The Armour Archive

I am crossing this in different places to make sure people see it.

The shields that I am currently working on are going to get a crapload of coating. The weak place -regardless of the wood type- is behind the center of the top edge. The plan is to take all existing orders, flip them over and put a crapload of epoxy on the back all along the blocking edges. I don't see this creating any significant time delays.

But it must be done. I am now convinced that I must make my own plywood out of hardwood veneers to get a shield core that will take the abuse of SCA combat.

My own Atzinger shields seem to last and last, I think because my blocking style has changed radically over the years. I tend to displace blows instead of just catching the big kabash on them.

The shield core is what is at issue. Epoxy-coated canvas is the perfect vehicle for wood filler and Bondo-type filler repair work. Conventional plywood of all types has now been tried- poplar, oak and birch...none of them will work. I could go to an even thicker (three pieces of 1/4 oak or birch) but then we are creating a shield much heavier than it's period counterpart.

The only answer is for me to make multi-layered plywood myself from multiple layers of right-angled hardwood veneer.

The purpose of this quest was to accomplish several things-

1. Period appearance
2. Period handling (as light as medieval "disposable" shields)
3. Easy repairs/touch-ups for the working life of the shield.

Right now I plan to make whatever shield press is required to start making these new blanks. The first two shields will be given as demo-models to Duke Logan Ebonwulfe (gotta pay the guy back and give him something that will last- he worked so hard on that early model) and Count Dimitri.

I expect these demo shields to be finished by the end of the summer.

Everyone else is going to get shields with as much epoxy as I can afford to coat them with. I plan to lose money (big time) on all of my standing orders, but you gotta do wwhat you gotta do. I have come too far and worked too hard to give up now.

The only option I can see is maybe using a half-inch thick plastic that I can form with a heat gun, edge and then cover with canvas and epoxy. If anyone knows of a suitable plastic that is not insanely expensive please contact me.

It is apparent that no type of shell I can find -including fiberglass matte and epoxy- will be strong enough and light enough. My squire Eldric built one from fiberglass matte and fiberglass resin but it is too thick in the edges because of extra strips of wood that he added to the back to strengthen it. The shield is the size of a Dorito, and if it were the typical 24x36 it would weigh 10,000 pounds.


I don't care- my shields will look authentic front and back or I'm giving up.

This is the way it is. I do something different with my shields...maybe I block with the face now...I don't know. I had a shield made from cheap pine, covered in canvas and painted -no epoxy- and it lasted an entire ToC and is still usable. Maybe I changed styles to protect my shield edges...that is possible.

This is the state of things. I gotta go to the next level or quit.

I don't know if Kydex would work for you or not. It is a pvc/acrylic blend that is very tough, and thermoformable. According to this websource: http://www.polymerplastics.com/formingrade_kydex.shtml
it runs about $25 sq ft in .25" thickness when you get a standard 48"x96". With pvc glue, you probably can laminate it.

I've got some leather covered vambraces in .125" kydex that have lasted years.

Sir Vitus,
I am honored you chose me to be one of the lucky recepients! Please let me know if you incur any unexpected expenses, I will be more than happy to send you any funds you need to see this through.

A thin strip of kydex folded and heat-shrunk, then well-covered with your epoxy blend, may be just the thing to prevent the top of the wood from splitting.

-D

hey guys, kydex is nothing more than expensive abs. the only difference between the two (other than price) is tha kydex has a higher heat tolerance. i havent found anyone that actually makes kydex armour in the sca (they all use abs). abs is cheap and pretty tough. it will crack if hit hard though. personally i use polyethylene plastic (1/8") to make marshal pacifier type upper body rigs. they make marshals feel good about kidney coverage, although i dont get the desire for kidney coverage in our sport, and they do spread out the impact of the excited guy with a spear in a melee targetting my gut. which is a good thing.

regards
logan

I agree its expensive Abs that also has a lower temp rating.
But Ive used ABS and have never had a single crack in anything ive made. If you over heat it, it will crack when hit.
As for people and there COLD worrys with it. I made a few ABS tiles and froze them in a a freezer over night and it took a Ball peen hammer on Concrete to get it to crack. and even that wasnt a bad crack.

Maybe people are just buying really crappy stuff?
I was debating on heating a few strips of it to edge the top of a wood heater. If I try it Ill let ya know.

dukelogan wrote:hey guys, kydex is nothing more than expensive abs. the only difference between the two (other than price) is tha kydex has a higher heat tolerance.

Though both are thermoplastics, ABS is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, while Kydex is a propriatary acryllic/polyvinyl chloride "alloy". They are not chemically the same. Kydex is tougher and more flexible than ABS in similar thicknesses, whereas ABS is more rigid and hard (think high carbon steel and low carbon steel. Kydex is rockwell 90, ABS is rockwell 105).

EGG armor is made of Kydex.

have you tried to impregnate the wood along the edge with resin? I know there are several resins made for this purpose some have to be done with a vacume system but some are a soak in system, with the extra crush resistance of the resin it may cause the shield to hold up longer
-L

I gotta go to the next level or quit.

Please don't.
You are the ONLY one who can supply us hard core period guys with shields....

I will NOT use almuminum any more because of your sheilds. I DON'T just use mine for special events. It is the best I can get for the period look and feel of fighting.

please!!! Don't stop making these!