Leather Dye, Scabbard Making, Spring Fast

Hello archaeology & history enthusiasts.

Remember the leather dyeing experiments I ran last autumn? And the scabbard making tutorial I provide on my patreon? Today I will share with you latest results of these projects.

I am also currently on my spring fast. I usually do it in March. However I had to postpone it for various reasons this year. Find last year’s post on fasting and some historical facts about food and diet here.

Read a review of last year's springtime fasting, plus research results regarding pre-historic diet here.

Guten Appetit!

Walnut Peel Leather Dye

I dyed about a dozen hides, a cotton bedsheet, linen breeches, and some wool with walnut peels which I had collected last autumn. The hides and textiles adopted a somewhat pale but warm brown tone, save for the linen which is notoriously difficult to dye.

When I finally disposed of the blackish liquid, it had started to smell quite noticeably. I kind of liked the earthy smell - but I was the only one in the household! So it had to go. Afterwards, it took me an hour's time to properly clean the sauna's shower where the stuff had lived for some months.

In any case, find the up-dated and completed post here:

Progress on Two Scabbards

I have previously posted a step-by-step guide to making your own linen-covered wooden scabbard core. For making an absolutely authentic scabbard core from hand-carved wood, refer to this six-part tutorial.

Now I share with you two ways to make an integral strap-slide for your early medieval scabbard based on finds from Viking Age Dublin.

Of course I will also guide you through the process of attaching a layer of leather to your scabbard core.

Hope you feel inspired. We definitely need more nice scabbards in our communities!

Take care, and keep your well-honed blade in a beautiful scabbard!

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Yours,

Roland

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