05-27-2007, 02:18 AM
Cousin Dave,
I would say negatory re anything else between the steel and timber. The purpose of the scabbard is not only to wear the sword but protect it as well and the wood does that job beautifully provided it is completely finished and smoothed inside. If you plan to clean and oil the blade frequently you might wanna carve a little (non traditional) catch pocket in the bottom of the scabbard tip to retain any dirt or excess oil. This keeps it off the blade. Japanese thing really.
I couldn't imagine carving oak all day long but i guess that is what they used. for general over all scabbard making I would recommend seasoned poplar or ash but everyone has their own formula for what works for them. I love the wonderful, lustrous, tight grained easy to work dark grains of native NZ timbers so use a lot of Rimu, Kauri, macrocarpa and when I can get it Puhutakawa. I use jarrah to make very tough rudius
Here is but one of the many sites on Maori bone carving but not the high caliber stuff this is only a commercial trinket site will find more and get back.
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/bones/
PAX ET BONUM!
Rick
I would say negatory re anything else between the steel and timber. The purpose of the scabbard is not only to wear the sword but protect it as well and the wood does that job beautifully provided it is completely finished and smoothed inside. If you plan to clean and oil the blade frequently you might wanna carve a little (non traditional) catch pocket in the bottom of the scabbard tip to retain any dirt or excess oil. This keeps it off the blade. Japanese thing really.
I couldn't imagine carving oak all day long but i guess that is what they used. for general over all scabbard making I would recommend seasoned poplar or ash but everyone has their own formula for what works for them. I love the wonderful, lustrous, tight grained easy to work dark grains of native NZ timbers so use a lot of Rimu, Kauri, macrocarpa and when I can get it Puhutakawa. I use jarrah to make very tough rudius
Here is but one of the many sites on Maori bone carving but not the high caliber stuff this is only a commercial trinket site will find more and get back.
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/bones/
PAX ET BONUM!
Rick
Titus Publius Saturninus
Richard Tonti
Richard Tonti
