Guige Straps

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:41 am

Every year at Pennsic I think, damn if I had a Guige strap this shield could be on my back instead of my arm....so I'm going to put one on my new shield.

So....

Where do you mount yours on the back of the shield? Pictures would be amazing.

I don't know of any existing shields that would have them but if anyone has any pics of those that would that would rock. I quickly thumbed through some Ospreys last night for inspiration but the three different examples all had the guige placed in vastly different places. Most of them seem to have one attachment strap placed near the top right corner by or on the same bolt holes as the top hand strap.

The second straps were either horizontal, or diagonal. Diagonal seems to make more sense to me but there was a vast difference in where they placed the lower bolt hole.

Diglach Mac Cein · Post by **Diglach Mac Cein** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:01 am

"Neck straps" are mentioned in Heroic Ireland too. Though these would be for round/oval shields, as opposed to heaters.

I'm adding one to my shield this year.

D.

.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:05 am

My guess is that horizontal hanging would make sense if you were actually trying to put the strap on the neck while riding a horse. To strap it acrost your back I figure you need the diagonal strapping method. (not choking you out when you walk around on foot.)

GvR · Post by **GvR** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:05 am

I BELIEVE that the horizontal ones are for horseback and the diagonal ones are for footmen. But then, I could be entirely mistaken.

Ogedei · Post by **Ogedei** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:08 am

For a sheild to count as a sheild in SCA combat it must be controlled by the hand. Page 9, Section IV E of the sociey marshal handbook.

ie a sheild slung on your back is not a sheild it is simply armor, a regular good blow is counted as dead. Except you probably won't feel it, and end up pissing off someone, and the spiral begins.

Why do you want it strapped to your back?

GvR · Post by **GvR** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:10 am

For the long trek from the fighting field back to camp after I've been wielding it for hours. lol

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:12 am

Ogedei wrote:For a sheild to count as a sheild in SCA combat it must be controlled by the hand. Page 9, Section IV E of the sociey marshal handbook.

ie a sheild slung on your back is not a sheild it is simply armor, a regular good blow is counted as dead. Except you probably won't feel it, and end up pissing off someone, and the spiral begins.

Why do you want it strapped to your back?

Ogedei,

I'm quite familiar with SCA rules. :twisted:

I'm talking about for transpotation and the cool factor.

Ogedei · Post by **Ogedei** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:13 am

Perfectly awesome reason. I have seen some people want to strap it on the back so they can't get hit there.....

Thought I would attempt to head that train off at the pass.

InsaneIrish · Post by **InsaneIrish** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:16 am

GvR wrote:For the long trek from the fighting field back to camp after I've been wielding it for hours. lol

WORD.

I added one to my shield this year at Gulf Wars. Diagonal strap on a heater shield. 2 small D rings with a strap and hooks on either end. strapped it and hauled it to the field, then unhooked the strap, put that in my pocket/pouch, and fought all day with the shield. Worked great.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:17 am

InsaneIrish wrote:
GvR wrote:For the long trek from the fighting field back to camp after I've been wielding it for hours. lol

WORD.

I added one to my shield this year at Gulf Wars. Diagonal strap on a heater shield. 2 small D rings with a strap and hooks on either end. strapped it and hauled it to the field, then unhooked the strap, put that in my pocket/pouch, and fought all day with the shield. Worked great.

I was thinking about making it detachable. I've seen Cuan fight with one on a small heater around his neck but I can imagine that it flapping around would annoy the hell out of me.

Irish, can you post a picture please?

Gaston de Clermont · Post by **Gaston de Clermont** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:19 am

I don't have a historical precedent, but I just make my forearm strap extra long. So it's buckled tight to my arm when I'm fighting, and I let it out an extra foot or so and sling it over my shoulder for the trek back to camp. It means there aren't any extra bolts or buckles to weigh the shield down.

Uneg · Post by **Uneg** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:36 am

I used two small leather straps attached to my handle with buckles on the other end. Then I could attach/detach the longer strap as need be.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:42 am

tlast wrote:I used two small leather straps attached to my handle with buckles on the other end. Then I could attach/detach the longer strap as need be.

That's rather elegent. I think I would want the buckles on the detachalble strap however since I think the buckles banging around would distract and annoy me.

Nissan Maxima · Post by **Nissan Maxima** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:46 am

Why don't you just have your squire carry your shield?

Uneg · Post by **Uneg** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:47 am

BdeB wrote:
That's rather elegent. I think I would want the buckles on the detachalble strap however since I think the buckles banging around would distract and annoy me.

Thank you. Although they weren't super annoying, I do plan to do it the other way 'round the next time.

Christian Darmody · Post by **Christian Darmody** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:55 am

Bryce,
I too want to configure a way to use the Guige. I have concidered a small "D" ring inside at the top corner of the shield - sinster vs. dexter chief only dictates which way the strap would ride on your chest. The bottom point "base" of the shield would be the other "D" ring placement. Anyone have feedback on this array?

@Tlast: doesnt that arrangement cause the shield to bounce with each step?

Christian

Glaukos the Athenian · Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:04 am

Sir Bryce,

I modeled my original one for my first heater shield after the straps on the shield seen in the effigy of Sir Robert Shurland, in the Isle of Sheppey, Figure 132 in The Archaeology of Weapons by Oakeshott.

http://www.themcs.org/armour/knights/Mi ... %20156.JPG

From http://www.themcs.org/armour/14th%20cen ... armour.htm

Cat (Catherine's Quest) used to make the parts for Viking shields and the adjustment was minimal.
http://www.freewebs.com/catherinesquest ... rdware.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/catherinesquest ... talled.JPG

I used a modified version of her system, with two wider straps of mild steel, bent into a clip, drilled trough both sides and attached to the shield one with the same bolts for the handle on top, and the other with an extra bolt on the bottom.

A ring on each drilled, bent in two and bolted clip gave the access to attach the leather guigue strap, adjusted with a buckle.

Cat did a magnificent job. So much so that I moved the same strap to my current Large Greek shield. It works great.

Glaukos the Athenian

InsaneIrish · Post by **InsaneIrish** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:05 am

BdeB wrote:
Irish, can you post a picture please?

I don't have any pics but here is the basic set up.

I used 3/4" D rings like these:

Riveted to the shield (diagram below)

And then literally an old nylon adjustable strap with double spring hooks I coped off an old nylon shoulder bag.

Just clip the strap on and carry to the field, then take it off. The D rings are small enough that they do not rattle to much or effect the balance of the shield at all.

NOTE: I am left handed, so my strapping arrangement is backwards than a right hander might want.

Basically, I had a friend hold my shield up on my back where I wanted it to hang, then I marked over my shoulder at the corner, and below my left arm just above the waist with a sharpy. Those were the attachement points for the D rings.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:54 am

Any one have an idea where I could get some of those D ring Clips locally, not on line? In other words would I better off going to a leather shop like Tandy or it that something that I could find at my local big box hardware store?

InsaneIrish · Post by **InsaneIrish** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:56 am

BdeB wrote:Any one have an idea where I could get some of those D ring Clips locally, not on line? In other words would I better off going to a leather shop like Tandy or it that something that I could find at my local big box hardware store?

I found mine at Ace Hardware, also at Lowes. They are not terribly uncommon.

You can also use heavy duty picture hanging tabs. The kind used for really big pictures or mirrors.

NOTE: do NOT use these from lowes:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_264577-37672-12 ... ng$y=0$x=0

The metal on the tab portion is thin and will tear out. I used these and they tore through. Go with a beefier setup than this.

These seem to work well:
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?par ... l=nofollow

IF all else fails, you can also use split rings for keychains and a leather tab.

olaf haraldson · Post by **olaf haraldson** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:16 pm

Some brass rod and sheet brass. They're super easy to make.

BdeB wrote:Any one have an idea where I could get some of those D ring Clips locally, not on line? In other words would I better off going to a leather shop like Tandy or it that something that I could find at my local big box hardware store?

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:30 pm

Nissan Maxima wrote:Why don't you just have your squire carry your shield?

I'm a little short in that department. Are you offering Random? I ACCEPT!!! :twisted:

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:32 pm

olaf haraldson wrote:Some brass rod and sheet brass. They're super easy to make.

BdeB wrote:Any one have an idea where I could get some of those D ring Clips locally, not on line? In other words would I better off going to a leather shop like Tandy or it that something that I could find at my local big box hardware store?

A-Ha, a ha-ha! Good one! (You obivously don't know my complete lack of artistry and skill when it comes to armouring...)

olaf haraldson · Post by **olaf haraldson** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:43 pm

Lemme see what I have for brass when I get home...

Thaddeus · Post by **Thaddeus** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:00 pm

Mine is diagonal.
On the top it is mounted to the same bolt that holds the upper part of my grip, the lower end is bolted on to the upper part of the lower enarme.
One end is short, maybe six inches, with a buckle attached. The other end is about three feet long. In use during a fight I usually grip it like a pair of reigns in my hand, which keeps it from flopping around. I havent tried fighting with it around my neck. Makes the slog off the field much easier.

Pics of the back of the shield tonight if you are interested.

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:03 pm

BdeB wrote:
olaf haraldson wrote:Some brass rod and sheet brass. They're super easy to make.

BdeB wrote:Any one have an idea where I could get some of those D ring Clips locally, not on line? In other words would I better off going to a leather shop like Tandy or it that something that I could find at my local big box hardware store?

A-Ha, a ha-ha! Good one! (You obivously don't know my complete lack of artistry and skill when it comes to armouring...)

Lord knows you would probably lose a hand in the attempt.

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:06 pm

I had one on my heater. I wore it when I fought because the banging buckle drove me bat shit crazy. they are super convienient though and I like the idea of a detacable guige

Syrfinn · Post by **Syrfinn** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:21 pm

Mine are pretty simple, but not so accurate.

Its pretty much in line with my handles on my centergrips. So centerline top and bottom of shield, the buckle is on the top strap, to make it easier to tighten and loosen while slung over shoulder.

Here is a pic ursus took, while I was walking on the field at Pennsic, before the battles had started.

edit - actually looking at that pic now, it looks like it is off centerline.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:59 pm

olaf haraldson wrote:Lemme see what I have for brass when I get home...

That's very generous of you, thank you! I'll keep persuing different options and ideas.

I think the leather straps with two buckles is the simpliest and most eligent solution but i'm intersted in trying all sortas stuff.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:01 pm

Thaddeus wrote:Pics of the back of the shield tonight if you are interested.

I'd very much like to see that, yes.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:01 pm

B. Amos wrote:

Lord knows you would probably lose a hand in the attempt.

Or at least a finger...then again I have this one I'm not using right now anyway.... :twisted:

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:03 pm

Finn O'Shannon wrote:edit - actually looking at that pic now, it looks like it is off centerline.

Beloved Finny-pig:

Can you throw that thing to take out the Nazis, or do you just strap it to the front of your motorcycle like a windshield???

:-)

Christophe de Frisselle · Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:03 pm

[img]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oyfeb_mdHZ4/SrkGalTUoMI/AAAAAAAACkA/G-dd-Aws3Zo/s912/DSC04501a.jpg[/img]

My shields guige strap is no longer strapped as above. The attachment on the left side is now down on the left side of the forearm strap attachment.

BdeB · Post by **BdeB** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:04 pm

B. Amos wrote:I had one on my heater. I wore it when I fought because the banging buckle drove me bat shit crazy. they are super convienient though and I like the idea of a detacable guige

I remember you had one on the shield you gave/sold to Aine. Seem to me I remember a huge bucke....

I think the detachable strap is the way to go, but I do admit to fearing it is just going to be one more POS that I am going to loose right before Pennsic and have to make another one.

Syrfinn · Post by **Syrfinn** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 2:15 pm

Lol, yes I can throw it. But the common thing said around here, when I started showing up to events with it, was people asking me which Turtle I was. :p

Dont have a motorcyle, but I might strap it to my spare jeep tire on the back of my jeep, when i go to events.