Everything is noteworthy and perfectly executed. That sheath has me out of my chair! Do you mind me asking how you what material it is and how you formed the recesses? Is it leather covered?
Bruce, and Matt, the scabbard is carved poplar based on research from books like "Das Zweischneidige Schwert Der Germanischen Volkerwanderungszeit" despite the slightly later period, and the catalog of the swords of "Illerup Adal" find (no really great books on the topic are in English). I had been using poplar for many scabbards anyhow but then I read that many of the originals were made from it so I was happy to go with my initial choice. I did deviate from tradition and lined the inside with a oil charged felt.
The shaping in the front is inspired from scabbards of the period and one can carve it all from the top poplar slab or you can also cut the components out separately and glue them into position- always use a water based glue designed for outdoor applications on any part of the scabbard, just in case. Loving owners will want to regularly oil the blade and that will eventually weaken a non-water based cement.
The entire scabbard is wrapped in a natural calfskin bookbinding leather. Book binding leathers can be tough to locate but there is a place called Hollanders right here in MI, in Ann Arbor, that has some very nice book binding materials.
The fittings are phosphor bronze, which is pretty close to original tinned bronze, but more importantly it is very malleable and will allow for heavy shaping. Other bronzes are much more tarnish and scratch resistant but are as hard, or harder, to work than steel. I have alloyed my own bronze on the past but this required a very specific use in quantity so I ordered it.
The mounting rings are copper. While I could have soldered much of it together I decided to precision fit it all with hammering and then rivet it all together. A 1/16" bronze rod will make great little rivets if you make a rivet heading tool out of some plate steel. This was all important to me because one thing you will see in most of the finds of the period is lots of Little rivets.
, Yes, what is it about Bladeforums? No other site quite like it.