me
I am based in the UK, have loved swords for as long as I can remember, am a big enjoyer of medieval fantasy (LotR, GoT, HotD, etc). I have acquired a taste for the finer things in swords, but my wallet does not want to follow where my heart leads. In 2019 I have started the journey of making pointy things with my own hands, making a bronze age sword in Wales and I have been hooked on it ever since. While there are definitely some swords that I would like to buy one day, I have found the thrill of making something myself to be even more rewarding. During the pandemic I have taken an additional step on this journey by making my first scabbard for the above mentioned bronze sword, which was followed by another for a LotR replica sword, and another, and another, and another, etc... I make all this for myself, my family and friends and I am loving every step of this path. I try to always improve my craft and identify the many mistakes I make along the way (which are many). I have discovered this passion later than I would have hoped in life (I would have loved to start as a kid) but can only be grateful for the treasure trove that the internet can be (yes, it is not all bad). As such, I am more than happy to share this passion and the resources with others who may want to take their first steps, as well as take advice from the many more experienced people here. How this works
I will regularly update this post with new additions to the collection and ongoing projects, but I will also try to post to post WIP pictures of the said projects which hopefully will be useful to someone. This will hopefully help me to keep track of all my projects and help me stick to a deadline (I need to be harsher with myself) Current finished collection
Bronze sword scabbard: my very first scabbard (will always be in my heart but not great and will be replaced) Boromir scabbard: the first proper sword scabbard. Will eventually be gifted to someone who will have it and replaced by a fancier piece  Glamdring scabbard: my first attempt at a veneer core. Will probably get a new leather wrap and a custom chape one day  The Kukri scabbard: a re-imagined and slightly europeanised version of the classic Kukri scabbard (the old one was falling apart)    Type XVIIIc scabbard: my "family sword" with my imagine family crest. The one that I'll keep and cherish forever.   Rondel dagger scabbard: The companion piece for the XVIIIc and the first all-leather scabbard I made.   Bollock dagger scabbard and box: A present for a friend's 30s birthday  "Greek" dagger scabbard: some old 16 year old souvenir piece that I tried to save  15th century inspired belt
1- A medieval belt with 15th century inspired acanthus leaves tooling, a present for my wife (hopefully finished August 24)
2- A heavily tooled 15th century scabbard for an SPQR 15th century bollock dagger along with a presentation leather-lined chest, which is a present for a friend's birthday (finishing September 24)
3- A heavily tooled scabbard and grip redo and wrap on an old "Greek" dagger that I got from a gift shop in Greece about 16 years ago.
4- A new scabbard for my bronze age sword. Will be much more historically accurate. 5- A lightly House of the Dragon inspired scabbard for my SPQR 14th century type XVI, as well as pommel markers (November 24) 6- A Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon inspired Targaryen sword. This is a full customisation of the Kingston Arms Crecy Sword and includes: heavy modifications to the guard and pommel, completely new grip and grip wrap. Also includes a customisation work of a companion dagger and companion eating knife (finishing early 2025). 7- A new scabbard for my LotR UC Boromir Sword, heavily inspired by the movies' aesthetic and custom fittings (throat, hangers, chape and belt fittings). Will be my first foray into lost wax casting! (Not fixing myself a date for this!) 8- Belt set for my Type XVIIIc with fancy belt fittings (sometime in 2024) 9- Game of Thrones-universe Valyrian sacrificial blade, temporary name Anogar: Full customisation of a crappy old sword I had around. Involves reshaping the blade, creating furniture from scratch in cast brass and a scabbard with custom fittings (2025) Thank you for reading and let me know what you think and do reach out if you have any questions or think that I am messing it up! Attachments:
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Aug 23, 2024 17:07:55 GMT
Awesome work!
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Post by treeslicer on Aug 24, 2024 0:43:49 GMT
Good day my fellow nerds! I thought I'd make a thread that includes all my past and future projects, rather than constantly spam this section. This thread is meant to show all my projects, which includes: scabbard making for swords, daggers and knives, sword customisation, grip wrapping, and other smaller leather projects like medieval belts, pouches and bags. ................! Everything you showed us I find impressively professional looking, but I am gobsmacked by your "re-imagined and slightly europeanised" kukri sheath. The embossing, in particular, looks absolutely superb. I did an integral kukri sheath recently, but I didn't bother to decorate it.
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Post by erichofprovence on Aug 24, 2024 7:48:48 GMT
Good day my fellow nerds! I thought I'd make a thread that includes all my past and future projects, rather than constantly spam this section. This thread is meant to show all my projects, which includes: scabbard making for swords, daggers and knives, sword customisation, grip wrapping, and other smaller leather projects like medieval belts, pouches and bags. ................! Everything you showed us I find impressively professional looking, but I am gobsmacked by your "re-imagined and slightly europeanised" kukri sheath. The embossing, in particular, looks absolutely superb. I did an integral kukri sheath recently, but I didn't bother to decorate it.
Thank you! It was a bit of a risk in the sense that the design really does not follow the traditional scabbard style, but it fitted the style that I wanted to experiment with at the time. I made up some background that would justify the design, I.e. a 15th century European traveller who would have brought it back from Asia. While I generally like to degree of historical accuracy, I don't want to let it get in the way of fun either. I like how you've used material that was there in your environment to make your scabbard. It adds a lot of character to one'swork. I really love the results that the veneer method gives, but outside of buying the model airplane wood online, there isn't much to it. |
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Post by pullrich on Aug 24, 2024 16:06:12 GMT
Nicely done! I really admire the tooling on the XVIII, and the glamdring work. Where do you go for chapes and belt fittings?
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Post by erichofprovence on Aug 25, 2024 16:04:15 GMT
Nicely done! I really admire the tooling on the XVIII, and the glamdring work. Where do you go for chapes and belt fittings? Thank you! For chapes I have gotten two from Bayley Heritage Casting (UK based). I also got a few lovely belt fittings from him. Now I have also ordered a few belt parts from Lorifactor in Poland. Otherwise most of the smaller simpler stuff was either ordered at random online or repurposed from old belts I found in charity shops. |
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Post by erichofprovence on Aug 27, 2024 20:04:12 GMT
Just posting a bunch of WIP pictures of current projects:
1. Bollock dagger scabbard: Wooden felt linen veneer core, wrapped in linen. The leather wrap is done, tooled and dyed. Just needs the belt attachment to be dyed and the presentation chest (big one).   2. "Greek" dagger scabbard and grip rewrap. There has been a lot of work and will remain a display only piece due to the ridiculous construction of the original piece. But I like the overall aesthetic of it and it will be a good exercise for me. I had to file away a lit of the "metal" to create a slot for a thin wooden grip. It was then cord wrapped and given a first attempt at a leather grip wrap, which failed due to being too bulky. The second one was much better and will do. The scabbard was also done and tooled and needs to be dyed. I kept the original fittings for this. The Blade has been partly reprofiled and given a better geometry ahead of the scabbard being made and just needs a final polish (made me also realise the poor quality of the blade material). Maybe an example of a piece that would not be worth the time, but I'm quite pleased with it so far.3. Belt: this is now fully tooled and just awaiting the dye, edge finish and buckle. It was a monster of a tooling job, because it basically runs along the whole length of the belt and is entirely hand drawn and carved. No two leaves are the same. Will be glad to see the back of it. 4. Type XVI scabbard and new Boromir scabbard: both veneer cores and linen wraps are done and fit beautifully. As an extra element of design and a bit of an experiment with new material, both scabbards have been given green velvet throats for a bit of a luxurious feel. Slight differences, the type XVI has the velvet only on the outside and it wraps over the top of the troat, while the Boromir has the velvet starting inside the core and and is folding outwards. Very happy with them so far. Next step: leather wraps! Attachments:
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Post by erichofprovence on Sept 5, 2024 12:08:36 GMT
Finished project update: The bollock dagger and its presentation chest are finally completed. The result of about 5 months of on and off evenings and a lot of swearing (for the box). The dagger itself (i.e. the scabbard and refining of the grip) was alright, but it was my first time making a box and it was a big fella (about 60 cm long). The scabbard is a veneer birch plywood core, linen wrapped and covered in leather, tooled in 15th century style. This was mostly painless and inspired by a piece by Peter Johnsson I saw on the Bladesmith forum. The box is a beech structure, nailed together and covered in veg tan leather (fitted with hide glue). It was tooled with my friend's initials (AS) and a medieval badger sigil in the centre. I got upholstery padding for the inside, carved the shape of the dagger and lined with green velvet. Unfortunately the dying was a bit problematic because I didn't properly clean the leather before applying the dye (hide glue probably caused this). This resulted in an uneven colour. However, I am fine with it and it gives it a bit of an antique look. Still very happy with the result and can't wait to present it to my friend and hope that he will like it. Attachments:
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Post by erichofprovence on Sept 5, 2024 12:28:29 GMT
Finished project update (again): I also finished the "greek-ish" dagger project. The scabbard is the classic birch plywood core that I always use and heavily hand tooled leather wrap. I did keep the original fittings because I kinda liked how lavish they looked. The grip was attempted multiple times, but I ended up with a decent leather cord-imprint wrap. The whole was dyed a dark red which I am very happy with. For the belt attachment I had to think a bit outside the box, because the original scabbard had a stupid single ring attachment, which I hate. I ended up using a very simple lashing around the riser type section of the throat, which works great. Attachments:
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Post by erichofprovence on Sept 5, 2024 12:29:40 GMT
WIP update: Bronze age scabbard I profited from being down with the flu to just get in front of the TV, watch a mildly disappointing fantasy show made by our favourite not-evil-at-all delivery service provider, and sew the leather wrap on the wooden core of my bronze age sword (forgot to take WIP picture of the core, but it is your usual plywood, linen wrap core). Turns out bland entertainment does wonders for stitch regularity and I am very happy with it so far. I will do some simple geometric tooling and will probably leave it undyed to tan in the sparse British sun. Attachments:
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Post by eastman on Sept 6, 2024 1:35:36 GMT
Bollock and Box are fine pieces of work. Your friend will love it. The random dye looks good on the box.
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Post by erichofprovence on Sept 6, 2024 10:25:35 GMT
Bollock and Box are fine pieces of work. Your friend will love it. The random dye looks good on the box. Thanks! As the great Bob Ross said, we don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents! |
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Post by erichofprovence on Oct 18, 2024 7:43:08 GMT
New project update:
It seems like I can’t stop in my ambitions to never finish some of the stuff I have started. Here is a new project! This has arguably little to do with scabbards and more with 200% sword customisation. Essentially, the idea came to me as I was going through the many bad swords I had collected throughout my teenage years. There was this monstrosity: A cheap, Pakistan-made knock-off replica of the sword of Achilles from the movie Troy (2004). It was bad! 1.8kg of stainless steel, most of it being in the grip. It was wrong on so many levels. Surely, my newfound game of trying to save swords which should not be saved would reach its limits here. Nay, sirs! So I made the following design and plan: Inspirations / idea board:
Obviously, one historical loose inspiration is the cinquedea swords, with the additional fullers and general shape of the blade. The design is also clearly inspired by Peter Johnsson's recent work, especially on the fittings, their finish, and fullers. Finally, I am a massive fan of the Song of Ice and Fire universe and was very interested in one of the new swords from season 2 of House of the Dragon. Background:
This sword is intended as a part of the world of GRR Martin. In this world, the ancient empire of Valyria rose through power in the east through their taming of dragons. It has been speculated (and mostly confirmed in House of the Dragon) that Valyrians first tamed dragons through blood magic. As part of the ritual, a member of the family would be sacrificed and their being would be bound to the dragons, allowing members of their bloodline to tame the dragons. This is was would explain the incest among Valyrian families. This blade would therefore be a sacrificial sword, used for this purpose. Design:
General: I have tinkered with a few ideas, but settled on this one with a bit of geometric patterns to define the shape of the furniture. Probably not right but I like how it looks. Dimensions:
Overall: 61 cm Blade: 45 cm Blade width: 8 cm Grip: 15 cm (+1cm peen block) Blade: I plan on cutting off part of the original blade and make it into a new Cinquedea type blade. The blade would have new fullers ground into it and I am tinkering with the idea of making them slightly curved near the guard. I am planning on ageing the blade prior to final assembly to make it look really old (any ideas on ageing crappy 440 stainless steel are more than welcome!). Furniture: The guard, grip ring (between the guard and the grip), the pommel are planned to be carved out of blue wax and then cast out of brass. I would make the casts pretty smooth and will then do some surface finishing once I get the brass pieces. I really like the look of Peter Johnsson's detailing on his latest sword and will aim to emulate something similar with a dremel and small round bits. The guard is intended to have stylised dragon heads on the quillons. I am also planning on getting the top of the pommel mostly smooth and then hammer it a bit to get it to look aged. Finally the brass will be aged (maybe vinegar, but ideas are welcome as well). Assembly: I'll leave this to the end, because my tool set might change by the time I am there, but I will either peen it properly (if I have the equipment by then) or I'll thread the tang and turn the peen block into a bolt. I don't intend on making this usable, so it is probably not essential to have it peened properly (would still be nice though). Scabbard: Still early days, but as a scabbard nerd I had to mention it. Would be my usual veneer core wrapped in linen and leather stitched in the back. I am planning on making a custom chape which will fit the overall design of the pommel. In any case, let me know what you think. I am more than happy to get some advice on how to improve this project and anyway I will probably not begin until next year.
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Post by pullrich on Oct 19, 2024 16:07:30 GMT
A new life for that old sword! Looking forward to seeing what happens next
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Post by erichofprovence on Oct 21, 2024 8:53:10 GMT
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Post by erichofprovence on Oct 21, 2024 9:10:33 GMT
WIP Update: The wax hilt fittings for the Valyrian sacrificial blade are progressing nicely. Now making the grip and adding some detail to the fittings (won't need to be too detailed as I will apply quite a bit of finish / ageing once it is in brass). Attachments:
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Post by erichofprovence on Oct 23, 2024 11:23:19 GMT
WIP update:Progressing nicely on the Valyrian short sword. Hilt fittings are mostly finished (just the peen block to do) and a rough wooden grip has been done. I really love how it feeling in my hand with those grooves. Next step, finishing touches on the wax and casting. Attachments:
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mrstabby
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Post by mrstabby on Oct 24, 2024 8:57:41 GMT
YOU! You are one of those people making me not want to post my work which is amateurish at best in comparasion!
Joke aside, very nice leather and metal work, very jealous.
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Post by erichofprovence on Oct 24, 2024 13:14:52 GMT
YOU! You are one of those people making me not want to post my work which is amateurish at best in comparasion! Joke aside, very nice leather and metal work, very jealous. Haha please do post stuff! It is the reason I love this forum and I have learned so much here. Thank you I appreciate it. At the end of the day, I really think that anyone can do this given the passion, resources and time. |
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Post by erichofprovence on Nov 12, 2024 15:12:52 GMT
Finished project update:
The bronze sword scabbard is done! Veneer core, felt lined and linen + leather wrap. Some of the tooling is inspired from the amazing work done by WoolleyMama (Facebook) and the pattern near the guard is taken from a bronze age medallion I found online, but for the life of me, I cannot find it anymore! I will keep it un-dyed and will leave it to tan naturally in the sun (when it shows up). Attachments:
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