i think it was artistic license. we're both frequenters of a khukuri related forum, and around the time he made the knife, they were supplying some decorated khuks with brass bound horn scabbards. in fact they liked his knife so much they made a number of duplicates in nepal. they still pop up occasionally & i may at some point custom order one. i would however prefer a wood scabbard myself.
p.s. - the photos do seem to show a fair bit of age patina on the wood. may want to add a few decades to the lower age limit.
