shields-msg – 3/24/12

SCA and period shields.

NOTE: See also the files: rattan-msg, tournaments-msg, melee-tactics-art, armor-msg, p-armor-msg, swords-msg, axes-msg, Shield-Balanc-art, W-T-Shields-art, Sword-Fighting-art, wood-bending-msg, wood-msg.

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                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: whheydt at pbhya.PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield construction
Date: 13 Apr 93 18:10:00 GMT
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA

parr at acs.ucalgary.ca (Charles Parr) writes:
>Currently my shields, while  durable and (if I do say so myself)
>very attractive, weigh 15-16lbs. Since period heaters are
>estimated (accounting for centuries of drying out) to have 
>weighed 8-9lbs at the most, I would dearly like to make something
>attractive, period, and *light*.

Get to a local lumber yard and buy some Linden.  It's remarkably light,
tough....  and period.

	--Hal
        Hal Ravn, West Kingdom
        Wilson H. Heydt, Jr.,  Albany, CA 94706,  510/524-8321 (home)
-- 
Hal Heydt                    |    
Analyst, Pacific*Bell        |  If you think the system is working,
510-823-5447                 |  Ask someone who's waiting for a prompt.
whheydt at pbhya.PacBell.COM    |    

From: 00mjstum at leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu (Matthew J. Stum)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield construction
Date: 13 Apr 93 20:15:49 GMT

parr at acs.ucalgary.ca (Charles Parr) writes:
> Currently my shields, while  durable and (if I do say so myself)
> very attractive, weigh 15-16lbs. Since period heaters are
> estimated (accounting for centuries of drying out) to have 
> weighed 8-9lbs at the most, I would dearly like to make something
> attractive, period, and *light*.

I've just started doing some research on the Viking center-grips and
come up with some startling facts (to me, anyway).  As you know, these
were flat circular shields made by butting planks together and rimming
the whole thing with either leather or metal.  Three reenforcing bands
were placed on the back to make them "legal" for war, according to
some Norse Law that I can't finger off of the top of my head.

What I _didn't_ realize is that they were "nearly a meter wide." 
Another source puts them at "30 to 40 inches in diameter".  Yikes!  My
little 24" center-grip falls quite short.  I wondered about the weight
until I read that they were made of limewood (?) and only _one_fifth_
of an inch thick.

The only other construction besides the shield boss, handle, three
bands, and rimming was a coat of paint...  usually red, black, yellow,
or white (?)... and less often blue and green.  (At least that's what
memory tells me.)

Oh, wait, let's not forget the shoulder strap that allowed them to carry
the thing on their backs...

I'd love to make one of these for an A&S competition, but I'd also like
to _use_ it.  I wonder about the durability, though... and if that was
a purposeful design...
-- 
Matt Stum                    Gwydion ap Myrddin       Ball State University
00mjstum at bsuvc.bsu.edu       Shire of Afonlyn, MK     Muncie, IN  USA

Apr 21 15:53:38 CDT 1993
From: dgreen at athena (David Greenebaum)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield construction
Date: 14 Apr 1993 16:51:36 GMT

Hello from Bjalfi!

Quoth Gwydion:
>I've just started doing some research on the Viking center-grips and
>come up with some startling facts (to me, anyway).  As you know, these
>were flat circular shields made by butting planks together and rimming
>the whole thing with either leather or metal.  Three reenforcing bands
>were placed on the back to make them "legal" for war, according to
>some Norse Law that I can't finger off of the top of my head.
>What I _didn't_ realize is that they were "nearly a meter wide." 
>Another source puts them at "30 to 40 inches in diameter".  Yikes!  My
>little 24" center-grip falls quite short.  I wondered about the weight
>until I read that they were made of limewood (?) and only _one_fifth_
>of an inch thick.
>[deletion]
>I'd love to make one of these for an A&S competition, but I'd also like
>to _use_ it.  I wonder about the durability, though... and if that was
>a purposeful design...

It was.  The shields weren't meant to be all that durable--the sagas
mention duels where the combattants go through three or four shields
each. The advantage of having a thin limewood shield (limewood is also
called linden, by the way) rimmed with leather, is that if your opponent's
sword bites into the edge, you can twist the shield and disarm your
opponent.  Either you'll wrench the sword from his hand, or you might
bend or break it.  (Some of the swords Norsemen used were not all that 
high quality--there's a scene, I think it's in Laxdaela saga, where a 
man fighting off a bunch of attackers has to keep straightening his
sword beneath his foot.)  The shields were not much protection against 
spears or polearms; many is the description of a thrown spear piercing
both shield and bearer, and pikes and halberds likewise.

---------------------  Bjalfi Thordharson/College of St. Katherine/Province of
 |\  | |\  |\  |// |       the Mists/Principality of the Mists/West Kingdom
 | > | |\\ | \ |/  |   David Greenebaum/University of California/Berkeley, CA
 |<  | | \ |   |   |   dgreen at athena.berkeley.edu, dgreen at garnet.berkeley.edu
 | > | |   |   |   |
 |/  | |   |   |   |   "I make mistakes, but I am on the side of good -- by
---------------------  accident and happenchance." -- the Golux

From: odlin at reed.edu (Iain Odlin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield construction
Date: 15 Apr 93 05:56:12 GMT
Organization: The Stuffed Animal Trauma Team  (We're Trained Professionals)

dgreen at athena (David Greenebaum) writes:
>the sagas mention duels where the combattants go through three or four shields
>each.

  These were the "Holmgang"s.  Ritual one-on-one combat.  The breaking of the
  shields (held, apparently, by someone other than the combatant, unless I'm
  reading wrong...) was a step in the ritual, meant -- I'd guess -- to show
  how vigourous the fighters are.

>(Some of the swords Norsemen used were not all that
>high quality--there's a scene, I think it's in Laxdaela saga, where a 
>man fighting off a bunch of attackers has to keep straightening his
>sword beneath his foot.)

  Laxdaela Saga, page 174 of the Magnusson and Palsson translation:  "Kjartan's
  blows were hard but his sword was of little use, and he was always having to
  put it under his foot to straighten it."  Good memory.

 ------------------------- Iain Odlin, odlin at reed.edu -------------------------
                  10 Crosby Street, Level 3, Portland ME 04103
 --------- "Uncertainty is the normal state.  You're nobody special." ---------

From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Viking shield boss construction
Date: 5 May 93 11:30:10
Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK.

As far as I know the Vikings did just beat shield bosses out. I suppose with
practice you get to be a lot better at metal bashing and deeper bosses
become more of a practical option.
I have seen a tiny but deep boss in Liverpool Museum that had a curve
like a tennis ball but showed no signs of a seam anywhere. I don't
know how soft and malleable the metal was that it was formed from, but
when I have seen craftsmen beating out shield bosses by hand they
prefer to have a fire handy and spend more time throwing the bosses in
the fire to get rid of the tempering than they do actually hitting the
things. Apparently you work harden the metal as you bash it into
shape, so you have to constantly re-soften it
I am in  a Viking reenactment society and we tend to cheat and use
spun or pressed steel bosses which are mass produced in various
patterns. (One trader persuaded a car plant to produce some using the
steel cases intended for the back of the car's headlights, if they
left out the hole for the bulb they were perfect!) Spun bosses aren't
as good as the pressed ones because you have to get rid of the
spinning marks which show up as a mass of concentric rings.

Jennifer

Vanaheim Vikings

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: ddfr at quads.uchicago.edu (david director friedman)
Subject: Shields, Visitors, Norms or Exceptions (cooking)
Organization: University of Chicago
Date: Thu, 20 May 1993 03:56:16 GMT

        Shields

Someone who was asking about Turkish shields also asked about how to
make a concave/convex round shield. One way is to start with a metal
disk (I used the lid from a metal drum, I presume originally intended
for storing something). Procure a ball peen hammer, a pair of
earplugs, and something you can rest the disk on. I think I used a
garbage can or equivalent to support it around the edge, but I
suspect one could also use an ordinary anvil under where you were
pounding.

You start at the center and pound the metal in a tight spiral. This
stretches the metal, making it bulge out. Eventually you have a
convex round shield to play with for a while and eventually give to
your Norse blood brother; I don't know if Asbjorn still has it or not.

Tuomas Viljanen mentions the Adarga. Somewhere I read a discussion of
what it was made of. As I remember, it was the hide of a specific
animal, possibly a variety of antelope. The question was of interest
because the Adarga was supposedly famous for being a very light,
strong shield.

David/Cariadoc

From: jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Homemade rivets?
Date: 31 Aug 93 15:42:58
Organization: STC Technology Ltd., London Road, Harlow, UK.

I fight with a viking centre grip shield. The boss is held in place
with "rivets" they are made from coach bolts. The front of the shield
has the bolt head which is a nice domed shape. Mine came with the
makers name cast on the surface, but a few whacks with a lump hammer
fixed that!
I saw an original viking shield boss a couple of years ago whilst
helping out with an exhibition. the rivets were round headed and domed
and looked just like a coach bolt head, so I don't see why you
shouldn't "fake it and use bolts" just use the right sort and leave
off the nuts like I did.
To use as a rivet saw the bolt to the required length. I can't
remember whether you soften it by heating 'till cherry red then
cooling with a water quench or by letting it cool slowly, but I can
remember heating it on the gas cooker 'till it was cherry red: I held
it in a pair of bits of wood which got rather charred but didn't
collapse. Your propane torch should do fine.
When your coachbolt/rivet has been treated to soften it, cut a cross in
the end with a hacksaw: this will make it a lot easier to start
spreading the rivet. It doesn't need to be very deep: 1/8 of an inch
will do, it's just enough to get it started. 
You need something solid underneath the rivet when you're hammering,
bits of old engine make nice emergency anvils if you can't get a
suitable lump of metal elsewhere.
Make sure your handle isn't round in cross section. I've fought with
these and you can't stop them flapping from side to side. They're fine
in a shield wall, but once you're on your own you want more control. A
squashed oval cross section is my favourite. 
Where the wood is cut away around the boss get a wood rasp and slope
the edges: if you have a right angle cut it will clobber your wrist
eventually. 
The best rim material I have found so far is rawhide. You get the
doggy chews that are shaped sort of like a bone made out of rawhide
knotted at both ends. Soak overnight in water to soften, unknot it and
you have several rawhide strips per doggy chew. Whilst it is still
soft nail over your shield rim using blued steel tacks. Stretch the
rawhide as you nail it (this is important as it goes crinkly if you
don't stretch it enough) The rawhide dries to a really tough
protective edge. I have been fighting with a shield made of heavy duty
marine plywood (13 ply) it is edged with doggy chews and has a steel
boss. I have used the same shield for 5 years and last weekend for the
first time one of the rawhide strips split after someone hooked an axe
in it. This was a 2 handed axe and we had a tug of war with it hooked
in my shield. The rawhide split slightly where the tip of the axe was
hooked in it, but it didn't give up altogether. 
We fight with blunt metal weapons, so I would think the rawhide would
hold up longer against rattan.

I have tried out iron bound shield and I'm not convinced they are
worth the effort. They are much heavier and the edging is lethal if it
does come loose in a fight. Leather is not as tough as rawhide, and
even veg. tanned leather isn't as stretchy when wet, so you always get
a crinkly edge.

You didn't mention painting it, but there's a report called three
viking graves from the isle of man" by Bersu and Wilson which has a
fragment of an original shield with the pattern still visible.
If you want to talk any more about viking shields please email me. The
society I am in usually fights with centre grip round shields, so if I
can't answer any questions, I might be able to find someone who can.

Jennifer
Vanaheim Vikings
(If you haven't figured it out from the stuff above, I'm not SCA but I
was passing by the Rialto & thought I'd stop for a chat)

From: harald at matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Harold Kraus Jr)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Homemade rivets?
Date: 31 Aug 1993 12:36:22 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University

The good Jennifer writes:

>............................................................
>To use as a rivet saw the bolt to the required length. I can't
>remember whether you soften it by heating 'till cherry red then
>cooling with a water quench or by letting it cool slowly, but ....
>..........................................................

For steel, it is cool slowly,  allowing the iron crystals time to
sort out their kinks and grow larger.  For my part, I find that bolts
mild (soft) enough to cut with a hacksaw are mild enough to peen
into a rivet head.  Make sure you peen your rivet over a closely 
fitting a rivet.

Harald Isenross, Spinning Winds, Calontir, harald at matt.ksu.ksu.edu  

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: joakimr at ifi.uio.no (Joakim Ruud)
Subject: Re: Homemade rivets?
Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1993 07:15:50 GMT

> I saw an original viking shield boss a couple of years ago whilst
> helping out with an exhibition. the rivets were round headed and domed
> and looked just like a coach bolt head, so I don't see why you
> shouldn't "fake it and use bolts" just use the right sort and leave
> off the nuts like I did.
> To use as a rivet saw the bolt to the required length. I can't
> remember whether you soften it by heating 'till cherry red then
> cooling with a water quench or by letting it cool slowly, but I can
> remember heating it on the gas cooker 'till it was cherry red: I held
> it in a pair of bits of wood which got rather charred but didn't
> collapse. Your propane torch should do fine.

What's the point of going to all that trouble, when there are iron rivets
available...? (at least here in Norway...)

> When your coachbolt/rivet has been treated to soften it, cut a cross in
> the end with a hacksaw: this will make it a lot easier to start
> spreading the rivet. It doesn't need to be very deep: 1/8 of an inch
> will do, it's just enough to get it started. 
> You need something solid underneath the rivet when you're hammering,
> bits of old engine make nice emergency anvils if you can't get a
> suitable lump of metal elsewhere.

I find that riveting on a harder surface than the rivet itself causes the
rivet head to be deformed. Use a surface of just the same hardness, or
slightliy softer (thick copper or iron(soft)). This way, the rivet head will
retain its dome-shape...

Jokke

From: jschmidt at oolong.Tymnet.COM (John Schmidt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: The Shield Wall From Hell
Date: 12 Nov 1993 21:26:53 GMT
Organization: BT North America (Tymnet)

In article <CGCFvA.7tq at acsu.buffalo.edu> v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (Ken Mondschein) writes:
>
>	I agree with the fellow who said something about halbreds: when faced
>with a shield wall-attrition battle, it seems a valuable asset to be able to
>hit around corners.

Hmm.  The strongest point for axes (pole, great or hand) is that you can
pull the sheild around with them and also they give you a large head to 
attempt to block shots with.

>	One thing I've been meaning to try is a pavise: a late-period tower
>shield-- completely impractical for singles combat, but a mini castle when
>toted along. Of course, they'd have to be used en masse, but they'd make the
>Calontir shield wall look like a speed bump...

I would disagree, based on the pavise selection found in the Metropolitan 
Museum and also from the various Osprey books.  The Calontiri shields are
larger than most pavises except some used as light fortifications; very
clearly it can be seen that the pavis was often strapped on the back, so it
can't be much larger than a scutum.

>	Another idea I had was to put a kickstand on the shield, so that it 
>would stand up by itself. This way, you could leave it standing in the middle
>of the field or block your rear with it (or put a dummy behind it and sneak 
>around in the woods battle, or block a pass through the trees :) ).

Entirely period.  You could also put a metal spike on the bottom point, or 
put in stakes.  There are a number of these used in the West Kingdom, where
missle troops are allowed to carry and place them.  
> 	Plus, you could velcro a buckler or small round to the back...
Where it would fall off after the first hard blow.  Just go ahead and strap
it to your forearm.

>	Then again, maybe I have to repad my helmet...
I think I have to wash my padding.  
>		Tristan
>
John Theophilous

From: shick at europa.eng.gtefsd.com (Steve Hick)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Two-pointed Shields: was Spear and Sword
Date: 7 Dec 1993 21:25:54 GMT
Organization: GTE GSC FSD

In article <2e1237INNd08 at matt.ksu.ksu.edu>, harald at matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Harold
Kraus Jr) wrote:

> The good Tristan writes:
> 
> [comments on spear and sword deleted]
> >                                             .....      Also, a shield with
> >two sword points on it is documentable for Moorish Spain (the Palladium RPG
> >arms and armor book, which is actually remarkable informative as a tertiary
> >source).
> 
> Other posters have noted in the Spear and Sword thread that the above
> piece could be based on a misidentified piece in a Spanish museum (posibly
> a madoo).  
> 
> The "Book of Fencing: Code de Gotha" by Hans Thalhofer, 1467, Bohemia,
> has an illustration of "Fight with special shield, in the combat called
> 'The Judgement of God'".  (Millia Davenport, "The Book of Costume"
> 
> 	The special shield is, basically,  a "two-handed 'madoo'".  
> Picture a 5'6" ( at 2.6m) spear tipped at each end fixed to the 
> back of a 4'x2' shield with rounded of corners.  On the vertical axis of 
> the  shield is a 3' (1m) long shield boss that allows the user to grip
> along that length of the spear shaft.  Kind of a squared off Zulu shield.
> Quite silly looking -- at best, I'd say it was a fad, limited
> to the school or region, or a pudgil stick variation.
> 
Sorry, I had been reading this, and didn't think of the kampfschild as
germane.  

This is true, it is as described, often it has auxiliary points, barbs,
blades, saw-tooth blades, etc.. It is used in judicial duels, and far from
being obscure, it is referenced in most of the major Fechtbucher (German
Fencing Manuals). Besides the 1467 Talhoffer, it appears in (from memory) 
the 1443 Talhoffer, Paulus Kal's Fechtbuch of the second half of the 15th C
,  Paulus Hector Meier's Fechtbuch of <1542, and several others.  It is
used in conjunction with the cudgel, sword(?) and alone.

When used alone, it is used much like a polarm.  In conjunction with other
weapons, it seems to be used mostly as a shield.  It appears in
documentation from ca 1440 up to the end of the 16th c, not a passing fad.

ST

From: mike at aloysius.equinox.gen.nz (Mike Campbell)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Odd-shaped Turkish shields
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 23:20:00 GMT
Organization: Me? Organized?

A few weeks ago someone posted requesting info about an oddly shaped 
shield.  I don't remember the text (sorry), but I hope the following 
helps:

The shield shape was like this:

       /|
      / |
 __--   |
|       |
|       |
|       |
|       |
|_______|

"Renaissance Armies, 1420-1650" (2nd Ed), George Gush, Patrick 
Stephens (pubs), 1983, ISBN 0-85059-604-1:

Three similar shields are shown as "typical turkish shields".  No date 
is given.  The three differ only in the shape of the bottom edge - 1 
is straight as above, 1 is 1/2 round, and is a little longer overall 
than above, the third is peculiar, and I'll try to show it:

|           |
 \         /
   \      |
     \     \
       \   /
         -

,it's supposed to look like the mirror image of a "," (comma), and is 
quite smoothly rounded, not like the ASCII!

Hope this helps

Thorfyrd Hakonson, Shire of Southron Gaard, Caid
Mike Campbell, Christchurch, New Zealand
mike at aloysius.equinox.gen.nz 

From: pyuaq at csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr G S Sutherland)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Leather armour questions
Date: 17 Mar 1994 12:34:56 -0000
Organization: University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

cav at bnr.ca (Rick Cavasin) writes:
+u_gearman at mv3800.engr.scarolina.edu writes:

[On topic questions deleted!]

+|> 	3) Unrelated question. Can round shields have a boss on them??
+ 
+ If we're talking early period Viking/Anglo-Saxon, etc., round shields usually
+ had some form of boss.  At least that's been my impression.

	Early period shields (up until the twelfth century I think) often
had bosses on. A Saxon/Viking/Whatever round shield always would have a
boss since it was a center punch grip. Other shields would sometimes have
a boss affixed, such as many of the kites on the Bayeaux tapestry. 

	There were also two or variations on the round shield that you may
be interested in.

(1)	The oval "poached egg" shield, which was a midway stage between
	the kite and the round shield. It was often curved in its cross
	section.

(2)	The lenticular shield, which was shaped like a watch glass. The
	curved cross section helped deflect axe blows.

+|> Thanks in advance for any help that I get and can pass on.
+|> 
+|> Rolland Steveneson
+ Cheers, Balderik

	Graeme.

From: darrell.markewitz at ambassador.com (Darrell Markewitz)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Shield at Sutton Hoo
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 1994 16:02:24 GMT
Organization: AMBASSADOR BOARD (519) 925-2642 V.32

"The shield...survived only as a jumbled group of metal fittings
associated with tiney scraps of the limewood and leather that once
formed its massive board."

From "the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial" bu Angela Care Evens - 1986

But i don't know enough about the various names proposed (Limewoos,
linwood, basswood) to say if they are the same thing.

Evens goes on to speculate that this shield was a presentation or
cerimonial object (rather than combat) due to the number and fineness of
the ornimental mounts.

It also does not have an iron rim, and the use of soft wood would result
in a short lived shield in actual combat*.   The use of lighter wood is
a good choice for a cerimaonial shield.

More 9on this latter!

Darrell/Sylard

From: dnb105 at psu.edu (Ferret)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield at Sutton Hoo
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 1994 17:45:01 GMT
Organization: Penn State University

In article <9412261206433947 at ambassador.com> darrell.markewitz at ambassador.com (Darrell Markewitz) writes:

>Evens goes on to speculate that this shield was a presentation or
>cerimonial object (rather than combat) due to the number and fineness of
>the ornimental mounts.

Gold leaf over plaster ornaments would not last long on a battle shield.
It was believed that due to various repairs made to the shield prior to 
interment, it was an heirloom and much older than the burial. The ship 
itself was estimated to be very old due to the repairs that were evidenced 
on it as well, if true it would place the longship as possibly being 
condtructed in the 7th or even 6th century. The fact that the ship is 
klinker built and had four rigging mounts means that the only difference 
between it and 9th and 10th cent. "viking" ships is that the latter had a 
much more defined keel and not much else different.

Ferret

From: telkingt at alexandria.lib.utah.edu (Trevor Elkington)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Shield at Sutton Hoo
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 1994 14:49:14 GMT
Organization: Marriott Library, University of Utah

{Clip} Darrell writes about the shield at Sutton Hoo:

Since I believe I may have been the one who started the shield-wood-type 
issue in the first place, I just wanted to thank somebody else for 
supporting my claim.  This is not sour-grapes; my posting program seems to 
have a problem with following threads, so after I have written a long and 
eloquent defense/discussion of my point, the damn thing won't post.  Got 
rather fed up and quit posting altogether.

Anyway, I was in London this summer and saw the Sutton Hoo exhibit in first 
person.  Stunning!  And yes, the shield in question was re-constructed 
using "limewood" as stated in the little plaque before the piece.  I didn't 
catch what the actual basis for what wood to use in the model was, but it 
does seem that there was some archaeological evidence for this type of wood.

---Thorstein Thorvaldsonnar
---The Viking Librarian

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Shield at Sutton Hoo
From: system at blah.bsu.edu ()
Date: Tue, 27 Dec 94 21:05:30 EST
Organization: Ball State University

At one time I did a fair amount of research into Viking shield construction,
including wood types.  I don't have the data in front of me, but yes, limewood
was commonly used.  If it is indeed related to what we call basswood here in
the USA, then it was used because it is very tough and resistant to shock.

On the flip-side, I seem to remember oak being used very rarely... it's strong,
but it doesn't take shock very well...and it's _way_ too heavy.

Another thing that I found surprising was the shield thickness... or rather,
a lack thereof.  Thickness of 5mm to 7mm was common and were usually tapered
thinner towards the edge.

My conclusions based on my brief research were that lightness counted, and
shields were rebuilt often.  Also, you probably could afford to lose a bit of
your shield when you start out with 30" to 40" diameters.  Plus, a sword or
axe that gets stuck in your shield can then be wrenched from your opponent's
hands.  And lastly, I'm willing to bet that shield wielding techniques were
different than ours in the SCA... we tend to let our indestructable shields
meet the weapons head-on... I'd say that more of a sweeping motion was used
to parry weapons by both shields and weapons.

Gwydion,
  the Welsh Viking (sometimes)
  See "http://blah.bsuvc.bsu.edu/gwydion" for an explanation...

--
Matt Stum                 Gwydion ap Myrddin Arglwydd     Ball State University
00mjstum at bsuvc.bsu.edu    Shire of Afonlyn, MK            Muncie, IN  USA
           Per bend sable and Or, a sun and decrescent counterchanged.

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Sutton Hoo shield...
From: system at blah.bsu.edu ()
Date: Thu,  5 Jan 95 15:14:49 EST
Organization: Ball State University

>While I don't know much about shot distribution (although I *will* ask around,
>I do have a smidgen of information to contribute.  Recently I was asked by a 
>fighter in our shire to define "Linden Wood", which I had only that week looked
>up for someone here in this group.  This sparked a somewhat lengthy discussion
>among the fighters present about the uses of shields versus the weapons they 
>defend against.  Linden wood is a very LIGHT wood, and I can't imagine that it
>would last for too many battles before being "rent asunder".  However, it is
>possible that, like balsa, it could also grip a bladed weapon stuck into it. 
>Against an SCA weapon, it would be next to useless though, since SCA weapons,
>no matter what they are protraying, are essentially mass weapons.

I finally dug up my shield research (or part of it, anyway) and here might
be something of interest.

"Linden shields" or "linden boards" or "lindens" were mentioned in Beowulf,
the Finnsburh Fragment, the Battle of Maldon, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,
and the Codex Exoniensis.  Yet, according to a study of early anglo-saxon
shields here is the distribution of wood types:

type              number
----------------- ------
alder              11
willow or poplar   11
maple               3
birch               2
ash                 1
oak                 1
lime (linden)       1

The theory is that lime may have only been available only in southern
England at the time so it's appearance, or rather lack thereof, in the
rather limited sample might not be so surprising.  Also, according to the
chart below, lime, alder, willow and poplar are all similar in terms of
function and characteristics.

type       density    weight of   Toughness (Resistance  Resistance to
          (lb/cu ft) shield(lbs)   to a sudden load)       splitting
--------- ---------- -----------  ---------------------  -------------
willow        27         5.4              129                 390
poplar        27         5.4               90                 260
alder         32         6.4              101                 330
sycamore      35         7.0              102                 420
lime          39         7.8              120                 490
birch         41         8.2              198                 480
ash           42         8.4               --                 620
oak           43         8.6              131                 360

(weight of shield is based on a 0.5m diameter and 7mm thickness)
(sycamore would not have been available, but it's included to simulate maple)

Since most weapons of the time were not mass weapons (sword, axe, spear,
arrow) I would think that resistance to splitting would be more important
to sudden load.  I'm not sure why both stats aren't provided for ash, so
without that info it appears lime is a clear winner.  Willow and
sycamore/maple are good choices too.

As mass weapons came into play, I would imagine oak and especially birch
might come in handy.

Also keep in mind that 3-ply plywood _did_ exist in some areas.  It
provided extra strength and made it easier to make the shields concave. 
(The viking shields were predominantly flat, but some of the earlier
anglo-saxon and roman shields were curved.)

Bibliography:

Early Anglo-Saxon Shields
  Tania Dickinson, F.S.A. and Heinrick Harke
  Volume 110 of Archaeologia
  The Society of Antiquaries of London
  1992
(This is an EXCELLENT source of detailed information about the construction
and technology of early center-grip shields.  While the title implies that
the Vikings might be left out, samples from Sutton Hoo and Gokstad are
included.)

-- 
Matt Stum                 Gwydion ap Myrddin Arglwydd     Ball State University
00mjstum at bsuvc.bsu.edu    Shire of Afonlyn, MK            Muncie, IN  USA
           Per bend sable and Or, a sun and decrescent counterchanged.

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: gaummb at fnma.COM (Mario Butler)
Subject: Re: kite shields
Organization: Fannie Mae
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 13:51:57 GMT

In article 2F0DEAC7 at courier.sscnet.ucla.edu, Valdez at polisci.sscnet.ucla.EDU (Valdez, Jonathan      POLI SCI) writes:
>Diarmuit Ui Dhunn recently discussed his research on bolt patterns on kite 
>shields and how to strap them. I wanted to suggest one possibility, but 
>annoyingly, can't remember where I saw the illustration (although I think it 
>was from a period source; perhaps the Bayeaux?).  In any case, I remember 
>seeing a kite shield strapped so that the shield arm was held perpendicular 
>to the ground; it struck me that this might be a useful way to hold such a 
>shield. I don't know whether that would help explain bolt patterns, however.

This is the way I had the straps on my kite. Loved the ease in which I could block
swings. My next shield is gonna be like this, too.

Mario

From: LIB_IMC at vax1.utulsa.edu (I. Marc Carlson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Shield Construction (was Re: Sutton Hoo...)
Date: 9 Jan 1995 10:08:02 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway

I received an interesting set of questions, by private mail, to my comments on
the shield I built, and since they were indicative of something missing from my
earlier post, I decided to forward them and answer them here, in case anyone
else was interested.

Stefan li Rous <From: markh at sphinx.sps.mot.com (Mark Harris)>

>>Personally, I just finished building a Norman style kite, built from oak planks,
>>faced in leather and reinforced with rawhide...
>How much did it wiegh!!! How thick were the oak planks? What are "the very
>things that would make it useful versus real weapons" that "are likely to
>act against it in SCA combat"?

We haven't actually weighed the silly thing, but I'd estimate that it's about
15-20 pounds.  The Planks are 3/4" and the whole thing is faced in 8 oz cow-
hide.

Primarily the "things" I was referring to with regard to "real" combat are its
structural flexibility and its thickness/weight.  If the shield were to be used
against arrows, as well as real swords, axes, etc. (which are, relatively 
speaking, rather light compared to their SCA counterparts) it would be much more
effective than if it were to be continually hammered on with a club (which is,
in essence what a stick of rattan is).

A temporarily displaced scholar,

Diarmuit Ui Dhunn
University of Northkeep, Northkeepshire
(I. Marc Carlson
 IMC at VAX2.UTULSA.EDU
 LIB_IMC at VAX1.UTULSA.EDU)

From: LIB_IMC at vax1.utulsa.edu (I. Marc Carlson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Kite Shields
Date: 9 Jan 1995 10:31:41 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway

Iban de Sepulveda <From: Valdez at polisci.sscnet.ucla.EDU 
   (Valdez, Jonathan POLI SCI)>
>Diarmuit Ui Dhunn recently discussed his research on bolt patterns on kite 
>shields and how to strap them. I wanted to suggest one possibility, but 
>annoyingly, can't remember where I saw the illustration (although I think it 
>was from a period source; perhaps the Bayeaux?).  In any case, I remember 
>seeing a kite shield strapped so that the shield arm was held perpendicular 
>to the ground; it struck me that this might be a useful way to hold such a 
>shield. I don't know whether that would help explain bolt patterns, however.

That sounds about right.  The pattern I eventually went with was

     **********                  Guige attached to top two rivets
   **..........**                Buckled Cross Strapping for a grip
  *..o.........o.*               Two lower, buckled straps to hold forearm.
 *................*
*....o.........o...*
*.....\.xxxx../....*
*.......\**/.......*
*.......x/\x.......*
 *...../xxxx\.....*
 *...o/.......\o..*
  *..............*
  *..o---------o.*
   *............*
   *............*
    *o--------o*
    *..........*
     *........*
     *........*
      *......*
      *......*
       *....*
       *....*
        *..*
        *..*
         **
         **

This shield pattern was used by a Mounted Norman in the scene numbered XX
in my copy of _Mysteries of the Bayeaux Tapestry_

If anyone wants the listing of the 25 patterns used on the tapestry, please
let me know.  It's a bit long to send here to the Rialto, or so my wife who
reads the digest tells me :)

A temporarily displaced scholar,

Diarmuit Ui Dhunn
University of Northkeep, Northkeepshire
(I. Marc Carlson
 IMC at VAX2.UTULSA.EDU
 LIB_IMC at VAX1.UTULSA.EDU)

From: Garick Chamberlin <Garick at vonkopke.demon.co.uk>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: HELP!! Helm/Shield Making Needed
Date: Wed, 13 Sep 95 23:52:47 GMT
Organization: Drachenwald

In response to the question on shield making, here is an answer I gave to 
another person in similar straights some time ago.  I hope it helps.

 I make all my shields, as well as many for new fighters, out of old
 street signs.  I know this sounds dumb, but it is just about the perfect 
 shield material.  One standard size street sign and a handfull of rivets 
 will make the perfect tourney sheild in just a couple of hours.  It will 
 be light, about 7-8 pounds.  It will be strong, my 6 year old shield is 
 still in use. It will be attractive, as long as you remember to put the 
 sign side IN and cover it.  It will be cheap, read free.

 First off, DON'T STEAL AN IN USE STREET SIGN.  Call your local road 
 maintainance department, or moral equivelant, and ask for an old one.  
 If you mention that you want it to build equipment for a nonprofit, 
 educational group they will most likely say "Sure.  Come on down. How many 
 do you want?" If they don't, don't be daunted.  Simply call the county 
 roads department,  or a neighboring city's.  So far, I've never had to call' 
 more than one department in my  search.  They have no use for them and are 
 glad to give  them to a good cause.

 Once you have your street sign, mark the shape and size of shield you  
 desire onto the metal.  Then cut it out.  Remember that if you are making         
 a curved shield the curve will reduce its width by about 2 inches, so cut it 
 out 2 inches wider than you want your finished shield to be.  

If you are going to curve it, now is the time.  Street signs are made from a 
titaniumaluminum alloy and are therefore very springy.  Though this 
drastically  reduces their tendancy to dent, it also makes curving them 
fiendishly difficult.  After much experimentation I have found that the best 
method for putting in a curve which will stay without over weakening the 
metal is to find, or make, two boards which are parralel and about 1/4 to 
1/2 of an inch apart and insert the shield blank a couple of inches, bend, 
insert it a couple of more inches, bend, etc.   Bend the shield a little more 
than you want it to remain, as the metal's natural elastiscity will eleminate 
part of the curve after a couple of weeks use.  Methods that DON'T work 
include putting it on a log and jumping up and down on the edges 
of both sides and putting it half over the curb and driving over 
it.  The first doesn't stress the metal enough to give it any permenant 
curve, no matter how hard you try.  The second overstresses the metal and 
makes it very  susceptible to denting and bending in ways that you don't want.

Now take the leftover pieces of sign and make reinforcements out of them.  
It is vital to the life of your shield that you reinforce the most frequently 
hit part, i.e. the part near your hand.  For a round shield, make a large "D" 
shape and rivet it to the inside, leading edge of your shield. For a heater,
or "bunny-round" (a round bottom, with a heater top) you need to make a sort 
of "L" shape on its side, with the tail part on the hand side of the shield.
Something like this _______
                          ))  this is hard to visualize in ASCI, sorry. This
piece should be about 6 inches wide on the "stem" and about 12 from the top
to the end of the tail and 6 inches in from the side. The "bend" of the L 
should be gently curved on the inside (i.e. lower side) to give an arch type 
of support, rather than a weak corner. It should come down far enough that 
the handle is put over it, so that the handle won't have an anvil effect 
with the shield bending around it.  For heaters you should also add a small
(maybe 6 inch tall by 4 inch wide) diamond shape to the bottom, so that the
bottom won't curve up like a ski tip.

To hang (i.e. put on the handle and strap) a heater shield, pick up the upper 
right corner with your thumb and forefinger.  Hold it out and draw a straight 
line on the inside of the shield exactly perpendicular to the ground.  This 
is the line your arm should be on when holding the shield. Now stand 
with your arm in whatever is, for you, a natural spot to hold the shield.  
Have a friend hold the shield with the line against your arm.  Have him/her 
move the sheild up and down untill your natural holding position matches a 
good spot for the shield.  You should just barely be able to see over the 
edge of the shield and an opponent should not be able to see your whole nose.  
Mark the spot where your hand is and put the handle there.           

I always use 5 1/2 or 6 inch door pulls for handles. They fit the  hand very 
well, but must be raised about 1/2 an inch to avoid squishing your hand. 
A pile of washers, a thin spacer of wood, or what have you will easily 
accomplish this. Put some sort of cage over the handle to avoid having your 
hand caught between the hammer of your shield being propelled by a blow and 
the anvil of your helm.  Many armorers make shieldbaskets, or you can 
make/ adapt one yourself.  I have seen people use old bread loaf pan cut 
in half, but can not vouch for their efficacy.  If they are available in 
your area,  the grilled faceshields from hockey and lacrosse helmets work 
excellently.

Put a layer of close celled foam, or some such, along the line were your arm 
will go, including under the handle.  This will significanly reduce shock 
transmission from their shield to you.  Put a strap over your forearm about 
2/3 of the way from your wrist to your elbow.  DO NOT put the strap low 
enough on your arm as to touch your elbow's tendons.  This will rob you  
of strength and energy faster than you would believe possible.  I 
prefer a  very tight strap, so that my shield mirrors my tiniest move without 
delay. The wider your strap is, the less it bites and, therefore, the less 
tiring it is to hold your shield.  Soft leather is best for this.

All you need do now is to drill holes along the edges,about 1 1/2  inches in, 
every 3 inches or so.  Make the holes closer together near the corners. As
the top right (for right-handers) corner takes the most abuse, glue a short
section of leather or bike tire over that corner before adding the rest of the
rimming. A soft "rubber cement" type glue works best for this. Now take an
old bicycle tire (27 inch ten speed tires work best, for the average heater)
and cut the wires out of it. Without wires it should stretch over the rim of 
your shield quite well. Hold it in place by spiraling wire, string, 550 cord,
or what have you through the holes you drilled earlier and tie it off.  You
can get old bike tires from bike shops just for the asking. Take all they 
give you, as they through them away in batches, so sometimes they don't have
any and you have to drive all over town looking for one.  In desparate
situations, you can even buy one.

Lastly, or sometimes even before rimming, decorate your shield.  If  painting 
armory upon it, be aware that the aluminum tends to shed paint unless you put 
a coat of primer on it.  After priming, it takes paint fine. The already 
painted side, however, doesn't take paint for beans even if primered first.  
Therefore,the sign side should ALWAYS go on the inside and to cover it up I 
reccomend glueing a piece of scrap fabric over it.  Again, a nonbrittle, 
rubber cement type glue works best for this.
                                                        
You will now have a shield that will last for years. Enjoy it and use it in 
good health.

                                Yours in Service, 
                                Viscount Sir Garick von Kopke

Permission is hearby granted to crosspost this article to other forums and to 
publish it in any notforprofit periodical.

... Honor Virtus Est

From: rshipp at flash.net (Randy Shipp)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield Help???
Date: Tue, 04 Jun 1996 16:44:38 GMT
Organization: University of North Texas

HDXQ27A at prodigy.com (Terry Aucoin) wrote:

>   I'm about to builda Tear Drop shield but lack one vital information on 
>the bending of the wood. How do you slightly curve the wood? A friend 
>told me you have to wet it, bent for set, and let dry into set!

>is this the correct way?

This was recently discussed, and based on the discussion, I went home
and built my first curved plywood heater shield blank.  Cost was
probably about $15 or so dollars, not counting tools.

First, I bought a 4x8 sheet of 1/4" B/C plywood, which is sanded and
nicer on one side than the other.  I had the lumberyard cut it in
half, so I had two 4'x4' pieces. 

I took one piece, and measured and drew a centerline down the middle
of the nice side (It'll be the inside of the shield).  I then measured
13" from the centerline on each side to show the width of my heater.
I measured down 36" from the top and drew across, so I had a 26"x36"
box.  Then I just sketched in the heater shape in pencil.  Now I was
ready to laminate.

I put two sawhorses fairly close together and put the second piece of
plywood, nice side down on them.  The plywood will naturally flex one
way more easily than another.  Align that natural bend so that the
plywood will curve down into the gap between the sawhorses.  Then
slather wood glue generously on the bottom piece of plywood.  I had my
girlfriend help, and we used pieces of cardboard as scrapers to spread
the glue around.  We used maybe a pint of glue...maybe less.

Put the plywood with your shield drawn on it on top.  Square up the
edges and put many C-clamps tightly around the edges of the plywood.
Then take two pipe clamps and put them across the shield.  Tighten
them evenly, and they will curve the blank.  Put just a little more
curve than you want, as it will rebound slightly when you release the
clamps.  

Leave clamped for 24 hours and then cut out your blank with a jigsaw.

AFTERWORD:  After making my blank, I decided on a few changes.  First,
I think I will cut off all but a few inches on either side of the
shield drawing before I laminate it.  Thus, I'll be curving a 30"x48"
stack of wood instead of a 48"x48" blank.  I didn't get quite as tight
a curve on my blank as I would have liked (I won't know for sure until
I use the shield), and I think a narrower lamination would've allowed
me to put more curve in it.  Your mileage may vary.

I hope this helps.  I saw lots of different ways mentioned, but I
think pipe clamps offered the most stable, controllable method of
putting the bend in the shield.

In Service,

Antoine D'Aubernoun
mka Randy Shipp
rshipp at flash.net

From: claude at nickel.laurentian.ca
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield Help???
Date: 4 Jun 96 11:12:50 -0500
Organization: Laurentian University

  I built my very first shield last year and here is a brief description
of how I made it.

  I first built a mould or form out of 3/4" plywoob that had the curvevature
of the shield I wanted to create. On it I layed three layers, one at a time,
of 3/16" plywood gluying them together with contact cement. Clamps of all sorts
were used for this. After a few hours of drying I removed the glued shield from
the form and cut it to size and sanded it. I then stained and varnished it. For
a more "classic" look I added steel edgings and a steel heraldic cross using
pop rivets. I then spray varnished the entired item.

  The shield did straighten out just a little bit when it was removed from the
mold but nothing too be concerned about. If you are satisfied with your results
you can use the same mold to construct as many shields as you like.

  Hope this helps.
  Claude.

From: Christopher Miller <marundel at ponyexpress.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield Material
Date: Sun, 06 Apr 1997 11:02:46 -0500

ltemplar wrote:
> Down here in Austin, Texas I went to Sam's Club Warehouse and noticed
> a large circular turn table made out of OAK.  It is about a half inch
> thick and either 24" or 30" wide.   It sells for $19.95.  I figured you
> can just take off the ball bearing contrapion on the back and make a
> pretty neat looking shield.  It is also beveled around the edge.  What
> does anyone think?

For a "round shield and mass weapon" tourney, I made a round out of a
flexible flyer sled. Seriously, I was walking through Toys-R-Us, and
they had a stack of the saucers for sale. 25 7/16" inches across, 16
gauge steel, dished, edges rolled, $16. A 26" bicycle tire finished it
off quite nicely.

Break the paradigms. Try it and let me know how it works.

Madoc

From: bwc at proaxis.com (Doug Brunner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Shield Material
Date: 6 Apr 1997 16:15:52 GMT
Organization: Brunner's Woods and Crafts

rhogan at mnsi.net wrote:
>This may be passing simple, but why not just buy two of these wonderously
>cheap shield rounds, and put the beveled edges out, and stick them
>together, grains at perpendicular?  That way you get a solid inch, and
>have a good reason to rim it with some iron for strength.

        I'd have to agree with this one. I'm not a fighter, first of all. I've 
gotten old enough that I truly appreciate the fact that the bruises take much 
longer to heal at my age.;-) But, I do sling a lot of wood. For me to rip 
through a couple hundred board feet in a day is not unusual. After about 2 or 
3 hours, this gets a bit heavy. Even if I do wimp out and put it down a lot. 
Bottom line, inch thick oak is HEAVY. It's not that bad for the first few 
minutes. But, after three or four rounds you're going to be tired. I would 
just guess that one inch oak, with the iron rim, straps and steel guard, would 
weigh near to 19 pounds. 

        IF you lift small cars for exercise, that would be no problem. 
However, the people I've worked with prefer something a bit lighter. I was 
making mine out of multiple layers of 1/8" paneling and 1/4" Plywood. I was 
making curved shields. I had made a frame of 2X6's. This frame allowed a 
curve/drop of 3.5in from the center to the edge. The frame was 26" across. I 
bent a piece of 1/4 Maple three ply across the frame and attached it. I 
cleaned the surface of the ply and the paneling and glued a layer of 1/8" 
paneling across it. I then drilled holes of 5/16" in predetermined spots for 
my flanges. I use a from of nut, with a flange. They're often used in 
furniture. I would then use a Forstner Bit and form an offset in the paneling. 
This allowed the flange to sit below the edge of the paneling. After all that, 
I laid on the another layer of 1/4" Maple Plywood. This allowed me to have a 
finished front, with no bolts coming through. I had already made the knuckle 
guards. This just bolted into position. The other spots were put in to allow 
the user to move the basket and straps around as they saw fit. This was all 
assembled with TiteBond II glue. 

        The edging was done in heavy Rawhide. I put it on wet, so it would 
tighten as it dried. Some people prefer splitting a heavy garden hose. I 
wanted a more authentic look and feel. The rawhide was held on with Brass 
Rivets. I almost forgot. After the three layers were dry, I put 1/4" wooden 
dowels through the shield to form a pattern. Usually just 4"X4" squares. It 
looked nice and gave the shield much greater strength. The paneling, ply and 
glue was much harder to delaminate like this. Knuckle guards were made of 1/4" 
round stock steel, primed and painted. The front was waxed and buffed to a 
nice glossy finish.

        Final product weighed about 12lbs. It was a lot of work, but my 
customers seemed to appreciate it. I've never had one come back. 

        Lord, I sound like a commercial. Too bad I've closed my shop and 
business. ;)

Doug B. 

From: bwc at proaxis.com (Doug Brunner)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Help with my shield?
Date: 5 Apr 1997 17:00:14 GMT
Organization: Brunner's Woods and Crafts

mdavies at sprynet.com says...
>I'm a newbie trying to put together a shield, and need help with the
>dimensions for a decent heater.  

        I used to custom make shields. Most people I did work for used a basic 
formula for a beginner's shield. The width of the shield should be 
approximatley the width of your shoulders. The height is from your chin to 
your crotch. Start the curve at approximatley 40% from the top and run it down 
to a point about 2 fingers wide. To set your grips, lay the shield on your 
arm, above your head. Put the shield and your arm in such a way that the 
shield balances with your arm about midway between top and bottom. Mark the 
distance between your knuckles and elbow. Find the center of these marks. 
Rotate your arm to about 20deg, depending on right or left handed. This should 
be about where your arm should be when you support the shield. Each person is 
a bit different. This includes muscularature(spelling*?). Experiment in the 
location of your arm and elbow. This, I've found, is probably the most 
critical point. This is what defines your balance and how the shield wears. I 
used to keep a dummy/protype in the shop. It was quite adjustable, with 
several dozen holes in it for locating straps and guards. I used this to fine 
tune the pieces. 

        Hope I haven't confused things too much.;-)

Doug B. 

From: Christopher Miller <marundel at ponyexpress.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Help with my shield?
Date: Sun, 06 Apr 1997 10:45:24 -0500

Mike Davies wrote: 
> I'm a newbie trying to put together a shield, and need help with the
> dimensions for a decent heater.  I already have a sheet of 2' x 4' exterior
> grade plywood.  I also have hose for the outside edge, a handle, and a belt
> for the arm.  What I really need help with is measurements for overall
> length, and how far down from the top should I go before I start to curve
> the bottom to a point?  Also, how far down from the top should the handle
> be?  If height needs to be taken into account, I'm 5'10".   Thanx for the
> help.
> --
> Madok ap Davyd
> Madrone, An-tir
> mdavies at sprynet.com

With a name like Madok, you got something going for ya.

My personal preference is to cut the plywood to 24" across by 34" long
prior to curving the wood. Then one of two construction types: (1) two
sheets of equal sized 1/4" plywood, glued together and pressed or (2)
three sheets of equal sized 1/4" plywood, two of which have the center
cut out (to lighten the weight slightly while maintaining rim-strength
and balance), glued together and pressed.

Leave the wood in the rectangular shape. Use a LOT of carpenters glue to
glue the two together. While the glue is still wet, put the blanks into
a shield press and crank it down, with slightly more of a bend than you
want in the finished shield. If you do not have access to a shield
press, place the blanks on top of a couple of railroad ties set two feet
apart, and put scrap metal, sand bags, or any other kind of Massive,
localized weight along the centerline (enough weight to make the plywood
touch the floor between the RR ties). After about three days, remove the
blank form the press, and trace you heater shape onto it. My personal
preference is straight edges to about halfway dow the sides, than a
gradual curving taper to the point of the shield. I trim the sides only
enough to even up the edges of the plywood (usually trimming it to 22 or
23 inches across) and between 32 and 34 inches from the top edge to the
point.

Madoc Arundel
(marundel at ponyexpress.net)
Or, an Acorn within Oak Leaves in annulo vert.

From: Blues <Blues at mail.ic.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Help with my shield?
Date: Tue, 08 Apr 1997 17:40:35 -0400

Mike Davies wrote: 
> I'm a newbie trying to put together a shield, and need help with the
> dimensions for a decent heater.  I already have a sheet of 2' x 4' exterior
> grade plywood.  I also have hose for the outside edge, a handle, and a belt
> for the arm.  What I really need help with is measurements for overall
> length, and how far down from the top should I go before I start to curve
> the bottom to a point?  Also, how far down from the top should the handle
> be?  If height needs to be taken into account, I'm 5'10".   Thanx for the
> help.
> --
> Madok ap Davyd
> Madrone, An-tir
> mdavies at sprynet.com

I wrote an article some years back about making heater shields. It has a
reduced pattern with the measurements you need given. It's now on my Web
site with some other articles of interest to new fighters at:

http://ic.net/~blues/fight.htm

Other articles of interest to people new to the SCA in general are at:

http://ic.net/~blues/articles.htm

Gunnbjorn Gunnarsson
-- 
The Blues Viking Online!
http://ic.net/~blues

From: Dani Eder <ederd at worldnet.att.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Aluminum SAhield Blanks
Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 19:28:04 -0500
Organization: Castle Guild, Society for Creative Anachronism

James Morrow wrote: 
>   I need one for a friend. Where can i get one Please?
> 
> Achbar

We need a little more information in order to answer the question.
Used road signs (which can often be found in metal scrap yards) can
be converted into an aluminum shield blank if one has a jig saw to
cut out the shape, or can find a local SCA armorer with a "Beverly
Shears".  If you want to put a curve on the shield, it can be bent
around a tree trunk.  Road sign aluminum is fairly soft, so it is 
easy to work, but it is also easy to dent.

At the other extreme, you can get an sheet of aircraft aluminum
alloy, which is much stiffer.  Therefore it is harder to work, but
will stand up to blows longer.  The last set of shield blanks I 
made were from 6061-T6, 0.100 inches thick.  To put a curve on
it I placed two 4" diameter poles lengthwise on the ground spaced
almost the width of the shield.  On top of this I placed the shield
blank.  On top of this I placed a sawmill slab from the outside of
a tree, curved side down.  Then I drove a Chevy full-size conversion
van carefully over the sawmill slab until the shield blank was
bent somewhat more than the final curve I wanted (it springs back
some).  

A more expensive alternative is to take the shield blank to a
sheet metal shop and have them put a curve on it for you using
their large forming rollers.  At the extreme, take a drawing of
the shield you want to a sheet metal shop and have them make it
for you from scratch.

If you live in or near a large city, or can get to a larger event,
there should be an SCA armorer who can make one for you - ask
around locally, or go to the merchant area of the large event,
or go up to someone with an aluminum shield and ask them where
they got it.

Which of the above methods you choose depends on things like
how soon you need it and how much you want to spend on it.

Daniel of Raven's Nest

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: re: Plastic, and other (fwd)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 16:32:26 -0500 (EST)
From: David KUIJT <kuijt at umiacs.umd.edu>
To: Craig Levin <clevin at ripco.com>
CC: Merry Rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>

On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, Craig Levin wrote:
> It wouldn't be that hard to develop shields that broke apart in
> that way. Supposedly, in the sixteenth century, there were such
> shields developed for tournaments in the Holy Roman Empire (see
> Clepham's The Medieval Tournament, from Dover Press). In so
> doing, you would only be recreating a part of period tournament
> practice.

I'm afraid I disagree.  The exploding shields used in German tournaments
in the 16th century were fancy spring-loaded jousting targets.  They had
nothing to do with foot combat, and very little to do with jousting in the
combat sense.

Jonathan was talking (semi-facetiously) about shields designed to degrade
when hit as a simulation of the behaviour of a medieval shield made of
wood/leather/gesso/etc being hit by a real sword, axe, or halberd.

The 16th century "shattering" shields were essentially a bunch of metal
segments bound together in a mouse-trap type spring-loaded framework
simulating the face of a jousting shield.  If you hit the exact center
with your lance in a joust, the spring triggered and the shield face blew
apart in forty pieces as if you had shattered it.  This was the
Renaissance equivalent of bells and whistles, the outgrowth of a scoring
system for jousting that had long since lost all connection to combat.

There are a number of books with diagrams of the exploding shields; I
believe that the most easy-to-find illustrations are by Du"rer.

Dafydd

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: re: Plastic, and other (fwd)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 15:40:16 -0600 (CST)
From: clevin at ripco.com (Craig Levin)
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org (Merry Rose)

Earl Dafydd:
> On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, Craig Levin wrote:
> > It wouldn't be that hard to develop shields that broke apart in
> > that way. Supposedly, in the sixteenth century, there were such
> > shields developed for tournaments in the Holy Roman Empire (see
> > Clepham's The Medieval Tournament, from Dover Press). In so
> > doing, you would only be recreating a part of period tournament
> > practice.
>
> I'm afraid I disagree.  The exploding shields used in German tournaments
> in the 16th century were fancy spring-loaded jousting targets.  They had
> nothing to do with foot combat, and very little to do with jousting in the
> combat sense.

Darn. I was hoping that they'd be something a bit more realistic.

> Jonathan was talking (semi-facetiously) about shields designed to degrade
> when hit as a simulation of the behaviour of a medieval shield made of
> wood/leather/gesso/etc being hit by a real sword, axe, or halberd.
>
> The 16th century "shattering" shields were essentially a bunch of metal
> segments bound together in a mouse-trap type spring-loaded framework
> simulating the face of a jousting shield.  If you hit the exact center
> with your lance in a joust, the spring triggered and the shield face blew
> apart in forty pieces as if you had shattered it.  This was the
> Renaissance equivalent of bells and whistles, the outgrowth of a scoring
> system for jousting that had long since lost all connection to combat.

Well, that's true, but if these individuals are looking for
possible avenues to go for shields that "break" when hit,
wouldn't it make sense to see how others have tried to do the
same thing? Surely, with the improvements in mechanical and
materials engineering, it might be possible to go from this
intricate mousetrap to a shield made of a mosaic of parts held
together by a brittle glue that breaks?

> There are a number of books with diagrams of the exploding shields; I
> believe that the most easy-to-find illustrations are by Du"rer.

I'll look for them. Thank you!

Pedro de Alcazar

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: re: Plastic, and other (fwd)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 17:00:37 -0500 (EST)
From: David KUIJT <kuijt at umiacs.umd.edu>
To: Craig Levin <clevin at ripco.com>
CC: Merry Rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>

On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, Craig Levin wrote:
> > The 16th century "shattering" shields were essentially a bunch of metal
> > segments bound together in a mouse-trap type spring-loaded framework
> > simulating the face of a jousting shield.  If you hit the exact center
> > with your lance in a joust, the spring triggered and the shield face blew
> > apart in forty pieces as if you had shattered it.  This was the
> > Renaissance equivalent of bells and whistles, the outgrowth of a scoring
> > system for jousting that had long since lost all connection to combat.
>
> Well, that's true, but if these individuals are looking for
> possible avenues to go for shields that "break" when hit,
> wouldn't it make sense to see how others have tried to do the
> same thing? Surely, with the improvements in mechanical and
> materials engineering, it might be possible to go from this
> intricate mousetrap to a shield made of a mosaic of parts held
> together by a brittle glue that breaks?

Hmm.  I'm guessing that you haven't seen the illustrations of the
mechanism?

It certainly might be possible to make a shield that will break apart as
you describe -- hell, I could probably do it in my basement, by cutting
plywood 2" hexagons and gluing them together.  Might be fun, if I ever
get any free time.  It is an amusing idea, certainly.  Might be simpler to
just make a shield from a relatively fragile material (blue sheet
insulation, for example).

However, this would have no connection at all with the "exploding" shield
design -- from memory, those designs have more in common with truck
leaf-springs and car-door hinges than a glued mosaic of parts.  They
weren't designed to be ablative (destroyed gradually), either; if hit
correctly they were designed to shatter dramatically and completely.

> > There are a number of books with diagrams of the exploding shields; I
> > believe that the most easy-to-find illustrations are by Du"rer.
>
> I'll look for them. Thank you!
>
> Pedro de Alcazar

If I recall correctly, the sequence was as part of one of his triumphal
processionals.  Three or four different types were illustrated, each on a
separate page, with a dozen men on horses in appropriate costume on each
page.  Different German jousting games used different armour requirements,
so everyone on one page would be outfitted for the Rennzeug, for example,
and on the next page for something else, all as if they were processing
through a town as part of a festival.

I'm pretty sure it was Du"rer.  I'll try to get a citation for you
tomorrow.  You can also find illustrations in Barber and Barkers book
"Tournaments", I believe.

Dafydd

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: re: Plastic, and other (fwd)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 17:09:53 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano at access.digex.net>
CC: Merry Rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>

On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, David KUIJT wrote:
> > Well, that's true, but if these individuals are looking for
> > possible avenues to go for shields that "break" when hit,
> > wouldn't it make sense to see how others have tried to do the
> > same thing? Surely, with the improvements in mechanical and
> > materials engineering, it might be possible to go from this
> > intricate mousetrap to a shield made of a mosaic of parts held
> > together by a brittle glue that breaks?
>
> Hmm.  I'm guessing that you haven't seen the illustrations of the
> mechanism?
>
> It certainly might be possible to make a shield that will break apart as
> you describe -- hell, I could probably do it in my basement, by cutting
> plywood 2" hexagons and gluing them together.  Might be fun, if I ever
> get any free time.  It is an amusing idea, certainly.  Might be simpler to
> just make a shield from a relatively fragile material (blue sheet
> insulation, for example).
>
> However, this would have no connection at all with the "exploding" shield
> design -- from memory, those designs have more in common with truck
> leaf-springs and car-door hinges than a glued mosaic of parts.  They
> weren't designed to be ablative (destroyed gradually), either; if hit
> correctly they were designed to shatter dramatically and completely.

The shields were round and had a trigger in the center boss.  Is struck
squarely, two arms snapped out from either side of the boss, causing the
sections of shield to fly free.

The best pay to picture the shields (as I have seen them drawn) is to
imagine a large pizza with about 16-20 slices.  Each slice is designed to
fly free.  Underneath the pizza are two arms, shaped roughly like an
infinity sign (except the center arm is longer).  In ASCII it looks a
little like this:  o-o.  Hit the center bar, release the spring and the
arms snap foward and pop the snmall pizza slices off of the framework.

I am not certain what held the sections of shield in place, however, as
the artwor didn't make that too clear.

Michael Limner, esq.

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: Re: Curved plywood for shields.
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 15:58:31 -0500 (EST)
From: David KUIJT <kuijt at umiacs.umd.edu>
To: Steve Schell <sschell at hepc.com>
CC: Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside <Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>

On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, Steve Schell wrote:
> Now for the construction!  I'm sure I can find flat plywood but as some
> have suggested, curved shields balance better.
> Anyone have a notion of where to purchase curved plywood or how to get
> flat plywood to conform to such a shape?

Take two layers of 3/8" plywood.  Slap a wad of good wood-glue on one side
of one layer (spread it around with a cheap paintbrush so it covers the
whole side).  Slap the two pieces together.  Bend the result over a curved
form and clamp it down.  Let the glue dry.  When completely dry (24 hours
for most wood glue) take it out of the form and cut it to shape.

The curved form is the hard part, but you can often borrow that from some
other fighter in your area.  Ask around.  Another technique involves rigid
straps, a couple of two-by-fours, and a car jack, but that is hard to
describe in text.

Dafydd

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: Re: Curved plywood for shields.
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 18:05:22 EST
From: GUNDSPHOTO at aol.com
To: Armond66 at aol.com, atlantia at atlantia.sca.org

>TBone's squire Armand has welded a reallt sweet press, but it is in the
>thriving metropolis of Beloit, WI.  Perhaps Sir Thorbrandr can talk his
>squire into giving us the plans.  Hmmmmm?>

I would be happy to share my plans, but they contains no novels, ( but I did
read them while in service) the only tree is on my device, and a car jack???
Humm  its close, but I use * inch angle iron, 1inch threaded rod, 5 oak 2 x 12
and a house jack.  The Bad news is that it is NOT portable at all.  The good
news is I can press 3 shield at once. ( insert Tim Allen Grunt here).  I am
hoping to make another van full this winter and drive out to T-bone's this
spring were I will be happy to sell and or trade for them.  Anyone wishing
for the plans for my press e-mail me and I will be happy to draw them up for
you.

Armond
Living in North Shield but an Atlantian at heart.

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: Exploding shields
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 09:29:15 -0500 (EST)
From: David KUIJT <kuijt at umiacs.umd.edu>
CC: Merry Rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>

> However, this would have no connection at all with the "exploding" shield
> design -- from memory, those designs have more in common with truck
> leaf-springs and car-door hinges than a glued mosaic of parts.  They
> weren't designed to be ablative (destroyed gradually), either; if hit
> correctly they were designed to shatter dramatically and completely.

> There are a number of books with diagrams of the exploding shields; I
> believe that the most easy-to-find illustrations are by Du"rer.

I was close, but not perfect -- the woodcuts are not Du:rer, as it turns
out, but his contemporary, Hans Burgkmair.

At least two different shields of this spring-loaded exploding type are
illustrated in _The_Triumph_of_Maximilian_I_, 1526, a long series of
woodcuts by Hans Burgkmair and Albrecht Altdorfer (and possibly others).

One such illustration is in "A History of British Wood Engraving" by
Albert Garrett (London: Midas Books, 1978) ISBN 0 859360776, page 57.

There are good pictures of the surviving trigger mechanism in "Arms and
Armour of the Medieval Knight" (don't have a citation with me), and in the
Osprey Elite series 17, "Knights at Tournament" Christopher Gravett, page
29.  The Osprey also has an illustration from The Triumph of Maximilian I
on page 49 showing another type of exploding shield, different from the
one shown by Garrett in "A History of British Wood Engraving".

Dafydd

[Submitted by: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>]
Subject: Re: T1000 shields?
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 13:09:53 EST
From: JBRMM266 at aol.com
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org

On the subject of super-light shields . . . while lightness is an advantage
to a point, if a shield is TOO light, it can paradoxically be tiring or even
dangerous.

Why?  Because if a shield has not enough inertia to deaden the force of a
blow, the the user has to take a lot of that force with this strength of his
arm, almost as if he were blocking it with his (armored) arm alone.

Blows from certain angles could simply spin the shield out of the way and
come right in.

Blows from certain other angles could impart a twisting action to the arm
which could result in discomfort or injury.

Have a care of making gear too light ...  there is a trade off!

At different times, there were minimum weight-to-size ratios for shields,
which were partly for authenticity and partly, I believe, for safety.
Perhaps these should be re-introduced . ...

~Donal Mac Ruiseart.

Subject: Re: ANST - shield covers
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 99 09:30:23 MST
From: "Dennis Grace" <sirlyonel at hotmail.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Salut Cozyns,

Lord Stefan of Florilegium fame quotes--
>> As to colorful shield covers, Come see mine some time, cozyn.  I glue a
>> sturdy twill to the face and then paint my arms upon it (or, I should
>> say, my lady paints my arms upon it) before strapping the safety tubing
>> to the edge.  I've seen others do the same glued-on treatment so that
>> the cloth actually covered the edge.

and queries:
>I thought at first that the advantage of the cloth covers was that
>they could be replaced when they got battered or transferred to another
>shield if the underlying shield got pulverized. But in the process that
>Sir Lyonel describes the cover is glued to the underlying shield.
>
>So what is the advantage of the cloth covers? Are they easier to paint
>than the underlying alluminum or plywood? Or do you just think they
>look better?

I've found the painted cloth treatment to have a number of advantages:

(1) The cloth will accept a wider range of paints than the aluminum.

(2) The paint doesn't flake off of the cloth the way it does from
aluminum (and from plywood, to a lesser degree).

(3) Though glued on, the cloth is easily removed and replaced once it
becomes tattered.  The cloth just peels off.  If you have to repaint an
aluminum or wooden shield, you usually have to sand it to avoid a lumpy
look.

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

Subject: Re: ANST - shield covers
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 99 11:56:30 MST
From: "Dennis Grace" <sirlyonel at hotmail.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Stefan inquires:
>1) Do you have a particular glue recommendation? A wood glue? Something
>more waterproof? I guess I'm thinking of the recent Gulf Wars and a few
>other events. There often is not space in the tent to store a shield.

You'll have to ask one of the fighters who uses a wooden shield what
glue s/he prefers.  I use spray-on adhesive.  Since the edges are held
down securely by the edging, the glue just keeps the cloth against the
face.

>2) You said in your first message that you glued the cloth to the shield
>and then painted it. Have you ever tried painting first and then glueing
>the cloth to the shield? I'm wondering if that might be easier,
>particularly for complex heraldic designs.

It's actually easier after.  The shield holds the cloth taut, flat, and
still.  Painting on unsecured cloth (I just did this on a fighting
mantle) is more difficult.

>3) After you glue the cloth to the shield, do you coat the cloth with
>anything? more glue? gesso?

I suppose you could, but it might make the shield a bit glossy.  I
don't.

>4) From your description, you apply the edge hose after the cloth. I
>think I've seen some shields where the cloth is applied over and
>around the edge tubing. I can see where this would have the advantage
>of hiding the ugly mundane tubing. I remember when I made my first
>(and only) shield, I took care to go buy more expensive heater hose
>rather than using old garden hose for a better appearance. If this
>cloth covering can eliminate the need for this, then that cost
>savings could be applied to the cover.

I supply the edge hose partly because I'm lazy.  My device has a gold
bordure.  Rather than paint the thing, I put on yellow edge hose.  I
agree with your statements about the aesthetics of the edging.  Of
course, to pur the cloth *over* the edging, you need a stouter
glue--probably a good contact cement.  Test your cement on a scrap of
cloth *before* applying it to your shield.  Some glues will change the
color of the cloth.

>5) Do cloth covers work on all shapes of shields such as rounds? I
>know that I've seen them on heaters and kite shields.

They should work fine.  I believe Erik Wulfriksson used a cloth cover on
his round.

Personally, for a round or oval shield I prefer a different treatment.
Some of the An Tiran knights use a facing of cedar slats adorned with
copper symbols and edged with rawhide.

Along similar lines, one of the sturdiest heaters I've ever seen was
1/8th inch aluminum covered entirely with a piece of rawhide.

>6) Do you just tuck the cloth over the edges of the shield and perhaps
>glue it? Or in the case of plywood shields do you staple or tack it
>down?

I tuck the cloth over the edges and put on the edging hose.  The cord I
use to secure the edging also helps keep the cloth in place.  I may not
have mentioned, one of the advantages of cloth covers is that it
minimizes the actual amount of painting if you use a sturdy twill,
linen, or trigger in your principal background color.

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

Subject: Re: ANST - shield covers
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 99 12:32:41 MST
From: "Joe Wolf" <WolfJ at bisys.com>
To: <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>

I fight with a layered wooden heater, that has received many compliments -
it is very period in appearance, and has endured well.  It began as a
wetted-plywood base that was curved and allowed to dry (thanks Sir Alexis!)
to which I added hemp-rope edges and a layer of wetted rawhide (using a
woodglue and nails upon the backside).  I finished it with a painted, canvas
cover firmly afixed to the rawhide (again with woodglue and nails).

Mark.S Harris asks:
>1) Do you have a particular glue recommendation? A wood glue? Something
>more waterproof? I guess I'm thinking of the recent Gulf Wars and a few
>other events. There often is not space in the tent to store a shield.

Woodglue seems to work fine for the internal structure... but an important
step is the treatment of the wood BEFORE covering, then the treatment of the
canvas cover.  Stain your plywood with a waterproofing stain (it saves the
wood and makes the back of the shield look nicer).  The canvas cover should
be gesso'd heavily.  Apply plenty... then put some more on. Light sanding
between coats makes for a smoother finish (which your artist will
appreciate!) It also waterproofs the face of your shield.

>2) Have you ever tried painting first and then glueing
>the cloth to the shield? I'm wondering if that might be easier, particularly
>for complex heraldic designs.

I made this mistake... put the canvas on the shield FIRST!  The design won't
line up properly if you don't.  Also, it allows you to stretch the fabric
more tightly across the face of the shield with out cracking or maiming the
painted design.  Again, woodglue worked just fine between the canvas and the
face of the shield.

>3) After you glue the cloth to the shield, do you coat the cloth with
>anything? more glue? gesso?

As stated, gesso does the trick... sand between coats.

>4) From your description, you apply the edge hose after the cloth. I
>think I've seen some shields where the cloth is applied over and
>around the edge tubing. I can see where this would have the advantage
>of hiding the ugly mundane tubing.

That's what I did (edging first).  It makes for a neater finish, and the
rawhide and canvas save wear/tear on the edging, making the entire piece
last longer.  One note I plan on my next shield; some sort of flat metal
flange between the plywood edge and my edging material.  Something like
alluminum weather stripping.  Make the wood last even longer.

>5) Do cloth covers work on all shapes of shields such as rounds? I
>know that I've seen them on heaters and kite shields.

Using the method I describe, I don't see where shape would be a problem.

>6) Do you just tuck the cloth over the edges of the shield and perhaps
>glue it? Or in the case of plywood shields do you staple or tack it
>down?

Yes, glue and tacks... and an additional note.  A piece of gesso'd canvas
gives you a wonderful surface to write some sort of message upon, be it a
period prayer, a sonnet from your paramour, or even just your name.

Herr Manfred von Wolf
Barony of the Stargate

Subject: Re: ANST - shield covers
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 99 14:24:20 MST
From: "Joe Wolf" <WolfJ at bisys.com>
To: <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>

>> Yes, glue and tacks... and an additional note.  A piece of gesso'd canvas
>>gives you a wonderful surface to write some sort of message upon, be it a
>>period prayer, a sonnet from your paramour, or even just your name.

>Interesting. Would this message be on the front or on the back of the
>shield? I assume the latter. Any indication this was done in period?

On the back... the Museum of London has a German (?) jousting shield
(rounded heater with an extension parallel to ground from upper, sinister 
corner) with a Pater Noster ("Our Father?") enscribed where the weilder
would see it if crouched over this shield in a forward riding position.

Herr Manfred von Wolf
Barony of the Stargate

Subject: ANST - Shield Edging
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 99 14:11:44 MST
From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

I have a couple of suggestions for shield edging.

First, Sir Richard ap Morgan uses rawhide to cover the ugly mundane hose
edging on his shields.  It looks period, and once you've varnished rawhide
it is almost indestructible. I'd suggest that other types of leather could
be used instead of rawhide (which can be quite expensive) to similar effect
to cover the shield edging.

Also, Sir Burke suggested a really good idea for aluminum shields to help
keep the edges from cutting through the padding so fast.  Take tubing
(electrical conduit, copper tubing, etc.) and split it, then apply the
tubing over the edges, wedging the shield rim into the split.  Solder or TIG
weld the seam on the tubing, and it will never come loose.  Now you have a
round edge rather than a square, possibly jagged edge.

I am presently working on a center grip round.  I have successfully applied
small bore copper tubing around the center hole (the hole that allows the
handgrip behind the center shield boss) and it does prevent the edge from
munching up my wrist or gauntlet.  I didn't have time to get the outer edge
rimmed before Lyonnesse, but that's the next step.  I'm planning on covering
that with high-pressure hose, then rawhide laced on with rawhide strips, and
I may set grommets through the lacing holes to
help lengthen the life of the lacing material.

Like Sir Lyonel, I have faced my aluminum street-sign shield with cloth --
you can't get the applied reflective material off a street sign without
sandblasting, and the stuff won't take paint worth a darn!  I used a
long-set 2-part epoxy (takes 30 minutes to set up) so I'd have time to work,
then I applied a very thin layer using a trowel over the entire face of the
shield.  My cloth went down over the epoxy, and I smoothed it carefully by
hand to work out as many of the air bubbles as possible.  I
have been told that you have to use a natural muslin or other natural cloth,
as chemical interactions between poly-blend cloths and the glue can cause
the fabric to deteriorate quickly.  Lyonel's correct in stating that the
cloth takes paint beautifully.

::GUNNORA::

Date: Sun, 07 Nov 1999 09:21:55 MST
From: "j'lynn yeates" <jyeates at realtime.net>
Subject: Re: ANST - Shield Blanks
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

On 7 Nov 99, at 10:36, Jeff Smith wrote:
> Does anyone have an email address or web site for titanium shield blanks?

don't have a address, but know of a soviet salvage yard that for american 
green, i am sure they would let you rip apart scrapped soviet sub hulls or 
aeroframes ....

seriously, the question must me asked *why* ...  

titanium has many real unique properties, but thanks to the media of this age, 
people tend to get hooked onto the "fantasy" aspects of it ...  the reality is 
that the metal in sheet that large is *expensive* and hard to find (industrial 
metal, high demand, low supply, most locked up in military & aeorspace 
contracts ...), and very difficult to work in civilian home shops (just try 
getting a curve to hold in it .. not to mention cutting, drilling, finishing 
(having worked it as exotic jewelry on a small scale and having made a sword 
out of a piece of bar stock that was mistakenly thrown out that was salvaged 
...), and it does pose safety hazards when working it - at industrial levels 
the dust is nasty stuff and prone to spontaneous ignition. 

a much saner apparoach would be a good, generally available aluminum alloy .. 
about same weight, widely available in sheets and shield blanks, far cheaper 
and easier to work, and for SCA uses totally adequate ... basically, titanium 
would offer *zero* benefits in this arena, all expense and problems.

'wolf 

Date: Sun, 07 Nov 1999 10:45:16 MST
From: "j'lynn yeates" <jyeates at realtime.net>
Subject: ANST - exotica ... was: Shield Blanks
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

On 7 Nov 99, at 16:34, Jeff Smith wrote:
> Excellent points.  That said, I'm just a middle man.  Members of my group 
> are looking for titanium (it's "shield envy"...I have titanium), so I'm just
> looking to see if any is still available.
> 
> I will pass your excellent points along to them, and I thank you.

based on those points, seriously doubt that you will find anyone with shield 
sized blanks .. about all i've ever been able to find are small strips, wire, 
and the occasional (rare and/or expensive) bar stock ... taking a wild guess 
slightly based on past experience, *if* you could find a metal supplier to 
fulfill the order, a "blank" of that size would probably run $200-300 range 
(possibly more) for materials and fabrication since it would be a "one of" job 
... 

added consideration, i'm not even sure that it's commonly rolled in a guage 
that would make a shield a practicality (a shield is useful becuase of it's 
mass, absorbing energy).  in the commonaly avaialble sheet guages i have seen, 
you will end up with a thin sheet that will transfer the energy into your arm 
instead of dampening it.  i have personal experience with a large steel round 
that did just that ... transferred the blows energy through it's matrix into 
your arm, numbing it short order, no matter how well mounted / padded it was  
.. not to mention ringing like a bell.  while the aluminum models i've 
experimented with over the years are much more intert, especially when a 
"aluminum over wood" design is used

back to cost issues, once you factor in the materials, fab charges, your  
fabrication time, aggravation, and tools (you'll go through a lot of blades and 
bits) needed to make the blank a shield, and your talking a potential $500 plus 
combat shield (call it the "pentagon model" ... and i think that's probbaly on 
the conservative side) that's more a show-piece than a functional combat 
shield. 

and after all that it's still going to be *flat* (try curving / dishing a small 
jewelry blank and you'll see what i mean) unless you have a industrial class 
hydraulic press sitting around and a framework to rivet it to so it holds it's 
shape.

makes the aluminum (already exotic and controversial enough) much more 
attractive, eh?  this exact subject has been the center of more than one bar-
discussion over the years.

titanium armour has always been a great fantasy (25 years worth of experience 
with that one ...) but like all fantasies, when you start applying the 
realities of the matter it quickly fades in practicality .... making small-
scale (*flat*) jewelry out of it is hard enough (and i didn't even get into the 
nasty acids and high voltages needed to produce the wonderful colorations that 
make it so attractive ... this and the fabrication problems mentioned are main 
reason most go to niobium instead)

'wolf

Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 04:48:03 MST
From: "Lorraine and/or Kief" <deer_kief at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: ANST - Shield Blanks...Shield Standards
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Heilsa Janos and all other Good and True Ansteorran Combatants...

It was written:
>From: "Jeff Smith" <jeffsmith2000 at hotmail.com>

>Excellent points.  That said, I'm just a middle man.  Members of my group
>are looking for titanium (it's "shield envy"...I have titanium), so I'm 
>just looking to see if any is still available.

Good my Friends, I would remind everyone that there _are_ minimum weight 
standards for shields. To wit:

SECTION 3.III. 	SHIELD STANDARDS.

A.	Shields and Bucklers:

1.  Shall have a comparable weight to those constructed with period 
materials.  A minimum of one pound (1 lb) per square foot should be used as 
base guidelines.

[Note - I believe Sir Kief is quoting from the Ansteorra regulations, here. This may or may not apply to other SCA kingdoms - Stefan]

>I will pass your excellent points along to them, and I thank you.

Please pass along this information as well.

>Janos

Waes Thu Hael fellow Combatant...
Kief - EM Ansteorra

Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 09:37:49 MST
From: Michael Gunter <michael.gunter at fnc.fujitsu.com>
Subject: Re: ANST - need new shield for husband
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

> Help!  My husband wants a new aluminum shield for Christmas.

> Does anyone know a web site or phone number for me to call...I'm
> not trying to actually GET it by Sat...I just wanted to be able to tell HIM
> where to go to get it.
> thanks,
> gwyneth

Try The Armour Store, http://204.210.12.252/armourstore/index.htm.
They have a nice selection.

Gunthar

Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 10:03:59 MST
From: Michael Gunter <michael.gunter at fnc.fujitsu.com>
Subject: Re: ANST - need new shield for husband
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Anshelm Arms, http://www.anshelmarms.com, has T6 Aluminum in 24"
x 36" for $75 in stock.

Gunthar

Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 09:53:22 MST
From: "Caley Woulfe" <cwoulfe at life.edu>
Subject: ANST - Shield Search
To: "Ansteorran List" <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>

Try Red Falcon Armory. When you go the catalogue, use the text links, not
the graphics/bars; they don't work. The text links are below the bars.I
recommend this company highly....

http://redfalcon.home.mindspring.com/

Caoillainn De Bhulbh,  She-Wolf of Limerick

Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 11:40:47 MST
From: Michael Gunter <michael.gunter at fnc.fujitsu.com>
Subject: Re: ANST - advice on which shield blank
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

> I really can't see much
> difference between the Armor Store product and the Anshelmarms place except
> the price.  Any comments would be helpful...anyone order anything from any
> of these places?

The real difference between the Armour Store and Anshel Arms is that the
Armour Store's shields are 24" x 32" and Anshelm's is 24" x 36".  You can
also get shields fully strapped and edged with a shield basket from the
Armour Store.

I've heard good things about both companies.

> gwyneth

Gunthar

Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 12:08:03 -0600
From: Amy Forsyth <aforsyth at UH.EDU>
Subject: Re: ANST - Re: The Book of Fencing
To: stefan at texas.net

Stefan,

I sent this to ANST-list, but it hasn't posted; although Yoomi did receive
his copy.

~Adela

Talhoffer, Hans (fl. 15th cent.)
"Livre d'escrime de Talhoffer (Code de Gotha) de l'an 1467: representant
les combats singuliers et judiciaires"
publie par Gustave Hergsell, avec 268 planches en photogravures
Prague: G. Hergsell, 1901

46 p., 270 leaves of plates: facsims.; 30 cm.
"Il a ete tire de cette edition 50 exemplaires numerotes"-- T.p. verso.

OCLC #13203545

>Greetings to the fencers on the Ansteorra list,
>
>This gentleman in Switzerland is looking for the bibliographic info
>on a period rapier book. He used a search engine and found a partial
>referance to the book he seeks in my shields-msg file in the COMBAT
>section of my Florilegium. Unfortunately, I believe this is the only
>referance to this book in my files.
>
>I am hoping that someone on this list can answer his questions or
>forward this note to perhaps the rapier maillist if no one here has
>the answers.
>
>Please send him a copy of any correspondance by email since he is
>not on the lists. Of course I would love the answer also, so that
>I may place it in the Florilegium for folks to have in the future.
>
>His email is: yoomi.steffen at olympic.org
>
>Thanks for any help anyone can give.
>
>Stefan li Rous
>------------------------------------------
>Yoo-Mi Steffen wrote:
>> Dear Stefan,
>> 
>> First of all I would like to present myself. My name is Yoo-Mi and I
>> am in charge of the Olympic Museum's Library in Lausanne, Switzerland.
>> 
>> I was looking for an old book, very famous among fencers. After my
>> research on the web (Thalhofer and fencing on Metacrawler.com), your
>> site was referenced in the first place.
>> Could you be kind enough to give me - if possible of course - the
>> complete reference of the following book :
>> "Book of fencing : code de Gotha" by Hans Thalhofer, 1467
>> The place of publication, the editor or printer would be very valuable
>> informations.
>> 
>> Thank you in advance and kindest regards,
>> Yoo-Mi Steffen (Ms.)
>> Head of Library

From: "David W. James" <vnend at loudoun.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: More Re: viking shields
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 23:45:02 GMT

You should look for a copy of 'Early Anglo-Saxon Shields", by Tania Dickinson
and Heinrich Härke (H-umlaut a-rke), volume 110 of Archaelogia, The Society
of Antiquaries of London, 1992.  ISBN 0-85431-260-9.  It was 25 Pounds new, I
found a used copy for 18 back in '97.  Neat book, right up your alley.

David/Kwellend-Njal

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 10:29:23 -0400
From: "Matt Beaudoin" <mbeaud at downcity.net>
To: <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Norman Kit shield

> Has anyone seen a pattern for this type [Norman Kite shield] around ?
> Mel

I know how to make one, I just don't know how to describe it... Below is my
lame attempt to begin describing it.  I have made about 30 of these, but I
have always taught hands on.....hrmpf....
lothar

[Norman Kite Shields are pretty Simple....when I make my kites, I just
inscribe a semi circle equal in diameter to the shoulder width of the owner.
from the ends of the semi circle, I draw a pair of lines down towards a
point.  That point should be imagined as being about 6 inches off the ground
if the shield is held at shoulder height.  The kite does not come to a
point, however.  Hold the shield in a guard position and mark approximately
3 inches below the knee.  Mark that line.  Now, to dish the shield, you need
to cut a line from the center point of the semicircle to the base of the
shield.  Then measure one inch]

Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 16:28:18 -0400
From: "Matt Beaudoin" <mbeaud at downcity.net>
To: <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Norman Kit shield

> I'm understand up to
>
> >Now, to dish the shield, you need
> to cut a line from the center point of the semicircle to the base of the
> shield.  Then measure one inch]--
>
> Do you mean the semicircle at the top ? One inch where ?
>
> Mel

I stopped mid thought because I was confusing myself...
basically, you get a line from the center of the semicircle to the base
(perpendicular to the bottom), then make a parallel line to it, that way you
can fold on layer over the other and rivet through the two layers.  Be sure
to drill a hole in the center of the semicircle (the intersection of the
radii), this will relieve strain from the fold.  You will also need a
'boss', or a piece of Aluminum that can cover the sharp edge that will be
from that center hole down approximately 5 inches.  After that, the overlap
is substantial enough that you can hammer the top Aluminum fold flat against
the lower....Someday I will write this up with 8x10 color glossy photos with
circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one...

hope this doesn't confuse too much,
Lothar

Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 16:22:20 -0400
From: "Matt Beaudoin" <mbeaud at downcity.net>
To: <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Norman Kit shield

oh, basics...my shields are T-5 aluminum with an aluminum boss made from the
scraps... Don't think of a boss like on a center grip round, these are just
a veneer of aluminum over the sharp bits where the fold comes together...I
used the same kite with an aluminum boss for 7 years before retiring the
whole shield for a new one.  My master, Feral, used the same shield for 15
years before retiring his because one of my not so tiny squire brothers
decided to crease the bottom edge pretty good....

The fold is an overlap of one side of the kite over the other.  This causes
the entire thing to dish.  An alternative technique involves using 2 layers
of birch plywood, a curving jig of some sort, and lots and lots of wood glue.
I haven't made a wooden one, so don't ask for details, I ain't got none
:).....   Just a word of advice...you might not want to try to learn from a
stick jock, we can swing a stick, but aren't very articulate....at least I'm
not....

LTW

Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 04:58:38 -0400
From: rmhowe <MMagnusM at bellsouth.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Norman Kite shield

Marine plywood and exterior plywood frequently have the same glue.
Marine plywood can be bought in some pretty exotic varieties of wood.

The principal difference between them though is that marine plywood
lacks internal voids in the plys that would trap water and cause rot.

You can take several fingers and run them across the surface of
plywood.
If you encounter a void in the ply it will pick up immediately with
a change in tone.

Since you won't be trying to join sheets to sheets to get long pieces
I won't go into scarfing practice here needed to join longer sheets.

Save your money. Pet the wood. Listen. You'll hear the void.

Around these here parts people normally laminate two quarter inch
sheets over a shield press which is a frame shaped a bit overmuch
the curve you want (accounting for some springback) with a water
proof glue such as resourcinol, Titebond II, or one of those new
Urethane glues like Gorilla. Some weight it, some clamp it.

Stick jocks are unmistakable. First time you get downwind you'll 
recognize one at a quarter mile ever after. Some are sneaky, some 
are dumb as doornails. All are potential organ donors. They wear
armor, they clank, they smell like horses and sweat and mold.

Magnus

Melanie Wilson wrote:
> 
> <The fold is an overlap of one side of the kite over the other.  This causes
> the entire thing to dish.  An alternative technique involves using 2 layers
> of birch plywood, a curving jig of somesort, and lots and lots of wood glue.
> I haven't made a wooden one, so don't ask for details, I ain't got none >
> 
> I will be making it of wood as near as possible to the period construction,
> we tend to use Marine ply, for cost as much as anything, but have a few
> plank ones for display, rather than fighting, the ones I've made before at
> round 'poached egg types' and friends have made heaters. Bending I'm told
> can be achieved by soaking & bending with lorry tie downs around a barrel or
> similar
> 
> <:).....   Just a word of advice...you might not want to try to learn from a
> stick jock, we can swing a stick, but aren't very articulate....at least I'm
> not.... >
> 
> What is a stick jock ?
> 
> Mel

From: Nils K Hammer <nh0g+ at andrew.cmu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Copper - Historical uses ??
Date: Thu,  9 Nov 2000 18:57:14 -0500

The historical shields I saw a couple of weeks ago in Europe were
all covered in rawhide, and none had metal edging. This of course is
only a small sample of shields, and none of them were "heaters".

nils

From: Ulf Gunnarsson [ulfie at mmcable.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 9:08 PM
To: Ansteorra
Subject: [Ansteorra] Round Shields

Question for those who do weapons and armor research, especially fighters:

Why did Vikings use round shields so much?

I've got a theory, but first the negatives.  Here are some of the reasons
why I think these northern Europeans would have picked a different shape:

Heaters and other shapes seem more effective in combat.
I understand that the average fighter finds a round shield to take more
effort than other shapes.
It seems that a square object is easier to build and less wasteful of wood
than a round object.

The clues that I have for my theory are the numerous accounts of single
combat in the sagas that mention chunks getting cut out of shields.  One of
the law books required one to take three shields with you to a holmgang
(duel), just because of this damage to the shield. Another clue is in the
design of the shields themselves with a rim of material around the edge.
And the last clue is in changes in SCA helmet design.

My theory is that the reinforced edge of a round shield was meant to deflect
a sword shot.  Real swords would skip off the edge of a round shield much
easier than SCA swords.  Over time we has seen the disappearance of the flat
topped helm in the SCA in favor of the round or bullet shape for much the
same reason.  A real sword would be expected by the fighter to cut into a
real shield and eventually into the fighter behind it.  This does not happen
in the SCA with rattan swords, so it is something we never worry about.

I'd be interested in playing with this theory a little bit, but some other
questions immediately come up.  Why did the round shield disappear?  Was
there a change in sword steel quality at the same time as its disappearance?
Was it a cultural assimilation thing?  Was it due to a change in military
tactics?  Is there something I'm overlooking here?

If someone has a few sources to help support the tenets of the theory or to
help answer the questions, I'd appreciate a little more info.

Thanks,
Ulf Gunnarsson, OL

From: C. L. Ward [gunnora at vikinganswerlady.org]
Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 9:35 PM
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Round Shields

>My theory is that the reinforced edge of a
>round shield was meant to deflect a sword shot.

Ulf, I think your understanding of the Viking round shield is way off.  The
edges are not just *not* reinforced, they're thinner than the rest of the
shield.  I think that the idea was to allow your opponent to chop into the
shield edge, whereupon you'd viciously wrench the handle and try to either
bend the weapon or jerk it out of the foeman's grasp altogether.  We run
into occasional mentions in holmgang descriptions of people having second,
backup swords, and of fighters having to straighten their sword blades
during a fight.

There's an outstanding article available on Viking shields:

Beatson, Peter. "The 'Viking Shield' from Archaeology."  NVG Miklagard.
2000.  http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html

The relevant points he makes about shields are these:

Shields were typically 80-90 cm in diameter. The board was flat, and made of
a single layer of planks butted together. The planks were usually only 6-10
mm thick, and were bevelled even thinner at the outer edge. There is no
archaeological evidence for laminated (ie. cross-ply) construction though
contemporary poetry and slightly later legislation suggests it.  Continuous
gutter-shaped metal edge bindings like those known from Vendel, V‰lsgarde,
and Thorsbjerg were obsolete by the Viking Age. In the vast majority of
finds there is no evidence of edge reinforcement, which must therefore have
been absent, or of a perishable nature. On the Gokstad shields, small holes
are bored about 2 cm in from the edge, at intervals of c.3.5 cm , presumably
to fasten a rim, all other traces of which have perished. It can be
speculated that the edge was bound with a leather strip fastened with
stitches or thongs, or possibly very fine iron nails.

::GUNNORA::

From: David Hughes [davidjhughes.tx at netzero.net]
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 7:52 PM
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Round Shields

Ulf Gunnarsson wrote:
> Question for those who do weapons and armor research, especially fighters:
> Why did Vikings use round shields so much?

SNIP
> I'd be interested in playing with this theory a little bit, but some other
> questions immediately come up.  Why did the round shield disappear?  Was
> there a change in sword steel quality at the same time as its disappearance?
> Was it a cultural assimilation thing?  Was it due to a change in military
> tactics?  Is there something I'm overlooking here?
>
> If someone has a few sources to help support the tenets of the theory or to
> help answer the questions, I'd appreciate a little more info.
>
> Ulf Gunnarsson, OL

Round shields are fast, easy to maneuver, and very easy to run with.
Great for solo and small unit skirmishing.  Not too good for
overlapping in large formations or turtling against missile fire.

Scotums, kites and other large heaters, rectangles are more static, a
pain to run with, but overlap very well, work great in large marching
formations, and can turtle up against arrows, spears, sling bullets
and even small ballista projectiles.

David Gallowglass

From: "Jay and Diane Rudin" <rudin at ev1.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: shield straps
Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 15:32:37 -0500

"kurt bowker" asked:
> I have seen modern illustrations of dark age foot soldiers (viking,
> norman, saxon, what have you) using their shield straps in combat.
>
> Is there any period evidence for this that anyone knows of?

Dark Age? I don't know.  Period? Yes (almost).

The book, *Mars, His Field* (1608), is a series of woodcuts showing how to
carry pike with buckler and sword, or sword and shield, into battle.
Successive plates show how a pikeman should march, ready his pike, slide his
round shield around to his left arm, wield pike with round shield, and
eventually drop the pike and ready the sword.  It goes on to show him
sheathe the sword, slide the shield back around, and pick up the pike.  He
is always wearing the strap, but it is not shown as having any use except to
bear the shield when it's on his back.

The next set of plates show a swordsman with a large heater shield. The
shield starts on the warrior's back held by the strap.  It is turned to the
front without removing the strap, and the sword is then drawn.

So the strap seems to have no particular purpose while the shield's on your
arm.  It's to carry the shield to and from the battle, and is (presumably)
not in the way when you fight.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin

From: David Serhienko <david.serhienko at ndsu.nodak.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Source for plywood shield blanks?
Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 11:12:02 -0500

Michael Grossberg wrote:
> "David Friedman" <ddfr at daviddfriedman.nopsam.com> wrote 
>> jankin <chagin_one at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>I probably made my first curved plywood shield close on thirty years
>>ago--using a bathtub not a kiddie pool. Given the work involved in
>>getting from the shield blank to the shield, I would on the whole prefer
>>one done by someone who does a better job than I do, in terms of both
>>uniformity and quality. Soaking plywood for several days may have a
>>deleterious effect on the glue that holds the layers together, or the
>>wood.
>>
>>If I were making it myself I would probably skip most or all of the
>>soaking, and use several thin layers on a shield press. But I'm not.
>>--
>>David/Cariadoc
>>www.daviddfriedman.com
> 
> Of course, My Lord, you _could_ always buy a metal shield blank that was
> already curved.  I've seen enough of them at Pennsic.
> Gardr Gunnarsson

My undersanding was that you were looking for a curved plywood blank?

If a metallic shield is more to your liking, many people who frequent 
the Armour Archive seem to hold the following two armories in high esteem:
http://www.mandrakearmory.com (6061 T-6 Aircraft Aluminum)
http://www.icefalcon.com/ (T100 aluminum)

For curved plywood, consider GAA armories:
GAA_armouries at yahoo.com  They make an birch curved heater using 8 layers 
and marine glue.  Should be suitably strong and durable.

Deykin

From: Christie Ward <val_org at hotmail.com>
Date: January 25, 2006 9:31:45 AM CST
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
Subject: RE: [Ansteorra] Research help

> I need some help/direction for research.  I am wanting to start a  
> tooled leather shield cover, but have only found a few sources online.

The problem may be that word "online". Remember that libraries are  
your friends!  And almost all university libraries have their card  
catalogs available via the internet these days, so you can check to  
see if resources that might help you are available and where.

Texas and Oklahoma also have some good interlibrary loan systems set  
up cooperatively between the state universities and the public  
library systems, so if you can't get to the university library to  
look at something, ask the reference desk librarian at your public  
library - they may be able to get it for you!

You left out a critical area here, and that the information about the  
time period and culture the shield should represent. Something that's  
appropriate for 10th century Scandinavia may not be appropriate for  
15th century Milan, and vice versa.

If you are interested in Norse shields with leather facings, I highly  
recommend one well-researched online source, Peter Beatson's The  
'Viking Shield' from Archaeology (http://members.ozemail.com.au/ 
~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html).  There is no evidence for  
tooling, but some leather faced shields were gessoed and painted.

You should also consider the question whether what we consider  
"tooling" today is an appropriate leather technique for your period.   
For early northern Europe, designs were not cut then bevelled to high  
relief.  The most common designs are either geometric cut patterns  
with no embossing (rows of diagonal lines, chevrons, etc.), or else  
they're pure embossing with no cutting.

Another thing to be aware of is that what we call "tooling" is  
usually referred to as "stamping" or "embossing" in medieval  
contexts, while "tooling" refers to gilding.  Be careful when you are  
reading!

Good luck on your project!

::GUNNVOR::

From: Goedjn <prose at mail.uri.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Beginner Shield Edging Questions
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:23:30 -0400
Organization: University of Rhode Island

On 9 Apr 2007 11:45:09 -0700, cwhite2812 at dslextreme.com wrote:

>Fast forward and its become nessecary for our group to turn out some
>less utilitarian and more "period" looking weapons and shields for
>performances.  The weapons have been fairly easy, again with the help
>of numerous SCA documents and a good rattan supplier nearby, but the
>shield edging specifically has me baffled.  With a proper basket,
>boss, and stain, the shield looks just fine, but without the edging,
>its strictly not battle-ready.  Given that the looks on this 2nd round
>of shields is important, brown duct tape just doesn't cut it so I am
>searching for a way to either cover the pipe foam or find another
>edging material that is equally capable but perhaps easier to
>disguise.  I've seen some weather stripping that comes in adhesive
... more deleted....
>apart problems since its not covered.  I have tried covering it with
>some reasonable looking cloth, which quickly disintegrated in combat.
>
>In most of the SCA documents I've seen, the recommended edging is some
>form of plumbing line (heat hose, irrigation hose, flexibile supply
>line, etc.) and its attached by drilling holes and roping the edging
>down.  While this protects the edge of the weapons, it doesn't appear
>to afford much padding.

Multiple layers of hose actually gives more padding than you'd 
think.  I assume that bicycle tires would fail your appearance
standards. 

>I'd appreciate any suggestions or tips from the more experienced
>armorers and wielders.  I'm open to fundamental design changes if they
>achieve the goal and am prepared for the "you just can't get there
>from here" but am hopeful a good solution can be found.
>
>Chris

Depends on whether you're looking for "authentic", or
are willing to settle for "plausible".

And at what range it has to look right.   For the plausible, 
Cover the edge with whatever was working before, and cover
that with thin leather, or faux leather, or garden hose
with colors that you can claim look like leather 
or snakeskin.  

Seatbelt webbing should solve the "disintigrating cloth" problem,
Dog-leash webbing is probably too narrow to work.
Web-search on "nylon webbing".  

Rope would make a good edging material too, if you can figure out a
way to hold it in place.

For "authentic", you need to find some covering for the
padding that looks like metal, because my limited understanding
is that, if a medieval shield was edged at all, it would be
with the toughest metal available. 

--Goedjn

From: David Friedman <ddfr at daviddfriedman.nopsam.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Beginner Shield Edging Questions
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 12:37:35 -0700

cwhite2812 at dslextreme.com wrote:

> Fast forward and its become nessecary for our group to turn out some
> less utilitarian and more "period" looking weapons and shields for
> performances.  The weapons have been fairly easy, again with the help
> of numerous SCA documents and a good rattan supplier nearby, but the
> shield edging specifically has me baffled.  With a proper basket,
> boss, and stain, the shield looks just fine, but without the edging,
> its strictly not battle-ready. 

What I have used for some time is:

Over the wood edge, a strip of scrap wool multiple layers deep.

Over that, in particularly vulnerable places, a strip of thick 
rawhide--like what they use for dog chews.

Over the whole thing a strip of leather--8 ounce or more.

The leather I slightly water harden--meaning immersing it in 180 degree 
water just until it goes limp. When you pull it out it is stretchy, so 
will form fit over the shield edge. If you leave it in longer than that 
it gets harder but also more brittle. You could probably do it just 
soaking in cold water, but it wouldn't be as stretchy.
-- 
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/ http://daviddfriedman.blogspot.com/
Author of _Harald_, a fantasy without magic.
Published by Baen, in bookstores now

From: Bernard Wright <barnet1359 at sbcglobal.net>
Date: February 5, 2008 6:06:05 AM CST
To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Request for information

I sent him the info for Cat's site fromt the Armour Archieve, she has some nice stuff for shields, posted info here too if anyone elsed wanted to take a look at it. -barnet
 
http://www.freewebs.com/catherinesquest/index.htm
 
Myfanwy ferch Eifion <myfanwy at pug.net> wrote:
<<< I received a phone call today from a gentleman named Bob who is looking for
a place to purchase a Viking shield boss. He is not in the SCA but is
making a Viking shield and wants to have something appropriate. <snip>

Myfanwy >>>

From: maxengel at aol.com
To: rschriber at austin.rr.com
Sent: Mon, 4 Feb 2008 9:02 pm
Subject: Viking sheild boss

I understand that you are looking for a Viking shield boss.  I make shield bosses and have documentation for a variety for different styles including Viking ones.  Any Idea what you want it to look like?  A rough date?  Heat treated steel?  Mild steel (heavier)?  Let me know if you want to talk.

Max
North Star Armoury
25 years and still have fingers

From: YsfaelEleanor at aol.com
Date: June 23, 2008 8:59:19 AM CDT
To: ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Closed cell foam....

tomjenkins at suddenlink.net writes:
<<< Can  anyone suggest a place or company where I can find 1/4 inch closed cell 
foam?  I have plenty of 1/2 inch, but I really need the 1/4 inch for certain 
pieces of my armor. Thanks! >>>

Auto upholstery shops will know where it can be purchased or will sometimes  
sell you some.  An auto upholstery supply house, if you can find one.   BTW, 
this is a good place to get the snap edge vinyl shield edging some people  use 
for metal shields.  An auto upholsterer supply house will know it as  door 
edge guard and it comes in about 14 colors.

Ysfael

From: Eric Brown <caladin at io.com>
Date: August 22, 2010 5:25:34 PM CDT
To: bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org, Shire of Ffynnon Gath <ffynnon-gath at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Bryn-gwlad] Take your shield boss to the next level?

http://www.talerwin.com/sheilds.htm

From: Gavin Kinkade <gavin.kinkade at yahoo.com>
Date: June 13, 2011 1:27:42 PM CDT
To: "trimaris-temp at yahoogroups.com" <trimaris-temp at yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [tri-temp] Question on shield material

<<< Question on shield material       Looking to build a new round shield but wanting to find a good material to make it out of. Trying to avoid aluminum was looking for something cheaper wood wise. I want something light but strong or at least as good as wood can get. Not sure of what would make the best material. Any suggestions?
Pomestnik Dmitrii Ivanov >>>

I have used with success layers of Lauan glued together. Meranti/Lauan is a beautiful hardwood plywood . It is available at Home Depot and Lowes  3 layers makes a great war shield, 2 layers for most other shields  .

Lord Gavin Kyncade  
Marcaster Archery and Thrown weapons Ranger 
Squire to Sir Takamatsu
 Apprentice to Maitresse Aspasia Moonwind 
Cadet to Don Tomas Mac Coran gavin.kinkade at yahoo.com 727-320-5490  

From: mkendrick01 at msn.com
Subject: RE: [tri-temp] Question on shield material
Date: June 13, 2011 1:44:01 PM CDT
To: trimaris-temp at yahoogroups.com

I was going to recommend the layered approach as well using plywood. Make sure you cross grain the layers for the best strength.

MK

From: trimaris at gmail.com
Subject: Re: {TheTriskeleTavern} Re: [tri-temp] Question on shield material
Date: June 13, 2011 6:32:18 PM CDT
To: the-triskele-tavern at googlegroups.com

<<< Something I have found to extend the life of a wood shield is to put
metal braces on the edge. If you have sheet steel, aluminum, or road
signs you can cut them to round shape in sections and attach them with
pop rivets. Don't forget the heater hose.

- Gavine Armestrang >>>

As far as extending the life of the shield, Lord Gavine has the right of it.  I use "U" channel and clip it to fit the curve. 
 
A more period solution is to use rawhide for the shield edges instead of the hose or car door edging you see.  A good pet store will have the really large rawhide chew "bones" for dogs.  Soak those till soft, put shape them and put them on while wet.  Lace up and they dry veddy hard and durable.

From: garmestrang at gmail.com
Subject: Re: {TheTriskeleTavern} Re: [tri-temp] Question on shield material
Date: June 13, 2011 6:43:08 PM CDT
To: the-triskele-tavern at googlegroups.com

Can also get rawhide strips at Tandy. Not as cheap, but easier to work with. Just be careful with how wet you get it. It'll "melt".

-	Gavine

From: gavin.kinkade at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [tri-temp] Question on shield material
Date: June 14, 2011 3:57:55 AM CDT
To: trimaris-temp at yahoogroups.com

From: Stefan li Rous:
<<< I'm not Gavin, but you should be able to use wood glue. It's best to 
put glue on one side of each piece of plywood, then put the two glued 
faces together and place weights on top, like books or fitness weights 
or whatever. Some glue may squeeze out the edges, simply wipe that off 
with a paper towel or wet rag.

This is for a flat shield. A curved shield is a bit different. >>>

lowes and home depot sell wood glue. Titebond 2 or Titebond 3 are my recomendations. 2 is water resistant, and 3 is water proof (when dry) Elmers works but not water resistant, and here in Florida its humid and full of water.
 
Yes you want to apply glue to both faces of the wood that will be glued together. You want to evenly coat both surfaces, so apply the glue and use a stiff plastic card or epoxy spreader to spread the glue out on the surface, do not have any dry spots of wood.
 
Place the two glued faces together and lay on a flat surface. Place weights, books, heavy stuff on the shield. Also make sure to lay down wax paper under the shield or the excess glue will squeeze out onto the floor or where ever you layed the shield down at. I use a bunch of 10 and 25 lbs weights from my bar bell set. but a crap load of big heavy books works too. Whatever use use make sure to cover the entire shield evenly with weights so as to as uniformly as possible apply pressure while the glue dries.
 
Lord Gavin Kyncade

Marcaster Archery and Thrown weapons Ranger
Squire to Sir Takamatsu
Apprentice to Maitresse Aspasia Moonwind
Cadet to Don Tomas Mac Coran

<the end>