Cordwaining, or leather working, in the 21st Century is, in many respects, no different from the way it was a thousand years and more ago. Today, the quality of the material is more consistent and diverse than it was then due to advances and standardization of tanning methods. In those days each small community would have had a tanner, each with his own techniques and, although the product would have been basically the same, there would have been regional differences. Even today there are considerable differences between leathers produced in the Western world compared to those in the Far East and South America, but even those are disappearing as we move towards a global community. In the West we no longer use urine and dog excrement in the tanning process which was common even into the early part of the 20th century. Some third world countries still cling to this old method.

The Cordwainer still works with a few basic hand tools as did his forefathers. There are thousands of different tools and gadgets on the market today, mostly designed to make money for the manufacturers rather than simplify the craft. As the modern Cordwainer becomes more experienced he tends to settle into a pattern which requires probably only ten or fifteen tools out of the large quantity he has inevitably collected on his bench and most of these would be instantly recognizable to the medieval craftsman. In addition, the Cordwainer tends to make his own patterns and forms for molding leather, as well as developing his own techniques, especially in respect to decoration, which gives the work an individuality.

As with most crafts the secrets and mysteries were closely guarded, passed from father to son, master to apprentice or kept firmly within the guild. There are still many Craftsmen who will not pass on their techniques. Whilst this is understandable from the point of view that it protects a livelihood, it can make for difficulties when attempting to reconstruct period items. Sadly, little was written down and what records held by the Cordwainers Guild there were, have been lost or destroyed over the centuries to a large extent.

The modern Cordwainer has to rely closely on pictures of contemporary accounts, effigies and museum exhibits to obtain the greatest degree of authenticity. Luckily there is no shortage of those concerning military accouterments, although examples of household and day to day items are harder to find as are things concerning the common man. Twas ever thus!

As the basic material and methods have changed so little over the years, the Cordwainer enjoys a fortunate position. Also, leather is so versatile. Wet it and it can be molded into an infinite variety of shapes which become firm when dry. Boil it (Cuir Boulle) and it becomes hard as wood. Treat it with oils and it becomes virtually water resistant. Vary the tanning methods and it can be soft as silk. Carve it, stamp it, dye it, paint it and properly looked after, the decoration is there for all time. Working, as I do, closely with SCA members and re-enactors, I sometimes feel very akin to the old time Cordwainer producing large quantities of the same item for my lord¹s retainers and special items for my lord and the gentry.

Re-creating A Sword Scabbard
Many of the scabbards of the period I am mainly concerned with (13th - 16th Century) were of a "wrapped" type - i.e. one piece stitched down the back. According to contemporary illustrations "sandwich" styles were less common and reserved for cruder weapons. Some were constructed round an inner sheath of wood, and although this enables lighter leather to be used and reduces the possibility of cutting the leather when drawing or sheathing the weapon, I feel that an all leather item makes for a better fit and enhances the possibilities of decoration. Time would also have been an important consideration. So one process is preferable to two especially when producing a number of items. Everything starts with the pattern. It is this process that determines whether the sword will eventually fit properly. The sword must sit snugly in the scabbard, but be easy to draw and sheath. There is no time on the battlefield to be struggling to unsheathe your sword. The result of this could be fatal.

STEP 1
Lie the sword on a piece of card - illustration board is excellent - and draw around the blade. Measure the width of the blade in three places (top, middle and end) and divide the width in two. Parallel to the outline of the blade on both sides measure the half measurement and connect those points. Measure again 3/4" - 1" from this line and, again, join the points. Now extend the end of your drawing at least 1" beyond the point of the sword. This is very important because you want to avoid the point poking through the bottom of the finished scabbard and, in some cases, the leather will shrink on the finished article and a snug fit at the top of the blade will not be achieved.

STEP 2
Now it is time to cut the leather using your pattern. For a small, light sword, I use 5/6 oz. vegetable tanned leather. For a bigger weapon I will go for a heavier weight, up to 9/10 oz. The choice is yours. Simply lie the pattern on the flesh side of the leather, mark round the outer edge and cut.

STEP 3
At this point you may begin the decoration of the scabbard if that is your intent. If you are making a plain one go straight on to STEP 4. Decide what decoration you want. If you have never carved leather then you will be advised to use decorative stamps or studs available in any good leather store. The area you have available is the face of the sword. Having drawn or selected your pattern trace it onto a piece of Mylar or similar tracing film cut slightly bigger than the pattern of the scabbard. Make sure your pattern stays within the outline of the blade you drew in STEP 1. Damp down the grain (smooth) side of the leather, lie your tracing over it and transfer the pattern with a stylus. You will now have an impression of the decoration ready to carve. If you are using decorative stamps there is no need to use the tracing pattern except to give you the outline of the blade. Allow the leather to dry thoroughly before going on to STEP 4.

STEP 4
In a bowl of clean warm, water thoroughly soak the leather. Leave it in there until all the bubbles have stopped rising from it. Wrap the blade of the sword in kitchen film to protect it from the water. When you take the leather from the water let the excess drain off. You will notice that all the "temper" has gone from it and it is very floppy. Lie it grain (smooth) side down and lie the sword on top taking care to position it exactly in the middle. Begin to mold the wet leather around the blade creating a seam down the center. As you work hold the seam with clips (I find binder clips useful) as you get it into the right position. Start at the hilt end and work down. You will find that, at the point, the leather will require trimming to enable a tight finish. I prefer to leave this until it has dried a little and regained some "temper". Do not remove the sword and allow to dry thoroughly. Depending on weather conditions, this can be anything from a few hours to a few days. When dry, the leather will have returned to its natural color and have become quite stiff.

STEP 5
As close as possible to the blade commence stitching the seam together. You can mark the position of the holes with an over-stitch wheel or pricking iron. Pierce the leather with a diamond awl and use the two-needle saddle stitch method. Using a machine to stitch requires a degree of skill in operation and, I believe, does not produce such an authentic or strong job. In addition, the seam may also be glued together with contact cement before stitching, but I find this unnecessary.

STEP 6
How you finish your scabbard is your choice. You may use leather dye or pick out the decoration in dye or acrylics. All the remains is to put a final polish on it and you are ready to go.

About Author
Ronald James was born in England in the Thames Valley and grew up there and in London. Much of his childhood when not at school was spent on a remote farm in the West of England where his lifelong involvment with the magic and history of rual England began.

Having made a career as a Fine Art Auctioneer in the United Kingdom, he is now living in the S.W. United States and has custom leather business specialising in unusual and historical items, especially those required by SCA members and re-enactors.

He is busy putting together conducted tours for small groups of lesser known historical sites in England with plans to commence in the next 18 months. For further information or comments e-mail ronaldjames@renstore.com.