Chape

Chape has had various meanings in English, but the predominant one is a protective fitting at the bottom of a scabbard or sheath for a sword or dagger (10 in the diagram).

[1] Historic blade weapons often had leather scabbards with metal fittings at either end, sometimes decorated.

The scabbard chape is not to be confused with the chappe, a French term - rain-guard in English - on the sword itself, a fitting at the top of the blade in late medieval weapons, just below the crossguard of the hilt.

The chappe fitted outside the scabbard, presumably helping to hold the sword snugly and preventing rain coming in (4 in the diagram).

[4] A striking silver chape terminating in the heads of animals or monsters from the St Ninian's Isle Treasure is now in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

The scabbard "chape" is labelled 10.
Scabbard chape from the St Ninian's Isle Treasure
Illustration of the Thorsberg chape showing the runic inscriptions on both sides
A buckle chape; this is the plate on the right. It connects the buckle to the (missing) strap.