A new yataghan

[ALEX]

Bernard,
The side form is right. It follows the profile of the blade. Now, lets talk about the width of the scabbard: it should be wide and round enough to take in the bolster and base parts of the handle. You achieve this by taking more wood off the inner surface of the scabbard close to its throat. The overall outer width should remain the same, but inside you just file off more wood from each insert using round file, thus increasing the diameter of inner opening to match the bolster and handle base. I attach some before-and-after-restoration pictures of original 19th Century yat scabbard. Notice the shape of its opening and inserts. the old wooden inserts are chipped at the edges and slightly bent. Still, fit the blade perfectly and it goes in and out with no effort. Also, see another yat and its handle after disassembing. Hope it helps. Good luck with your projects.