How to Make a Sheath for a Wooden Sword

Make a scabbard for a wooden sword. This scabbard is leather though there are instructions for a less expensive (cardboard) prototype for customizing the scabbard for the wooden sword being used. Dental floss is used in this project because it is strong and durable enough to penetrate the leather when the leather is sewn. Make sure that the leather that is used is thick and stiff like shoe leather to help prevent the leather from wearing out as quickly.

Things You'll Need

• Awl Dental floss (unscented white) Shoe leather Mallet Wooden block Leather Sharpie marker Cardboard

Instructions

1. Start with a practice pattern. These measurements will vary depending on the thickness of the sword being made. These plans assume that wooden sword is only 1 inch thick at the widest location. Trace the blade of the wooden sword on a piece of cardboard. Remove the sword and make a second tracing around the first that is a half-inch wider in all directions and cut out the pattern on the second outline. Fold this extra cardboard toward the location where the sword will be. The folding should be done at a location that is halfway between the outer edge and the inner line. On convexly curved locations, the angle may require that the cardboard folds in on itself but overlapping sections of the flap where it folds in can be cut and removed with "V"-shaped notches. Make all cuts as shallow as possible so that it is possible to accommodate the width of the sword, not just the profile. Where the cardboard angle is concave, the cardboard may have to have small snips here and there to relieve the pressure caused by the angle pulling at the leather. Unfold the pattern and make two more versions (one for the prototype and one as a pattern for the leather version).

2. Put the two cardboard halves together and start to glue them around the sword with the edges of the cardboard turned in. Be careful not to get glue on the sword before removing it. This will give an idea of how the remaining cardboard pattern needs to be prepared for the leather cutting by indicating where the actual folds should be located. Keep in mind that wherever the folds are, there needs to be room around the edge of the scabbard to pinch the cardboard together as if it were leather about to be sewn and that the edge has to be on the inside. If the sword was wider than anticipated, repeat the process with a slightly larger tracing until the pattern fits well.

3. Once the pattern is satisfactory, cut the shoe leather to match the third copy of whatever pattern works. After cutting two copies out of shoe leather, use a warm iron (that you don't care about) on the steam setting to moisten and soften the leather. Make sure that this is done evenly so that the leather maintains an even exposure. The steam will temporarily soften the leather and make it easier to bend. Bend the leather as desired and (while keeping the leather evenly heated and moist) stitch the leather. If the leather starts to get too cool or dry, moisten it again.

4. Stitching the leather is done by poking a hole with the awl through the leather and down toward a wooden block underneath. Be cautious at this point that the wooden awl does not slip and that the wood is on a good surface with the pressure applied toward the center. After the holes are punched evenly all around the edge of the scabbard (but not at the place the sword is to enter the scabbard), let the leather cool and dry on the wooden sword (assuming that the water will not damage the sword if the sword has a waterproof varnish on it).

5. The dental floss is pulled through the holes with a thick sewing needle to thread the floss all the way around the scabbard. The pattern used for doing this should be to take an extremely long piece of floss that will more than cover the job and push one end through the needle until the lengths on either side of the needle are even. At the first hole at the very top of the scabbard on one side, the floss should be fed through the hole and the end. Allow the string to stick out by 1/4 of an inch and wrap it down by looping the floss through the hole and out around the outer edge of the scabbard, several times to hold the string in place (as well as the two pieces of leather together). Do a running stitch through the holes until the holes have been followed all the way around to the opposite side of the scabbard's mouth. Loop the floss around the outer edge of the scabbard as done on the other side and then continue back to the starting point by sewing around the edge through the same holes as before with another running stitch. This time the running stitch will grip the opposite sides as it threads in and out of the leather through the same holes as before. If the thread runs out, tie it with a small and subtle knot like the square knot and trim the floss so that the ends are not obvious. When arriving back at the starting point, tuck the thread under the group of loops used to hold down the start of the thread and loop it around three times.

6. If waterproofing is desired, the leather may be treated as any leather that is waterproofed. At the top, two slits can be added that are 1 1/4 inches long and are parallel to each other. These two slits should each be one-half inch in from the sides but no closer than 1 inch. This is the place where a belt can be threaded through. At the end of each slit should be a small hole so that the tearing force does not concentrate on one part of the leather.

Tips & Warnings

• At the top of the scabbard, there is the possibility of adding a second layer of leather or metal while sewing (see above) to reinforce the scabbard. If the wooden sword is coming up short this late in the process, a decorative extension may be added to the top. If desired, a Sharpie can be used to decorate the string and/or the leather. If shoe leather is not available, I have heard of leather being used that has been boiled in oil and then allowed to cool on a form (a wooden sword in this case, if the oil is not a problem). I have not actually boiled leather in oil, so I cannot vouch for this method, though it would make for an interesting experiment.

• Do not hit anyone with the scabbard. be careful with sharp things and always maintain control. Do not use this scabbard for a non-wooden blade. Read all directions before starting. Be careful with hot materials (like leather after it has been steamed).

Resources

• Help Making a Leather Scabbard