Leather Goods for the Discerning Kraken: Pictures

Monday 23 July 2012

Pictures - Completed Rapier Sheath

Last week I finally finished my work on Lady Thora's rapier sheath and presented it to her this weekend. She had originally "commissioned" me to do it but instead, I gave it to her as a going away present before she heads to An Tir. SURPRISE! I thought about doing it as court schtick but I don't think there are any local events before she moves.

Anyway, when last I posted pictures I had finished the carving and dying of the main piece (see my blog post here). Once that was done, I punched the holes along each edge of the leather so that they would match once folded around the core tube. I then took a PVC tube and put it along the inside lof the eather. The leather had been specifically measured so that it would fit around the PVC tube I had bought, which in turn needs to be measured so that it fits around the rapier blade and rubber blunt. The diameter of the PVC tubing will depend on the sword and blunt being used.

Once I had the tube placed correctly, I put a roll of scrap leather into the tip to re-enforce it a bit (the first one I did caved in when a certain Baronial Champion used it to lean on). :) I then applied some rubber cement to the inside of the leather and the PVC to help keep it wrapped around the tube. This was something I did because I've started using leather lace to stitch up the side, and I don't want it carrying all of the pressure from the leather trying to force itself flat. When I was using artificial sinew I didn't worry about it as much but the leather lace is not nearly as strong, so I did this as a precaution.

At that point I used some small clamps to hold the sheath closed and started the lacing process. And boy, is that process more painful than using the sinew. It looks good, but the lacing kept snapping from trying to pull it through the holes. The hardest part was near the top, where I attached an extra layer of leather dyed white to re-enforce the top where the sword hilt will rest. Going through four layers was a bit of a pain, so hopefully it won't come undone.

After the lacing was done, it was just a matter of doing a few touch ups around the holes, and putting my makers mark in it.

I'm actually really proud of the end result. This is the first time I've used my newly learned leather carving skills on a real project. When I compare this to the first one I did or the Baronial Champion's sheath I made, it's far more advanced skill-wise. It might even fool people into thinking I have some artistic ability. :) Not bad for someone who only started making leather pouches about 4 years ago after a Practicum class.