Information about Iron Age / Romano British Knife sheaths

[tombear]

Ok a bit off topic and possibly in the wrong forum but does anyone have any links to images or sites relating to excavated late Iron Age leather knife sheaths?

I've finally got the leather to make one for this sucker

but can't find any images to get a idea what they were like. I can find any number of Saxon, viking and later examples that have come out of waterlogged conditions that's preserved them.

For this period I can find plenty of modern interpretations but none so far have cited where the got their info from.

I'm mainly concerned with where the seams go, cutting edge or down the back or all way around the edge in a two piece design?

ATB

Tom

 

[Parbajtor]

Looking at this http://traumwerk.stanford.edu/archaeolog/2008/02/celtic_swords_and_arthurs_lady.html
it would seem that iron age (celtic) sheaths/scabbards were wraparound with the seam down the back, like scandi sheaths.

 

[Dave Budd]

swords and knives are two very different things and their sheathes are too. Also, any source of info on the Iron age that starts with a picture of Avalon should be treated with caution!

There are, to my knowledge, no iron age/Roman sheathes surviving but the later ones that do survive (saxon and later) are as close as we have to work from. I would go for a seam up the back or off to the side slightly as suggested. You could also go for a side seamed sheath such as a modern western style sheath, but without the welt. That style is also seen in the early medieval period and if you sew it wet and pull the stitches (or thonging often) tight then it will drag leather in front of the cutting edge sufficiently tight to stop the blade cutting through.

When I do those two forms I often hot wax the sheathes to stiffen them too. I know some later medieval (12thC onwards) have sheathes that are lined with either another layer of thin leather or layer of thin rawhide.

 

[tombear]

Thanks folks!

ah that would explain why I'd found nowt then! It's rather strange what with all the other leatherwork from the period that's turned up. Maybe they didn't habitually use sheaths ? Anyway that's not on for me for the obvious safety reasons so what I will do is make up a sheath as Dave describes but apply no decoration that can be tied to a certain period.

Because their supplier had sent it to them despite ordering 3 to 3.6 my supplier, Hostile Hides, over in Bolton has sent me a 24 x 24 piece of 5 mm veg tan. Looking at the books most of the dug up stuff at York/Dublin/London seam to be half that thick! I'm not complaining, mind! Ill see if I've some 2mm floating about.

ATB and thanks again!

Tom

 

[tombear]

Today I cut out blanks for the Roman and Saxon knives, soaked them in cold water for a few minutes, worked the Roman one into shape so the seam is at the back and the Saxon one so that the unwelted seam was along the cutting edge and clamped them up as best I could.

I've wrapped them in lots of cling film so hopefully the blades won't rust enough to pit. I'm not sure how long to leave them to dry.

For the 14 inch seax I've cut out 2 handed pieces of shawn sheepskin and cling filmed them into place so when I wet form around that one later this week.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I got around to sewing up and finishing the sheath for the small seax.

Which will do for me. I've the Roman one sewed up and am restretching the part the handle fits into to get a looser fit. When I'm happy it's dried I'll trim the edges and cut a slot for a suspension loop.

ATB

TOM

 

[tombear]

Since I couldn't get to leather to wet form around the handle in a way that the blade didn't try and cut into it I ended up cutting the leather back so only the blade was covered.

I cut a slot for suspension and a piece of leather that's basically a oblong with three strands either side. Herself plaited them after I threaded it through and I bound them together with linen thread.

to finish it I heated up the last of the beeswax I got for candle making, dropped the sheath in and ladled hot wax over it until it was a even colour, rotating it half way though. I just didn't have enough to immerse the whole thing. The excess I first buffed off and to get rid of the excess inside it I repeatedly dipped the blade in boiling water , dried it out and inserted it, pulled it off and wiped off the melted wax stuck to it.

So far the wax is helping to hold the blade in place. With a tie around the handle it would be secure enough but since I won't be using it seriously l won't be bothering.

ATB

Tom

In fact ill just run the narrow roman belt I made through the ring on the knife as well as the plaited loop when I want secure carriage, its not as if its something ill want to quick draw with.

 

[tombear]

Just finished the refurb of the 14inch seax, Here's the sheath, made from 3mm Veg tan, recycled sheepskin jacket , linen thread and some copper rivets and washers.

And here's it after I'd ladled molten beeswax all over it. I finished it with a hair dryer and stiff paint brush to work in and spread the wax.

I sharpened it on the good old Tormek 7 to set up the angles but will be using a scythe stone from now on.

atb

tom

 

[tombear]

Hi All,
ive just started reading "Vindolanda" by Robin Birley and he twice mentions leather sheaths being found during the digs at that site! We were up there a few years back but there was so much leather work on display that I was somewhat overwhelmed by it all and can't recall seeing the sheaths, if they are on display at all.

I've written to them to see if photos have been published, Internet searches have found me nothing...

more if I get owt.

ATB


Tom

 

[tombear]

I've finally secured a copy of "Bremetencum" about the Ribchester digs which has a illustration of the excavated Roman sheath. When I've made a copy ill put up a image of it. Since no suspension system has survived it could actually be the cover for a spear head.

ive still not got photos of the Vindolanda sheaths, just the line drawings.

ATB

Tom

 

[2trapper]

Beautiful work. I like them very much