Scabbard or Sheath?

If all that determines whether it is a scabbard or sheath is whether it goes to a knife or a sword then the Question "When does a knife become a sword?" becomes all important and not a question to be ignored. It adds so much complexity to the matter that it then becomes nearly impossible to figure out to any degree of real certainty. But if a sheath is a sheath because of it's features. And a scabbard is a scabbard because of it's features. and while these may make them better for a knife or sword, it doesn't make them exclusive to those. Then it becomes a lot easier.
 
Helleri said:
Awww :( okay my bad for failing to search for the most appropriate place to post the thread. But if it were about a specific knife. Wouldn't it have just been sorted into a manufacturers forum likely? I mean "General Discussion" is kind of useless if it's main purpose is to be sorting forum for everything that is not "post a picture of your knife along side ___". I mean you could just have a themed pictures forum and not have a general discussion at all :p I kind of think the best and highest use of a "General Discussion" is as one stop for any topic (that would belong on a blade forum in general) of interest. And that sub-forums best and highest use is for archiving said threads after they have had the majority of discussion they will see on them. That's just my opinion though. It is of course your prerogative to sort as you see fit. Not trying to argue with your decision. Just wondering if another approach has been considered or not. And using the opportunity to give a little feedback on the current approach.
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You missed a word.....it's General KNIFE Discussion and Rev's decision to move this thread was the correct one.
 
Helleri said:
I kind of think the best and highest use of a "General Discussion" is as one stop for any topic (that would belong on a blade forum in general) of interest. And that sub-forums best and highest use is for archiving said threads after they have had the majority of discussion they will see on them.
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If we did that, no General Knife Discussion topic would last an hour on the first page. No easy way to browse for a specific topic there, either.

Where would we get the crew of moderators to decide when a thread should be archived and where? Once the discussion was over, who would care?

In fact, by pre-archiving them, and allowing the discussion to take place in the specific-topic forum where they would remain, we avoid all this extra work.
 
A sheath is generally used for knives, kukris, and smaller blades. It’s flexible and made from materials like leather, Kydex, or nylon for everyday carry and quick access. A scabbard is rigid and designed for swords, sabers, and long machetes, usually built with a wood core wrapped in leather or fitted with metal for full structural protection.


For a clear sheath vs scabbard explained article, check here
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
I think that it comes down to a subtle difference in meaning. A sheath is simply a protective covering, particularly for elongated shapes. As such it's a blanket term, and not even limited to edged items. A scabbard, by contrast, is typically a term reserved for protective coverings of edged implements and weapons, with particular emphasis on rigid or semi-rigid coverings. A sword may have a scabbard, but you sheath the sword in its scabbard--you don't scabbard your sword. Generally speaking, both a sheath and scabbard cover all but the hilt or handle of a weapon or tool at a minimum (as compared to a mere mask, which is only responsible for covering the sharpened region.) A scabbard is a sheath, but a sheath may or may not be a scabbard.
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Scabbards don't just mean a protective covering for edged implements and weapons, and aren't all rigid or semi-rigid. What you gave as a definition of a sheath describes a rifle scabbard very well. A fabric (whether canvas or nylon) or leather oblong pouch that holds a rifle on a saddle, backpack, or back.

It almost seems that a scabbard is more for longer arms, rifles or swords, while the shorter ones have sheaths or holsters. English being what it is and borrowing/stealing/butchering from both it self and every other language.
 
Unicorn161 said:
Scabbards don't just mean a protective covering for edged implements and weapons, and aren't all rigid or semi-rigid. What you gave as a definition of a sheath describes a rifle scabbard very well. A fabric (whether canvas or nylon) or leather oblong pouch that holds a rifle on a saddle, backpack, or back.

It almost seems that a scabbard is more for longer arms, rifles or swords, while the shorter ones have sheaths or holsters. English being what it is and borrowing/stealing/butchering from both it self and every other language.
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Respectfully, this is a post from 2016 and so is just shy of a decade old, but you also seem not to have grasped the meaning of my post at all because you raise no points that were not already covered by my description. A rifle scabbard is typically (though not necessarily) semi-rigid due to its shape and length, and is a weapon covering. In particular, scabbards also especially refer to weapon or tool coverings that are suspended by some form of harness, but that also isn't a strict requirement and the term is quite elastic. It simply ESPECIALLY means these things. :)
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Respectfully, this is a post from 2016 and so is just shy of a decade old, but you also seem not to have grasped the meaning of my post at all because you raise no points that were not already covered by my description. A rifle scabbard is typically (though not necessarily) semi-rigid due to its shape and length, and is a weapon covering. In particular, scabbards also especially refer to weapon or tool coverings that are suspended by some form of harness, but that also isn't a strict requirement and the term is quite elastic. It simply ESPECIALLY means these things. :)
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Oops, I missed that it's old since the thread is still active with current posts.

But besides that MANY rifle scabbards are not semi rigid unless consider anything stiffer than a couple sheets of copy paper to be semi-rigid.
And I did raise the point that a scabbard is not just for an edged implement as you stated very clearly. And also that you said it means it's rigid or semi-rigid. Which it isn't as you then backtracked on in your reply. In the post I quoted you said rigid and edged, in this reply you said it's not necessarily rigid. So which is it?

Are you saying that this is semi-rigid? https://www.outfitterssupply.com/pr...scabbard-for-scoped-rifles-productinfo-wsc235
Or this floppy thing? https://skinnersights.com/products/the-scabbard-with-back-strap-gun-case
 
Unicorn161 said:
Oops, I missed that it's old since the thread is still active with current posts.

But besides that MANY rifle scabbards are not semi rigid unless consider anything stiffer than a couple sheets of copy paper to be semi-rigid.
And I did raise the point that a scabbard is not just for an edged implement as you stated very clearly. And also that you said it means it's rigid or semi-rigid. Which it isn't as you then backtracked on in your reply. In the post I quoted you said rigid and edged, in this reply you said it's not necessarily rigid. So which is it?

Are you saying that this is semi-rigid? https://www.outfitterssupply.com/pr...scabbard-for-scoped-rifles-productinfo-wsc235
Or this floppy thing? https://skinnersights.com/products/the-scabbard-with-back-strap-gun-case
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You are asking questions based on incorrect presumptions from misinterpreting what I wrote. Read it again, and then a third time if it's still not clear, and pay attention to what I did and didn't say. "Edged implements and weapons" here is synonymous with "weapons and edged implements" not "edged implements and edged weapons." And "rigid and semi rigid" is "with particular emphasis on" not "exclusively reserved for." It simply means that the majority of use cases of the term are within that category.

If you're going to be pedantic you'd best be correct about it.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
You are asking questions based on incorrect presumptions from misinterpreting what I wrote. Read it again, and then a third time if it's still not clear, and pay attention to what I did and didn't say. "Edged implements and weapons" here is synonymous with "weapons and edged implements" not "edged implements and edged weapons." And "rigid and semi rigid" is "with particular emphasis on" not "exclusively reserved for." It simply means that the majority of use cases of the term are within that category.

If you're going to be pedantic you'd best be correct about it.
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If you say rigid and semi rigid, it means just that. Not, "with particular emphasis," but exactly what it says. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
When saying, "edged implements and weapons," it implies edged weapons as well. You need to specify what you mean.
 
Unicorn161 said:
If you say rigid and semi rigid, it means just that. Not, "with particular emphasis," but exactly what it says. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
When saying, "edged implements and weapons," it implies edged weapons as well. You need to specify what you mean.
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Read it again bud. Fourth time's the charm, I hope.
 
Maybe you should reread what you wrote. You said a sheath isn't limited to edged weapons. Then the next sentence you say a scabbard is for edged implements and weapons.

A sheath is simply a protective covering, particularly for elongated shapes. As such it's a blanket term, and not even limited to edged items. A scabbard, by contrast, is typically a term reserved for protective coverings of edged implements and weapons, with particular emphasis on rigid or semi-rigid coverings.
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Therefore what you typed is easy to interpret as saying that a scabbard is for edged implements and edged weapons. Not edged implements and all weapons. And you're still ignoring that you said rigid or semi-rigid when there are many models of rifle scabbards that aren't rigid at all other then the stiffness of leather.
 
Unicorn161 said:
Maybe you should reread what you wrote. You said a sheath isn't limited to edged weapons. Then the next sentence you say a scabbard is for edged implements and weapons.



Therefore what you typed is easy to interpret as saying that a scabbard is for edged implements and edged weapons. Not edged implements and all weapons. And you're still ignoring that you said rigid or semi-rigid when there are many models of rifle scabbards that aren't rigid at all other then the stiffness of leather.
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Convenient of you to skip highlighting the word typically. That means not always. I have said exactly what I mean and nothing you've raised is incongruous with what I set forward as a framework. I don't know what your issue is here but you need to slow your roll and reevaluate what I wrote because you clearly still don't get it. Responding to an almost decade-old post with a made-up beef where you completely misinterpret what I wrote is not a failing on my part. One more time-wasting reply and you're on my ignore list. What is the point here?
 
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