11 Century Viking Knife Sheath

[Peter Darby]

Hopefully there is a picture of a viking sheath I made. I couldn't figure out how get a nice decrative pattern then get the stitching up the back. By looking at the original sheaths you can see that they used a whip stitch. So what I did was do the carving on the front off center. Then fold the cased sheath over and whip stitch it together somewhat loosely. You can then work the whip stitching around to the back and center the design in the front. Then when the sheath looks right you tighten the stitches and tie them off. Put the knife in and mold the sheath a bit and you are done. Fast and easy.

[Kashutu]

That is really cool!

[Aulus]

This is from the York findings? I´ve read the book about York leather not too long ago and I saw that the authors make no clear cuts between viking age period and late medieval findigs. So, the carving pattern on your sheath looks more late medieval then viking age.

[Peter Darby]

This is from the York findings? I´ve read the book about York leather not too long ago and I saw that the authors make no clear cuts between viking age period and late medieval findigs. So, the carving pattern on your sheath looks more late medieval then viking age.

The carving pattern is my own, not from the actual find. It is done in the style. In the past I have done an exact copy of the Type B2 "15625 down to the same decoration, but that wasn't my intent here. I merely was using the same sheath style and construction techniques. As for the decoration you will find in the book: Whereas earlier traces of Anglo-Saxon decorated leatherwork are characterized by precision, the decoration of Type B1 and B2 sheaths falls a long way short of that and appears to have been executed freehand and at some speed.." Because it is my sheath for my knife I decided to do a very quick job using single lines rather than the original cross-hatching and little seeder stamps rather than the dots of the original. As a leatherworker it is really the construction technique I found interesting. Who would have thought the whip-stitch would not only be effective but actually make the style of sheath possible.

The viking age is usually regarded as being from the eighth to the eleventh century. And while the knife I chose to model mine from didn't come with a date stamp I used the following to place it. I am not sure that any amount of discussion could determine whether it belonged to a Viking or a Saxon. It is a working knife sheath and was probably used by both groups.

The book says; "The type Bs, possibly of Viking origin, are of a different design. It is not clear from the evidence at York when the new type B sheaths, with seams at the back were first introduced. Sheaths form the Viking town of Hedeby are not from well-stratified contexts. Although one or two pieces are equivalent to undecorated type B sheaths at York, stylistically most appear to be of 11th-to 12th century date."

Of Type B1 which are very close to B2, the book says; "Other examples of B1 types have been found in waterfront deposits of 10th-/11th-century data at Bull Wharf Lane, London, and from a 9th-12th century context at Milk Street, London."

[Aulus]

Ok! I agree with you!

The thing with viking or anglo saxon style was not my intesion, it was the centuries. In the book they often make no clear cuts, so you can find a viking / saxon sheath beneath a 14ct sheat, and i find it is not useful, because there are many people who not studied archeology who read this book. And I´ve seen Vikings with wrong sheats on reenactments and talked to them and they sayd: "Hey, its from the York finds"...

My thing is to make clear, authentic repros of leather finds for reenactments or museums. And of course, you can do your sheath as you want as long you don´t say it´s a correct repro.

So long, hope you don´t ge me wrong!