Author Archives: Bill Grandy

Barrel-shaped drinking costrels are seen in period art from at least the 14th century through the 18th with little variation to the basic design. Several leather artifacts have survived from these different eras. This replica is based off of those designs and was waterproofed inside and out with a heavy coating of beeswax. The stopperContinue reading “Soldier’s Costrel”

Sometimes a client wants something more fantasy based than historical, and I can certainly do that. The owner of this Albion Brescia longsword wanted the scabbard to have a Tolkein-style Nazgûl standing in a archway holding the very same sword that the scabbard protects. Although I’m very familiar with the original sword in Italy thatContinue reading “Ringwraith Scabbard”

I commissioned this amazing messer from the incredible Davis Reproductions and finally got around to making a scabbard. Knives like this are often depicted in paintings from the late 15th/early 16th century and the scabbards are often decorated with vines, leaves and scenes relating to the outdoors. They also often show an integral sheath inContinue reading “Oak Leaf Scabbard”

The client of this scabbard wanted something that was MOSTLY historically accurate to the early 16th century, including gothic floral tooling and a two-point suspension belt like what is seen in Albrecht Dürer’s art. There was a request for one detail that was a little less historical… Poplar core, wrapped in linen and leather. SwordContinue reading “Voorhees Scabbard”

The “client” of this modern styled trinket box is my son for his birthday. He’s been constantly bugging me to make a small carved box to store treasures— acorns, coins, whatever he finds on the ground that interests him. I didn’t take him seriously for a long time, but he asked so often, and specificallyContinue reading “Flower and Stars Box”

The Marxbrüder (Brotherhood of Saint Mark) were a German fencing guild founded in the 15th century. This box is hand carved with imagery taken from period fencing treatises and topped with the Lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of the Marxbrüder. The scrolls on the sides quote a verse from fencing grand master Johannes Liechtenauer,Continue reading “Marxbrüder Box”

I was commissioned to make this display box to house a high end replica from the movie The Dark Crystal. I carved a symbol from the movie onto the lid. The wood was dyed purple and then distressed to match the “ancient” ambiance of the crystal. The client put his own dressing inside—the photo withContinue reading “Dark Crystal Box”

This bowie knife belonged to a client’s late grandfather-in-law, who lived quite an adventurous life. It is decorated with imagery requested by the client to commemorate his legacy.

There’s an old German folk song about a man named Bolle. In it, our protagonist makes a series of very poor life choices, including losing his child in a crowd, drinking all of the beer at the fair and getting into a knife fight. When he returns home disheveled his wife beats him. At theContinue reading “Bolle Scabbard”

A recurring image in medieval marginalia is flowing vines and flowers. Occasionally one will see various animals painted in the foliage, and birds were very often used. The client of this scabbard requested that I use that as the inspiration for the decoration seen here. The tip was left bare without a metal chape (whichContinue reading “Bird in Foliage Scabbard”