Chape

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Scabbard with chape
Chape forms

The chape or chape is a metal fitting on the tip of a scabbard for edged weapons (e.g. dagger , knife , sword ).

Form and function

The chape serves to strengthen the scabbard in the area of ​​the place (the tip) of an edged weapon. Since sword scabbards are mostly made of wood and / or leather , they are sensitive to impact, abrasion and bending. The chape also ensures that the point of the sword cannot penetrate through the leather or wood and injure the wearer.

The original shape is the chape as a U-shaped border with more or less long legs. In the case of non-metal scabbards, the chape was attached to the body of the scabbard with glue , clamps or pins. The chape was rarely attached to metal sheaths, where it was mostly soldered .

The lower end of the local sheet sometimes form a spherical, flat- od. Spitzkugeliger button or a sliding plate .

Local plates are usually made of bronze , iron or brass , some are gold-plated or silver-plated. More rarely, they are made from precious metals . Depending on the fashion , they can be lavishly decorated .

The counterpart at the opening of the scabbard is the scabbard mouthplate . This is to prevent the sheath from being damaged when the sharp blade is inserted.

heraldry

For comparison: the heraldic figure Seeblatt

The chape is also used in heraldry as a common figure . Occasionally they are confused with the sea ​​leaves because the overturned shape of the sea leaves resembles the weapon fittings. The opening of the cloverleaf-like, sometimes also figure-eight-shaped breakthrough in the Ortband reaches the width of the outer edge of the two side leaves. The heart-shaped outer contour that is common with Seeblatt is also a stricter, geometrical, straight line with Ortband. With Seeblatt, whether with a round or cloverleaf opening, the opening is closed to the "leaf stalk thickness".

literature

  • Walter Leonhard : The great book of heraldic art. Development - elements - motifs - design. License issue. Bechtermünz, Augsburg 2003, ISBN 3-8289-0768-7 .
  • Gerhard Seifert: sword, epee, saber. The manifestations of Europe's long handle arms are shown as a floor plan for collectors and enthusiasts. Publishing house HG Schulz, Hamburg 1962.

Web links

Commons : chords  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Gerhard Seifert: Technical terms of edged weapons. German ABC of the European naked defensive weapons. (Cut, thrust, hit and hand thrown weapons). Verlag Seifert, Haig 1981. (also as a series in the Deutsches Waffen-Journal (DWJ) from November 1978 to October 1980)
  2. ↑ Gert Oswald : Lexicon of Heraldry. VEB Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1984.