096r - - - - - [continued]
round plane, also two—handed, and then with a small narrow plane, it is gutted and scoured for half a foot towards the end of the heel. And a shorter scouring is better so that the sword does not always cut the scabbard.
The opening of the scabbard is called the mouth and on top of it is the shape of the knife.
The stitch which is a leather rim set on the edge of the knife shape is made to stop the sword frogs.
When the small planks are well flattened, the sword is laid down on them and with a black stone one marks the width and length of the blade. Then with a chisel the excess is cut. And a plane is used to even properly following the marks.
Then the two small planks are stuck edge to edge and all around only following the knife shape and not elsewhere. And this is to make the scabbard velvet leather hold.
Then the sword is put in the small planks and it is set in the scabbard which is sewed. And they rub what is glued directly on the knife shape with some tallow to run into the scabbard.
The scabbard is made of calf or sheep leather, the calf ones are in all one piece, but not the sheep ones. When swords are long, they are made of several patches sewn between leather and flesh and then they rub firmly the stitching with a boxwood piece to cover and even it. From a good calf skin, 8 or 9 or 10 scabbards can be made. A workman can easily make 6 a day. If they are too thick, they are lightly thinned out with a plane. If the skin is too hard, it is lightly dipped in some lukewarm water but not for long. Next, the same worker who worked wood piece has to adjust the scabbard in order for it to be well done. It is true that for common people, there are some good already all made, but they never fit perfectly. When the scabbard is made and sewed with black thread, it is rubbed with a boxwood piece or a slightly oiled cloth . The good cow leather scabbard is the best of all and costs also more than all except the velvet ones. Under the velvet one usually put plain canvas or a sheep skin scabbard or a parchment layer. But the best scabbard is a waxed scabbard covered with either velvet or calf skin. One covers the wood with thin canvas, which one then waxes, and covers in velour or calf skin. A waxed scabbard is worth at least 30 cents, a cow leather one, 20 cents.
at left bottom margin
From a sheep skin, v or vi.