Garand Scabbard

[collector]

Straps are supple, but the case is hard. Thinking of soaking it and jamming a rifle-shaped dummy object and letting it dry, but don't want to risk damaging it.

[Scottz63]

Very nice! Hard to come by item.

[Bluehawk]

Is it possible that the scabbard shell was INTENDED to be hard?

[doyler]

The scabbards were made ridged. They were pliable but held their shape when new. They were not floppy soft even from the factory. I would leave it as is. 

[collector]

The other one's I've held were firm as doyler says, kinda like a saddle, but this one is harder than that, I'm sure from water and a lack of saddle soap to protect it. Probably won't get around to doing anything to it, too nervous about screwing it up. Interesting (and good) that the straps are still bendy though. Not unusual to see the straps missing.

[hyrax222]

Museums (at least the one I work at) do not recommend any leather treatment for artifacts, other than vacuuming to remove atmospheric contamination. Leather treatments, like Pecards, etc. are to make more pliable. Artifacts are for display and don't need to be pliable. Studies show that leather treatments actually accellerate decomposing. In museums, all treatments must be 100% redactable.

If you intend to use this scabbard, I can see where you might want to "help" it. I certainly have done similar in the past.....

 

Cool item though!

 

hyrax222

[collector]

Yes, That's one of the reasons I'm at bottom afraid to mess with it.

I am a 'victim' of my own lack of information in one case where I treated a leather sling with something, might have been mink oil, don't remember. Since then the leather has become weirdly, well wet, for lack of a better word, and almost mildewy. Not to mention the color change. Learned a lot from that one. Fortunately knew better than to keep guns in holsters and wrap leather items in paper not plastic so they can breathe.

[martin08]

They made these for the M1 Carbine, as well.

 

[Scottz63]

Yes they did. Nice one!

[General Apathy]

On 10/18/2021 at 9:59 PM, collector said:

Straps are supple, but the case is hard. Thinking of soaking it and jamming a rifle-shaped dummy object and letting it dry, but don't want to risk damaging it.

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Hi Collector.

 

I believe that someone may have used some form of chemical to remove the usual darker coloring associated with the ' Garand ' scabbard, hence the streaking effect and possible hardness you report on this scabbard. Some previous owner has possibly tried to give it the same lighter colouring of other US scabbards. Apologies I don't have my ' Garand ' scabbard to hand to show how much darker the pattern is than other weapon scabbards, should I find the scabbard in the next few days I will post a photo of it, as Doyler states they should be rigid / stiff but not HARD

 

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regards lewis

 

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[General Apathy]

On 10/18/2021 at 9:59 PM, collector said:

Straps are supple, but the case is hard. Thinking of soaking it and jamming a rifle-shaped dummy object and letting it dry, but don't want to risk damaging it.

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Hi Collector.

 

I just went and pulled my ' Garand ' scabbard and shot a couple of photos of it,  note how much darker it is than the other scabbards I showed in the previous post.   Thinking about it now there are some reproduction scabbards on the market that are soft / supple / floppy obviously made of leather less thick or to US WWII standards . . . . . . . . . 

 

p.s. Thanks Martin08 for your like on post #10.

 

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regards lewis.

 

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[collector]

This one I suspect was in a barn or otherwise exposed to water which explains the hardness, and possibly the odd finish pattern. The previous owner was a junk guy who probably would not have wasted any effort on the look of the scabbard. I have experience with saddles and other tack, and other scabbards I have held are very much like that, firm but not floppy. And believe me when I say that this scabbard is hard. Probably should pick up some saddle soap and treat the straps if nothing else since they are still bendable. Like your collection Lewis.

[robinb]

Saddle soap is a cleaner, not a treatment.

[doyler]

I agree with Ken... this one posted looks scraped. I noticed this earlier. 

 

[gap]

On 10/24/2021 at 12:13 PM, hyrax222 said:

Museums (at least the one I work at) do not recommend any leather treatment for artifacts, other than vacuuming to remove atmospheric contamination. Leather treatments, like Pecards, etc. are to make more pliable. Artifacts are for display and don't need to be pliable. Studies show that leather treatments actually accellerate decomposing. In museums, all treatments must be 100% redactable.

If you intend to use this scabbard, I can see where you might want to "help" it. I certainly have done similar in the past.....

 

Cool item though!

 

hyrax222

+1    Less is best with leather goods

[collector]

14 hours ago, robinb said:

Saddle soap is a cleaner, not a treatment.

I know, I spent many of my young years using it. The kind we used had glycerin which adds a treatment. We had horses.

[collector]

13 hours ago, doyler said:

I agree with Ken... this one posted looks scraped. I noticed this earlier. 

 

Perhaps you guys are right. I'm going to have a closer look, see if there are any surface differences aside from color, should be able to see scrape marks.