How TIGHT should SWORD SCABBARDS be? (too tight = instant karma?)

How tight should a sword scabbard grip the sword? Collaborating with Tod (his previous video • How Tight were Medieva... ), we discuss the modern obsession with scabbard fit, the historical reality, and some practical considerations.
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[@tods_workshop]

It is always a pleasure to film with Matt and this was no exception. 20 something minutes of us throwing our opinions about and basically just having a chat and it probably just reflects on us that clearly we both spend too much time thinking about these things which are utterly irrelevant to almost (but not all) the whole population of the planet. Love it! But seriously though these thought and practical experiments and explorations make you think and stop you being blinkered and that is a great point to start learning new things from. Great stuff Matt and thanks for popping over.

[@_aullik]

Tod could you make one of those viking scabbards and present it it one of your videos?

[@Eden894HisBiome]

Dont put yourself down like that, the preservation of these findings for furthur generations to go through I think is important in our history for the future youth to reflect on, however the future may change for them. The more we learn of the the tactics and purpose of historical objects brings us closer to an understanding of who we once were. Im sure there are more people intrested but just havnt had the exposure. Well sadly the overwhelming exposure through the internet certainly doesnt help😂 P.s Hope you have had a great year.

[@mementomori4972]

As a guitar maker I know that there are woods which don't swell when they get wet, like cedar (coniferalies) for example. Why not just use cedar to make scabbards?

[@JosefGustovc]

Horses. One thing to keep in mind is, lots of people that wore swords were riding horses. And on horse, your left hand is holding the reins, not the scabbard. You could drop the reins, pull the sword out and take the reins again, yes, but not ideal when your lance just broke and you're cantering around in a melee of hundres of other horses. So I'd suspect they would often be loose enough so they can be pulled only with one hand.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes I agree, and I almost used the word reins here in this chat, but the word didn't quite exit my mouth for some reason!

[@RevanAlaire]

I would imagine having your scabbard secured tight to either oneself or one's horse would alleviate any potential "stickyness" when drawing one's sword. Though you make an interesting point and it doesn't sound implausible.

[@JosefGustovc]

@@RevanAlaire People on horse had the exact same options for suspending their sword as people on foot, it wasn't any different. So the scabbard had to work both on foot and on horse. Also let's remember how carrying a sword vertically was very common, just something not done very much in modern reenactment because of... reasons? And carrying the sword vertically does alleviate a lot of the problems of a loose scabbard.

[@irrelevantfish1978]

@@RevanAlaire Sure, secure fixation would make stickiness less of an issue, but with a cavalry-length sword on horseback, there's no way to do it without making the sword a major PITA. No matter the position or orientation, it would be awkward to draw, limit mobility, get tangled/caught in stuff (particularly the reins), likely to injure the horse, and/or some other problem far worse than a sword that bangs around in the scabbard.

[@RevanAlaire]

@@JosefGustovc Saddle scabbards did exist, though to my knowledge they were primarily for transportation and not used in combat.

[@tommeakin1732]

Just mentioning shields made it really stand out to me. If you're wearing a two handed sword it might not be a huge issue to put one hand on the scabbard as you're drawing, but if you're carrying a shield and need to quickly draw your sidearm, you absolutely want it to come away from the scabbard without the need for two hands. In a sense that adds to your point about people using Japan as a reference point, as shields weren't as much of a consideration in Japan compared to most other places

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

ive been making my own scabbards for awhile now & I have discovered that impregnating the wood w/ oil (olive,lin seed etc) before i finish building the scabbard helps stop water absorbing & swelling b/c its already absorbed as much as it can etc. It has a secondary purpose of fighting rust & keeping your blade moving in & out freely as well. Just a thought in case someone wanted to try it.

[@haidner]

Wouldn't olive oil get to smell after a while? And how much do you put on, and when? Is it oiled before the wood is put together? Thanks!

[@kleinjahr]

It occurs to me that a bit of raw wool or felt in the throat might help in keeping the blade dry and oiled.

[@RogerS1978]

I always thought that was how they were made, possibly using Lanolin as it was a general waterproofing wax

[@ptonpc]

I was wondering if the original scabbards would have been waterproofed?

[@RogerS1978]

@@kleinjahr Lining the entire scabbard with it might help, it'd also hold the blade in place better than an empty scabbard while stopping binding

[@Temujin1206]

Just to touch on what Matt mentioned the Turco-Mongol sabre (the sword popular in various forms among numerous Steppe cultures from the very late 7th to the 14th centuries) has a feature called a tūnkǒu in Chinese, a collar usually of copper alloy or iron at the base of the blade which basically works the same way as a Japanese habaki, to form a seal when the sword is fully sheathed but allow a quick draw once the seal is broken. This is almost certainly because a lot of these cultures liked to wear their swords fairly horizontal and since they were frequently bouncing around on horseback or jumping on and off horses they needed a reliable way to keep the sword fixed in the scabbard while still being accessible to draw. Later swords influenced by the Mongols' swords in particular will sometimes adopt the tūnkǒu as a decorative feature but on the original swords used by Steppe cultures it definitely seems to have been primarily functional, though of course they also liked to decorate them.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Funnily enough, I was reading about these today in the context of Avar swords for a planned video!

[@nilo70]

Synchronicity dude😊

[@Sk0lzky]

Avar swords video? Can't wait, a truly underappreciated chunk of history!

[@DH-xw6jp]

If it is hard to get your sword in and out of it's sheath, you just need to give the scabbard a little more attention and let it know it's appreciated.

[@boarfaceswinejaw4516]

i heard if you work two or three fingers in there to loosen it up a bit, the sword should enter a lot easier.

[@No_Man_Is_An_Island]

Is your scabbard single? I can fix her.

[@Pavlos_Charalambous]

​@@No_Man_Is_An_Island 😂😂

[@ArifRWinandar]

If your sword is having a hard time going into the scabbard, maybe you need to give it some oil

[@grailknight6794]

Sword Scabbard/sheath in latin is vagina...just so you know

[@nikkothegoblin]

Anytime you two get together is a great film in the making!

[@PpAirO5]

Agree !

[@insanogeddon]

Discussing how asian goods were tighter than anglo goods ..

[@intergalacticjellyfish5048]

Speaking of swords getting stuck in Scabbards makes me think of that scene in Gladiator when Russell Crowe is escaping being executed in the snowy forest, and a soldier has his sword "frozen" in the scabbard.

[@pierredussf]

As someone who has been in a cavalry unit, albeit largely but not wholly, ceremonial, our sabres were carried in saddle scabbards beneath the left leg. They were tight but I never had difficulty drawing mine during sword work. A wool lined combat scabbard was normally oiled to protect the blade from rust whereas ceremonial scabbards were oil free so your uniform or court dress wasn't stained.

[@StutleyConstable]

While watching this my mind keeps going back to the scene in Peter Jackson's 'The Two Towers' when Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli first meet Eomer. They have their confrontation, talk a bit and Eomer lets the heroes go. When he gets back on his horse, he leans forward and his sword quite obviously slides out of his scabbard. The scene cuts away immediately and when we see Eomer astride his mount, the sword is back where it should be. I think I caught that the third time I watched the film.

[@merumboah5790]

So, the famous movie error in The Two Towers, where Eomers Sword is sliding out of his scabbard when talking to Aragorn, is actually another sign of quality of the movie props. Now I can watch that scene again without cringe.

[@colbunkmust]

still, it illustrates that having a sword too loosely in a scabbard could result in you having no sword at all.

[@superrobotmonkeyhyperteamf3194]

There is a japanese scroll that talks about wearing the tachi correctly in battle . And the author says that there is no correct way , but rather the tachi should be worn in such a manner that the tachi does not fall out. He retstates it twice iirc. Also i think looser scabbards would be much more preferable since especially on horseback it will be probably quite hard to draw the sword with both hands. I also remember several statements that especially after 1550s that sometimes there wasn't even enough time to draw swords because of how fast the enemy cavalry passed. Thats further would explain as to why a loose scabbard is more preferable than a tight scabbard at least in this context. In civil life if one has bodyguard around him or friends i could imagine that a more tightly fit scabbard would be more nicer.

[@scottsantana2248]

This vid brings back a teenage memory. Given that Japanese swords were supposed to fit tightly- when I was like 15- I ordered a replica aluminum katana from a catalogue for $40-something dollars. I was so bothered by the fact that it didn't fit the scabbard tightly like in movies that ended up gluing little thin slivers of bamboo inside the scabbard so it wouldn't fall out. It worked! Great video.

[@AdlerMow]

Mat Easton talking about the tightness of the scabbard on his sword? This will be double entendre galore! 😂 Look at the Tod's grin!

[@mallardtheduck406]

It had to be hard to use the car door analogy...😂

[@andrewosborne8993]

Have to modify the Matt Easton drinking game as he hardly said “context” or “stiffness”. 😉

[@Zeppathy]

Yet another matter of preference. It should be exactly as tight as is comfortable for the weilder to draw. I prefer sheaths and holsters that have a locking mechanism that I can manipulate as i draw with one hand. But my buddy likes loose gravity held holsters and sheaths.

[@hard4hardware]

Oh yeah? Well my buddy likes using sheaths designed to break apart com free the sword on impact and I my self prefer a screw in sheath with fine threads so you need 30 rotations before the sword comes free because that means it won't ever accidentally fall out!

[@SheyD78]

It's interesting to hear this because I remember fantasy novels mentioning characters 'loosening their sword in its sheath', suggesting that they're just tight enough to hold them in place but a little motion makes them easily movable. No historical accuracy to speak of intended, but it makes you think of this question.

[@butwhataboutdragons7768]

Matt mentions here about Japanese blade wielders loosening the sword just a bit with their thumbs. I've noticed this a fair amount in fiction as well, showing specifically that some stuff is about to go down. Easy way to heighten tension. Totally makes sense for other cultures, including fantasy, to do the same. A modern day equivalent would be the dramatic shotgun or handgun cock, which is rarely necessary and for most guns makes no sense at all lol. It's drama.

[@allmachtsdaggl5109]

I once almost killed myself when i was much younger and knew much less about weapons. I grabbed a Dhab, expecting it to sit in the scabbard as tight as a Katana. But no, that b***h came flying out of its scabbard straight towards my throat. Luckily I got quite the reflexes and I could fling it aside with my other hand, only cutting my hand a bit in the process. So i learned the hard way, that not all Asian swords sit firmly in their scabbards.

[@melvinhilber4403]

Du Dackel

[@MyFriendsAreElectric]

I'm gonna suggest that we also all grew up in a world post-continuous improvement. Tolerances and deviation being chased out of processes, setting our perceptions of quality around mass manufacture. This is a recent thing but has impacted everything we all know. I'm sure each historical maker of these things had wild deviation in their methods and results and then again from maker to maker.

[@ChristianThePagan]

I asked Paul Binns that question once. He said that the scabbard should be so tight you can hold it up side down by the chape with the sword sheathed and the sword will not fall out but it should not be so tight that you can't easily draw the blade. Took me quite a while to get that right on a regular basis. Oh, and don't store your sword in the scabbard for long periods of time, **it will** rust.

[@allanburt5250]

Great to see you guys together, always worth a watch . . Excellent discussion 👏

[@kaoskronostyche9939]

Thank you, gentlemen. Great discussion. Good to see you together once again. Cheers!

[@batteredwarrior]

Great film, guys! It's one of those fascinating subjects I hadn't even really put much consideration into before.

[@Loki_Firegod]

Thanks for the mention of early medieval scabbards being lined on the inside, I was thinking about mentioning that. I am trying to recreate the things a merovingian-era alamannic leader would have had (Comes rank or of similar social status), and while I don't yet have a sword replica, the scabbard is one of the things I have to consider. At that time, swords (and seaxes) were sheathed in a leather-covered wood scabbard, usually with fur on the inside - which would clean the blade/keep it from getting wet, but also slightly oil the blade due to natural fat in the fur (I know that lambsfur as well as cat fur were found archaeologically, and others make sense too (deer, rabbit, hare, fox - whatever you can get from hunting and has a dense and "oily" enough fur). The part about being able to draw quickly is quite important historically (and for an accurate reenactement/living history depiction), but there are some modern considerations too: At some medieval festivals and fairs, weapons are required to be secured so that they can't fall out or be drawn by visitors, only the owners.

[@-RONNIE]

Thank you both for the video ⚔️

[@ignacioalmada7140]

You two make wonderful videos, thank you so much.

[@ReedCBowman]

4:00 So glad you brought up soft linings in the early middle ages. The version I understood from a knowledgeable scabbardmaker (though based on what evidence I do not know) was that fleece was used, which would have the extra advantage of sealing the opening with oil (which could be renewed). Felt could also do this. It also means that you can have a loose-ish wood scabbard with a degree of waterproofing.

[@aaronandrewmonterola7394]

You may like this piece of history: It says that the Kampilan sword scabbard (Philippines type of sword) has a wooden scabbard with a rattan wrap which can be easily cut right through, They can slash right through the scabbard and hit the enemy with one movement.

[@seanmiz6539]

Love to see Tod and Matt together again

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

I was going to say something similar to what you discussed with that red scabbard So I'll just add that the distal taper of swords can help make a small gripping point near the throat of the scabbard and the rest of the blade can remain loose.

[@thezieg]

Thanks for this!!

[@nilo70]

When both of you guys get together it’s alway a Great for us 😊

[@The14james]

I always love it when you make a video with Tod

[@toolthoughts]

these two might do my favorite collabs on youtube, Matt has become an old school tv level good presenter

[@python27au]

11:22 we experience that change in dynamics all the time. How many times have you gone to pick up an object and its much heavier or lighter than your expecting? Or you take a step without looking at the ground and suddenly jar your back cause you stepped in a hole or off the gutter unexpectedly. That little surprise could be all it takes to lose the fight.

[@RAIDR_71]

Pure speculation on my part, but could it be, that the fur lining of Viking sword scabbards might be to not only function when it’s wet, but also in freezing conditions?

[@QualityPen]

I have a gardening knife with a very tight hard plastic scabbard. A couple of weeks ago we were cutting some thick reed-like weeds, and while fetching my machete I wanted to check up on my knife and check for rust. I pulled it out of a box under the bed and was still squatting when I went to unsheathe it. The scabbard really didn’t want to let it go, so I applied a lot of force to pull it out. Unfortunately, once it released, it did so all at once and caused my arm to fly to the right unexpectedly, holding the now exposed knife. My elbow had been braced against my knee and my knee then rubber banded my arm with the knife back to the left, where my left hand was still holding the scabbard. The result was that I stabbed myself in the knuckle joint of my index finger. There was a decent amount of blood but a dozen napkins, a few pours of alcohol on the wound, and a bandaid and I stopped it. I didn’t get it stitched (why do people in America insist on stitching every little cut?) and it healed fairly quickly. There is no more open wound but it still hurts a bit when I press on it. Anyways, moral of the story is that tight scabbards are as dangerous as loose ones and to never get complacent when handling objects which can injure you following a minor mistake.

[@tonyoliver2167]

@scholagladiatoria Could you make a short video explaining what we know so far about nthe general rules and regulations of levies from towns and villages. Love your stuff, love Tod's work

[@LittleBlueBear216]

What about the durability of the scabbard? I seem to remember hearing that some swords were removed from the scabbard and the scabbard was dropped so it wouldn't get in the way. Does that mean they were disposable items? It's great to see two of my favourite channels coming together.

[@Muljinn]

Too expensive to be disposable, even if you’re “buying off the rack” as it were.

[@raychilensky3618]

That's what I like about modern Kydex sheaths. A good, crisp Kydex click is the sweetest sound in the world.

[@asmith7876]

Gotta make damn sure it’s held tight to a good belt! Some people forget how a stiff belt helps with that.

[@AmarothEng]

Fun fact. The czech word for "scabbard" is "pochva" which is the same word that means "vagina" in our language. So, about it getting wet or tight or too tight or... Well. We do have Matt here after all.

[@cyrylkowalczyk9392]

Its the same case in Polish ;)

[@trenwilson6613]

@scholagladiatoria a few KZbin channels you might want to add to your library are Let's ask Shogo and Let's ask Seki Senei. Shogo is really good for info on Japanese culture, including information about Japanese swords, Seki Sensei is really good source of information about ancient Japanese martial arts, I think it is from Seki Senei that I saw a different method of breaking the katana from the sheath that didn't use the thumb. I hope you enjoy both of the channels.

[@solsticelacer]

I have an LK Chen song hand dao and it has a metal collar around the base of the blade like you mentioned, and a robust wood scabbard. It has that satisfying click and stays secure upside down. I love the fit, but it does require two hands to 'break the seal' and draw from a belt. That's fine for me because I use it two handed and don't carry a shield or spear. But it does make me think about the historical use of swords as backup weapons and the practicality of a tight fit.

[@jamesault7832]

Great film! I am wondering about the phase. "They are rattling their sabers." Seems to me that rattling scabbards would have been commonplace in the past.

[@jorismedeisis3793]

One thing about cold and wet climates - blade would frost to scab. Specially if owner would place warm hand on it. As I heard, scabs internals could be oiled for anti-rust and ant-frost properties.

[@TheLegendMaster]

And I imagine that scabbard makers would have had stencils and such which if they were making scabbards for a quantity of (roughly) the same blade dimensions, they could refer to for production of scabbards to fit the blades. Maybe if a cutler got in some blades that were of a particularly different size to his usual ones, he would have drawn around the blade on a piece of paper to send to the scabbard maker to refer to, and perhaps even then it was common practise to consciously add a bit of leeway for the reasons you have discussed?

[@ptonpc]

Fascinating conversation between you both. I wonder if the scabbards were waterproofed, say with fat or oil? I wouldn't expect them to be tight fits but I wonder if making them a bit more waterproof would have helped long term with the sword itself?

[@timfoster4979]

You guys are great

[@ashleysmith3106]

The culmination of the ultimate leather scabbard would presumably the bayonet scabbard of WW1; made in the millions, solid stitched leather to prevent rattling, with a metal chape, and a metal throat with tensioning spring that gives that satisfying "click" when the blade is slid home. People presumably would have seen many of these at Arms Fairs and Antique and Second Hand shops;; perhaps this is where they have gained a mistaken concept relating to ALL scabbards?

[@daemonharper3928]

Great vid guys - always nice to see you two collab'. Scabbards were loose, I think we can call that true.....if it makes sense now, it made sense then. I've enjoyed these recent topics and very nearly truisms. Blades needed to be sharp enough to cut or stab - and well made enough to not break, they didn't need to be works of art or be able to shave with - functional was king. Likewise, scabbards needed to protect the blade and protect you from the blade - and not bind or otherwise impede quick stabby stabby. Everything else was way down the list. A tight scabbard is the medieval equivalent of leaving the safety on.

[@laurenceperkins7468]

Hair or wool-lined scabbards have a similar brief moment of resistance to drawing that vanishes as the fibers change direction. It's just enough to prevent the blade from rattling around or falling out, but then not impede an intentional draw. What people did back in the day probably depended on what they could afford and what use they expected to put the sword to. The fellow who's sword spends 90% of the time hanging on the wall just in case he gets called up or his town gets raided probably has different requirements than the mercenary soldier who's spending large amounts of time in the field.

[@Molloy244]

I am reminded of a scene from one of the Spaghetti westerns where Tuco is looking at a case of revolvers, going through the parts to get the best finish he can. I think you would probably have the same scene from someone buying a sword or dagger going through the blades then scabbards to get the fit/heft/balance they like.

[@MrDumdadumdum]

Hey Matt, what's up with roughshod horses, was it a common thing? I am having trouble finding historic accounts, or pictures....but i am a lowly googler.

[@brandenaguilar2962]

There are european belt and scabbard designs that reduce the bounce while running and a leather gripping interior in the scabbard to give it some tightness allowing rapid movements and with proper draw a one handed quickdraw it can be done.

[@skjaldulfr]

Ooh, I love the way that last red scabbard works. Ideal medieval scabbard in my book.

[@nilo70]

Honest opinion is never wrong to voice , particularly when at the end you say “ but honestly we don’t really know “. Cheers from California 😊

[@SanoyNimbus]

Funny thing happened in my mind. This morning I started the watch of Tod’s video about this … but couldn’t finish the watching of it … When I saw your video and started it … I didn’t realise I was on your channel but believed I was on Tod’s. And I started to think I was getting old, because I could not remember seeing Matt in Tod’s video …

[@davebell4917]

One aspect, maybe hinted at, is the shift from craftsmanship to engineering. In the example of the batch of thirty swords, they could vary far more than we would expect today. So the scabbards would each be made for a specific sword. Mass-production depended on precision, and while standards for threads came out in the Victorian era, the 1/2mm thread in a computer would have been impossible. During WW2 it was the USA leading on precision, and it showed in reliability. The GMC trucks, compared to Austin and Morris and Bedford trucks, just kept running. There all sorts of things that depend on the improvement in precision. 40 thousandths of an inch is a millimeter, and now we are routinely working with units a million times smaller, which is less than 10 atoms long. If you do want to bash somebody, none of that matters.

[@andhelm7097]

Thanks for the story.i thought that the sepoy had wrapped his sword blade in cloth and was surprised when he was unable to draw it quickly .

[@nevisysbryd7450]

I agree that it is a matter of purpose. Retention is desirable for convenience of carry, safety, and circumstances where you might be moving around a lot in a manner that makes leaving a hand on the sword unpreferable or untenable (eg, where a lot of climbing might be involved, such as sailors with rigging). However, that same retention makes it slower to draw when expediency is paramount. I wonder if the propensity for leather scabbards for rapiers was an adaptation to their length which made hanging suspension systems preferable to necessary. The longer the sword, generally, the lower and more flexible you want the suspension system to be able to get an angle at which you can draw it. The more the sword is hung the more liable it is to bounce around or tip over, meaning that the incentive to make the scabbard tight scales with it. I wonder if cavalry side-arms tended to have more retentive scabbards?

[@wolffztalksknives7814]

I think there’s be a bit of variation in tightness, however it’d still be loose enough to unsheathe with one hand. Personally as long as it seats my sword and doesn’t have too much rattling I’d be happy

[@brothersliutgeryitzchakjea7889]

To the point on katzbalger(s), that is why the chape is shaped the way it is. To assist with breaking the seal. The fit is also tight on the slightly longer variants carried by the gun men as the hilt would be propped against the hip and used as a support/assist when firing.

[@pjccwest]

Class! I’m wondering the about cold, ice, blood, salt water, and what can be done to remedy and prevent etc.

[@Ben_the_Ignorant]

A little fast-drying varnish on the top inside of the scabbard makes it tighter. Repeat as needed to have the right compromise between retention and quick draw. If you put too much varnish, sand it a few times with very fine grit. With some trial and error you will find the right fit.

[@Lucius1958]

What about smallswords? Were scabbards for these made with a wooden base, or were they simply leather? I have a 17th c. smallsword, for which I made a scabbard out of leather alone. It draws well, but is rather floppy when empty. Would that have been appropriate for the period? As for attachments, what was done in the 17th c.? I extrapolated from hints in Hogarth's engravings, and added a hook to the scabbard, which would fit into a slot in a 'frog' on the sword belt (which I also made).

[@JonWilson-jr2dn]

I have seen cheats where a prop manager needed to deal with people moving up, and down sets with swords. The sword would fall, or catch in the sets, so loosened sword would get group of magnets that held the sword in its scabbard, and the magnets would be arranged as weights to keep the scabbard balanced, so to keep snags to a minimum.

[@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145]

Is it feasible to wax impregnate the scabbard wood before construction? Either by soaking it in molten wax or at least coating the wood? If so would it help any with moisture issues?

[@WhatIfBrigade]

I hadn't thought about scabbards getting wet, but I have been a little disappointed when reviewers in different climates describe scabbards differently. Humidity makes a big difference in leather and wood!

[@boarfaceswinejaw4516]

i thought they were supposed to be wet before you put in the sword.

[@WarblesOnALot]

@@boarfaceswinejaw4516 G'day, Oh, I say ! Wearing your Heart on your Sleeve there Youngster...; Publicly confessing to having been a Virgin Your entire Life. If ever ye had actually Encountered a Peach-Clam in which to slide a Pork Sword...; Then ye wouldn't have to rely on Stories you've Bin-TOLD... Because ye would KNOW, From Having "Been there And Seen there, And even been Between there...; And the hair on her Dicky-Diner Hangs down to her KNEES...!" As the old song Says... Just(ifiably ?) sayin', Take it easy, Young fella, Laddie... ;-p Ciao !

[@user-vq6bd3hl7t]

Thought-provoking and entertaining as usual. Two thoughts: Matt's 'steel scabbards ..... didn't have these problems with water'. True, they didn't have problems with the scabbards expanding when wet but surely there is another more likely problem with two pieces of carbon steel touching in a wet environment? I wonder how many swords got rusted into steel scabbards? Viking/Saxon fleece-lined scabbards also probably have the huge added advantage of lanolin to help keep the sword rust-free and the scabbard sealed.

[@NSBwire]

Is it a sword or a talking stick? In all seriousness though, I Love your videos! Keep up the good work.

[@incitatusrecordings473]

Matt + Todd? doesnt get any better than this!

[@rogerlafrance6355]

Another type of scabbard, is woven like a basket, with wood strips or strong grasses, Besides being cheaper than leather, it might allow the blade to dry quicker. Its hard to know as we have few even royal blades much less scabbards, that one would imagine would be very decorated and match his saddles and other kit. much less a Pence a Day yeoman giving service.

[@richard6133]

Same principles apply to firearms holsters. There's many different kinds and variations, for many different specific jobs that place more emphasis on one performance characteristic over another.

[@Minty1337]

the collab of the past few centuries

[@stephengent9974]

I am currently making a traditional saya oiut of wood, using multi panel construction. I also have buffalo horn caps on both ends. One of my key concerns was getting the blade to scabbard fit tight, but not too tight. Japanese swords are made so that the components can easily be changed when worn out. Incidentally Sun Tau says to bind your sword tightly. This was to give time for hot heads to calm down in a conflict. I agree that we are too quick to judge historical items through modern eyes

[@Sb_747]

It’s amazing how much of this applies to pistol holsters as well.

[@jabbassoapbox4533]

For some reason I'm also reminded of the gun-slingers of the Wild West that worked their holsters to get an faster draw than the normal sticky design.

[@shawn6860]

Would arrow and crossbow Quivers be different in terms of how the bolts were held in as well?

[@davekelly9657]

Hello, and I would like to say I'm subd to both channels. Great content. Two things irritate me. First. Have you ever noticed that in movies whenever a knife or sword is drawn from it's sheath or scabbard it makes a metal on metal schwing sound? Two. I've noticed that knife reviewers complain about the sheath being cheap. For example, a lot of sheaths are made of a heavy nylon with a plastic inner liner. For some reason they think it's junk It must be leather or some kind of polymer. I have several sheaths made of the heavy nylon and plastic inserts that work quite well. I also feel that in the modern day it functions very well. They are weather proof, and will last a lot longer than leather in outdoor use. That's just my opinion. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge on blades and ancient weapons.👍👍⚓⚓🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@texasbeast239]

Think of dual-wielders. If they cross-draw simultaneously, then they can't grasp a scabbard with one hand and draw with the other. They need to be able to draw with each hand. And that means they need their weaps to fit loosely into their scabbards. Perhaps a weighted chape would help keep such scabbards from ever tipping over past horizontal, thereby preventing the weaps from completely flying free unwantedly.

[@jahmanoog461]

As you've noted before, there is no comparing handcrafted to machine precision. Im sure the blacksmith who partnered with scabbard craftsman did well; if you have a valuable sword you need a place to put it, hopefully stylish. These were practical people, functional was valued. Too bad more arent found. I'd be intetested in wood analysis to see if linseed oil was used on the wood, but so few scabbards survive. Maybe one will be found well enough preserved. Enjoy the content. Well done.

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

I'm a postie, when you run with a courier bag, you lift it up. It's like running with a gyroscope mounted camera.

[@ThomasAllen90]

Would lining the inside with fur/velvet make a difference from getting stuck? They had and used a lot more of it in the past. Also Re: holding sword while running. There must be a practical way of not needing to do this, as ancient must have moved with speed with sword by side and shield and spear in hands, or even during a charge.

[@sethdusith6093]

If the dagger isn't friction fit, doesn't that pose a risk of it falling out, when two knights are engaging in close distance wrestling? Wouldn't it be better to be fixed directly to the belt, with a tight friction fit in this specific case? Or is there alternate information I'm missing out on?

[@calebstevens4658]

That red scabbard is beautiful!

[@jerrymacklow1452]

A lot of leather knife sheaths and most axe sheaths have a strap that goes over the guard, or around the blade, to old the knife/axe in. Is there any evidence of this in historical sword sheaths?

[@johnfisk811]

Peripheral to the subject, but when a cavalry sword is mounted on the horse rather than the rider then it is drawn single handed as the straps allow it to swivel to the horizontal and half a ton of horse holds it securely as the hand pulls it out.

[@hostoftheseawitch3431]

On a serious note, Grimnismal references a sword falling out of it's scabbard.

[@andreabarone7464]

i think that swords should come out from the scabbard easily at least you can put a secure to the scabbard to block the sword when you don't need it come out like on pistol holsters

[@murderyoutubeworkersandceos]

If u had a shield, i dont think u gonna worry bout drawing a sword while under attack from a dagger. If your steel sword rusts away over time, it stands to reason simple sealing elements just at the throat would degrade away along with the sheet, leaving no trace, yet providing pull protection at no tightness on the draw while still in use

[@rhetorical1488]

Perhaps a scabbard for the different seasons in the area of the sword owner. Shows even more status.

[@toecutterjenkins]

From someone who carries a pistol every day. Its subjective some prefer the holster retention tighter than others. But you dont want it falling out and you dont want the holster to come out of your belt of you draw fast. Im sure it was the same with scabbards some solder may try and stretch his out so its looser and some may have hit it with something trying to tighten it up

[@RufusEggers]

the red one is sooooo cool

[@PalleRasmussen]

You are right. In the cold Norse homelands, it is important to keep your blade warm; either in another person, or in a nice fur-lined resting place.

[@hostoftheseawitch3431]

Matt Easton reminds me of The Lawyer I wanna.

[@hjorturerlend]

3:30 Funnily enough the ancient Gallic peoples used fully metal scabbards way back in the 3rd century BC for their La Tene B and C swords.

[@chalion8399]

My comment is, at one time, didn't scabbard makers have a general "Blank" of blades for helping craft their scabbards? Also, were the blades sharpened before or after the scabbards were crafted? To me, that would change the fit of the scabbard to the blade. It just peaked my curiosity, so I wanted to ask.

[@randydickinson4864]

They may have had a small leather band around the front of gaurd to stop that lose problem.

[@leonrekkar]

What about frost? What about dust and other nasty weathering or the elements of nature? All of that has an effect. Do you suppose that sword scabbards had to be replaced a lot? Cheers

[@brittakriep2938]

I am german, Brittas boyfriend, born 1965. In early 1970s, german weapons law became harder, but was more liberal than today. In those days IT was allowed, to hang edged weapons unsecured at a wall , long gone days. The father of a friend, i knew from elementary school, had a cheap saber hanging in scabbard at a wall. One day we boys, may be eight years old, took the saber from the wall and tried to draw it. We had been surprised, how much force WE needed. Later the father told us, that he pressed the sheetmetal piece at the scabbard opening ( in german Mundblech) so that we boys should not make nonsens with the saber to easy.

[@jimsullender3435]

What were the weapons of bandits ?