UKRay Report post Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) I got a call a week or two back asking if I would restore a couple of sword scabbards. I wasn't expecting the parcel that arrived this morning. Inside packed in bubble wrap was a very heavy and solid looking French sword that had lost the chape off its scabbard. I thought about that one for a minute or two as these are never particularly easy. Pretty much the only reason the chape falls off is because the leather is crumbling badly. The longest part of the job was picking all the old crumbly leather out of the metal chape and making a new leather collar to join the two parts together again. I also inserted a very thin steel plate (shim) between the layers of leather to stiffen the job and stop the chape from flapping about. A couple of hours later it was all back together again and ready for display. Very satisfying. I opened the other bubble wrapped package to find a Royal Navy Captain's sword from the time of the Battle of Trafalgar. This isn't the best example I've ever seen but it is the first of its kind to find its way onto my bench for repairs. As you can see from the pictures, the scabbard is currently in three pieces. I'm about to start work on the restoration so wish me luck! edit - I forgot to mention that both swords are absolutely razor sharp. I sliced up two leather collars trying to get a decent fit! LOL Edited January 16, 2009 by UKRay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted January 16, 2009 Wow - nice artifacts, Ray! Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skip Report post Posted January 16, 2009 Very cool thanks for sharing repost when your done so we can see the new scabberd Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greybeard Report post Posted January 16, 2009 Very cool thanks for sharing repost when your done so we can see the new scabberd +1 I'd like a looky too pls Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UKRay Report post Posted January 18, 2009 (edited) I finished both scabbards tonight and thought you might like to see how they came out: As you can see from the bits I removed, the leather was completely rotten so I was forced to make a whole new scabbard for the Navy sword. I made the new scabbard out of 2mm thick veg tan. The 'tube' was butt jointed and hand stitched through the centre of the leather so none of the thread came into contact with the sword blade. The really tricky bit was getting the right taper on the scabbard so that it 'looked right'. Te stitches never look right until they have been hammered. I use a steel bar inside the scabbard to hammer against. It takes a while to get them flat and looking respectable. The scabbard is finished with Skidmore's Restoration Cream - mainly because it seals the leather really well and doesn't give a high gloss which would be out of place. A beeswax finish kinda feels right on a piece like this. edit: I forgot a picture! Edited January 18, 2009 by UKRay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteveBrambley Report post Posted January 18, 2009 That's a really nice neat job Ray, congrats. Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyc1 Report post Posted January 18, 2009 How is the leather held in the metal part, Ray? Tony. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
celticleather Report post Posted January 19, 2009 Excellent! Very tidy job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UKRay Report post Posted January 19, 2009 Thanks for the kind words chaps, most appreciated. Tony, that was a really good question! Both swords were very different. The Naval sword was the trickiest as the original leather was 'glued' to the metalwork with what looked like pitch or some kind of hard glue (I call it horse glue as it was made from hoofs and stuff). You can see traces of it on the long pointy bit of crumbling leather. I haven't used any glue on the restoration as the leather is gripped fairly well by the decorative edges of the metalwork - I have just nipped it in slightly to hold it in place. To be honest, I'm not sure how the metalwork would have been fixed originally on this model of sword although pitch does seem like a possible answer and would be in keeping with a sword intended for Naval use - Having said that, I'm not wholly convinced that the pitch or 'horse glue' I found when I took the job to pieces was original as it seemed to have been poked down the sides of the metalwork rather than applied evenly. I suspect this was done as the original leather lost it's 'body' and so the metalwork became loose. Has anyone any thoughts on this? I could do with a real expert in arms and armour to give me a clue. To glue or not to glue - that is the question (with apologies to the Bard!). The French sword was simply a matter of inserting a leather 'collar' (stiffened with two strips of very thin steel) inside the rotten piece and re-attaching the metal chape. I glued it both sides with a powerful concoction of my own making - a very secret recipe that would almost qualify as alchemy... I'm still working on the base metal to gold thing though... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badger Report post Posted January 19, 2009 Nice job Ray, You've not repaired these, you've restored them. I think your approach was very respectful of the pieces. Congratulations, Karl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
