I'm beginning with making my SHIELD

[Daniel Duxfield]

Ok, So I've got myself some 7mm ply and I'm going to make a nice round shield with a metal boss. (I might even be able to put some nice copper trim around the outside.

So any help, advice, tips and suggestions you guys might have would be most welcome. I'm really looking forward to the experience.

I'm also looking at getting some sheet steel to make; (vem)bracers, greaves, maybe some pauldrons too.

So tips on where to get a nice sheet.
How best to "work" the metal.
Things to consider when designing the armour.
Working with leather and any alternatives.

So, again most grateful for any advice. I'm in Dunedin (Waitati) if that helps any local armourers close to me.

[Gaius Drustanus]

Hi Duxfield
Do you intend to use your shield for NAAMA combat? If so please don't trim your shield with copper. Copper does not respond well too full contact with ferrous metal steel swords and will splinter posing a risk to you and others.

We have this problem too as Imperial Roman tile shaped sbields (scuta) are known to be edged with copper alloy (bronze) trim from archeological finds. We use the technique promoted by the U.K. based Romano-British reenactment group "Britannia* (for safety and effectiveness) involving trimming a shield with Doggie Chew/Raw hide (soaked and attached on to dry).

This has already been explained to you by Stu and Victorious in earlier posts and is based on the 3rd century shield finds from the city of Dura Europus (Tower 12) in Iraq. These edgings are far less dangerous to you and others than using copper or copper alloy edging. Shields trimmed with doggy chew last well too.

[Ryu_Soma]

a shield with copper trim would look pretty good for part of a "show kit" but as explained above, its pretty dangerous.

As fo the shield boss - you going to try to make one yourself or buy one? I just recently have some spare coin, not much but still enough for a shield boss, will be placing a order soon

[Gaius Drustanus]

Redbeard (Dave Smith) in Dannevirke is good for Shield bosses.

[BigMac]

Cutting the pattern out of cardboard first can help visualise what you need and how it goes to gether. Remember to allow for gambason and chain underneath.
Leather or felt can be used to stop tool marks both from vice and hammer. Think about where you want the straps before hand and look at how your body moves and think about how the seperate pieces of your armour will interact both with each other and you.

TTFN

[Bogue]

And then Ryu-Soma (being in a not too disimilar situation) asked:-

[pmel018]

Hi There
you can also use the brake drum off an old car or light truck to dish out your boss. the brake drum has a hole where the end of the axle used to stick out. Place the brake drum on a sturdy bench with the outer face facing up, you should be looking at a circle of small diameter holes for the wheel studs and a larger hole in the centre. Place your annealed piece of steel over the hole and begin to hammer it through the hole, don't try to force the steel, work around and around moving it a little at a time. Anneal the steel often. When it is dished enough for your needs it can be tidied up by working on the outside of the boss while supporting the inside on a ball of some sort, For a one off the towball of a car will work.
In the old Sword and Shield magazine there was a good article discribing the whole process. Perhaps someone could upload it
Phil

[Daniel Duxfield]

Update.

I've cut out the main body of the shield. I've used 9mm plywood and the diameter is 36 inches. (yes I know that's bigger than you Norse types like, but I wanted it nice and big, call it personal preference.)

So the next step is to get some canvas and glue.
Fix the canvas to the outside of the shield body and then to reinforce with it more glue over the canvas. Sound good?

I'm keeping the edges smooth and free of burrs and sharp edges.

I'm also starting with the handle assembly, I'll have a handle and wrist strap for my forearm. This will be reinforced with some added protection for between my arm and the inside of the shield. )This will be right behind the shield-boss anyway.)

It'd be good to know what you guys have done in this department to protect your arms/hands.

The boss will be the last thing that will go on I figure.

[BigMac]

Build it so you can wear a guantlet or at least a chain mitten. Ive seen a number of injuries because the receiptiant wasn't wearing a glove in order to fit his sheild.

As a personal preference my sheild has a solid grip (I feel it gives me better control and stability) and I use an old leather belt (buckle) for the forearm strap so I can adjust it to fit.

Pad the back side of the sheild where your arm (elbow and wrist) will rest against it makes a big difference after repeated hits.

NB before drilling any holes make sure you 'try on' the sheild preferably with a fighter friend to make sure you are covering all the areas you want it to cover.

TTFN

[Daniel Duxfield]

I will have pictures up tomorrow.

So far I have the arm attachments all in place and secured. As per Big Mac's advice I've plenty of room for a gloved hand to fit under the hand strap and have an adjustable strap for my arm.

I given it padding with some old sacking and there is plenty of material there to absorb the blows.

The next step is to put the canvas on, it's soaking at the moment and will go on tomorrow arvo. I will double layer the canvas for extra strength.

No I just need to get a boss of some sort.

Thanks for you help guys. Keep you posted for when I star my armour.

[crite40]

Well I've built a couple of shields out of cross laminated 7mm ply. So about 13/14mm thick.
One full size for myself and a mini one for one of my grandsons.
I'm not sure how well it would hold up to full combat conditions, but one odd source of bosses is the old style stainless steel dessert sets.
These are made of quite sturdy steel (about 18 gauge, sometimes more) and with the "foot" cut off make good bosses. For more authenticity a bit of hammer peening gives a "smithy" type finish. The individual bowls are just great for kids shields. Take a look around your local OP shop!
BTW my shields do have a problem in that they have metal edging. The "doggy chew" rawhide idea sounds good. I must look it up sometime.
Both shields are covered in decorated hide.
Crite40

[Mark]

I'm in the middle of making a new batch of sheields for our club, i'm using 15mm ply that is used as the base for the roofing shingles I install. 17mm is stronger still but quite a bit heavier.

I wouldn't use anything less for combat, thinner is fine for display only shields. i've seen too many sword and especially spear blows that have gone clean through thinner shields.

For curved shields, laminate thinner ply to acheive this thickness.

Most timber suppliers won't have 15mm, best to either try Albany Timber who do have it in stock as roofing grade plywood, if you aren't in this area, or don't want to buy a full sheet, try your local asphalt roofing shingle installers.

As for the edging, we only use the doggie chew. Often it outlasts the plywood.

[Victorius]

Just be aware that Roman and Norse shields were considerably thinner than 15mm for the most part (average was 7-9mm thick). Proper use of the shield with deflections should prevent weapons going through. But for NAAMA combat, when shield deflections aren't always possible, go for the thicker material, as Mark says above. Sheets of ply from building stores are good. If you can't get thick sheets, glue two pieces of 7mm together to make one of 14mm.

Crite40? Is that measurement of 18 gauge accurate? 3mm steel is good for bosses, and that is about 12 gauge. 14 gauge is close enough to 2mm, while 16 gauge is 1.6mm, the very least thickness I'd use on a boss. With 18 gauge you're getting pretty thin, about 1.2mm - fine for a breastplate, but I wouldn't use it for a boss. Not if you want to use it for any form of combat.

[crite40]

Hi! Shield boss query.
The 18 swg stainless bosses are the ones I have made for my grandson's
"play" shields. These are only used with genuine crite40 non lethal weapons.
Basically swords made of 20mm PVC water pipe covered in the pool floater
tubing foam plastic from the Warehouse. I recently found that the Plastic box company has larger foam "joiners" which make great "war hammers" or battle axes!
I have 6 grandsons aged from 7 to 13 so I had quite a few to make. They seem to have a good time with them and no one has been injured yet!
The shields are edged with split garden hose and plastic foam tubing along the top where teeth and faces might get hit too easily.
At present my full size shield is 16mm (1 sheet 7mm and 1 sheet 9mm)
laminated and glued and 28" diameter with a light leather decorated cover.
The edge has "Doggy Chew" rawhide tacked in place and the temporary boss
is an aluminium casting. This is about 5 or 6mm thick and it looks more authentic than it is. I'm still on the lookout for something better.

[pmel018]

Hi There
point to remember when talking about modern plywood for shields is.....quality Plywood is available in many different woods, glues and finishes. For my own shields I used 2 thicknesses of 6mm kauri ply used for high end boat building. Nothing ever came close to going through it. However for AS+S club shields we obtained some "covers", low grade 12mm ply used for packing, this was very soft and had many knots, nonetheless with a calico cover glued on and doggy chew stitched around the edge they held up pretty well against most things and cost very little to make
Phil