SCA Ratttan Rondel Dagger and Sheath

 

Prior to the pandemic I had authorized in polearm (Midrealm two-handed weapon authorization) and was practicing with it quite a bit.  One thing I learned was that there are occasions where having a back-up weapon is prudent, and it can also look good when added to a kit. With that in mind a began exploring back-up weapon ideas and the best method to carry one. 

Originally, I considered getting/making a rattan mace or hand axe and using a simple belt ring (shown below).

I watched as many sca heavy combat videos as I could find showing how people transitioned from their two handed weapon to their back-up weapon and quickly realized Pulling an axe or mace from the ring was no easy feat, but those that used simple daggers pulled from a sheath or even just tucked in their belts had an easier time during that transition.  I then went in search of rattan sheaths or scabbards to see how people were making them, and ran across Vitus style sheaths, which are about as close to traditional knife sheaths as you get.  Many of these that I found were in a Norse Seax horizontal carry setup, or the later period slight angled belt hanger setup. So for my 14th century time period, I had some options, and initially chose to make a tube out of leather, and stitch on some loops that would hang the dagger I would make at an angle.  

I did some initial test fitting by taping the leather into the shape I wanted, then using more tap to figure out the size and position of the strap hangers. As you can see, I added some leather trim and some punchwork leather to fancy it up a bit. 

After getting things stitched up and situated, I quickly learned that the balance of the rondel dagger I made (rondels were made from compressed conveyer belt leather) would tip the whole sheath forward too far.  So I punched a few more holes and stitched on a vertical hanger like that used with traditional Puuko knife sheaths found all over Scandinavia. 

With the vertical setup the only unresolved issue was how to make the dagger fit secure enough in the sheath, but still make the draw of it smooth enough to be accessible during combat.  I kept the sheath lose enough but didn't want the dagger to bounce out or fall out if I tipped forward or tripped.  So just in front of the forward rondel I wrapped a small stripped of leather around the rattan a few times and stitched it tight. 

That firmed up the fitment of the dagger with the sheath a bit better but I decided to enable the fitment of the sheath to vary through the use of a draw-cord setup at the throat of the sheath, which allows for additional tension.  This was the perfect combination, which enables the dagger and sheath to be secure, even while bouncing around at a jog on the field, but still remain easily accessible during a transition from my primary weapon to the back-up dagger.  I also left the bottom of the sheath open to accommodate various lengths of weapons, from short daggers to longer short swords.  

While the sheath doesn't resemble the exact shape of period sheaths, it is sufficient for SCA purposes.  Due to the size and shape of rattan, sword scabbards and dagger sheaths will always be slightly oversized, and require adjustments to account for the use of rattan.   Overall, I'm extremely happy with how this turned out and look forward to wearing it with my kit and maybe using it during melee combat.