Round Plank Shield

[Frank Anthony]

Greetings everyone,

I've started on a round, plank shied and thought I'd share the process I'm using with you all. I'm shooting for a general representation of Vendel period Sweden and as I belong to no groups, the shield is being made to hang on the wall. I've had to make a few concessions due to apartment living and materials available to my area as well as personal choice. For example, I'll be using stainless steel bands since I'd rather keep maintenance down and I happen to have some. I also have a boss made by Pitbul that I'm not sure is an appropriate size, possibly a bit large, the shape seems about right.

The wood:

I chose European Hornbeam (European Ironwood) for the planks and handle. Being a wall hanger and because wood price is incredibly high in Turkey, I wanted to choose a hardwood for the body of the shield. I originally wanted to use red oak but the wood seller in the neighborhood did not carry any but had hornbeam for much less than I could have gotten for the oak. It has proven a wonderful wood to work with and is strong and beautiful (I'm sorry to have to have covered it up). While it is heavy, it is kiln dried and not to bad. I've learned that it originates from Asia but grows in Southern Europe, England and Sweden currently. I've not been able to find out when it came to Europe so if anyone knows if it arrived after the Vendel period, it would be great so I can tell people accordingly.

I had the wood seller rip it into 1cm x 10cm x 100cm lengths as my starting point. I used white glue and used small clamps to glue two planks together at a time and then larger clamps to join it all together.

[Frank Anthony]

Sorry the picture load order was backwards.

Once all the planks were glued together, I simply used a pencil at the end of a heavy piece of cardboard to draw the circles. The diameter is 90cm with a 15cm cutout for the boss.

Next I glued two 1cm strips together for the handle and cut them out. After this was done, I soon realized that although strong, this set the grip way to far behind the center. I need to re cut a new handle from only one 1cm plank and with the addition of the metal bands, should sure it up nicely. When complete it should be, front to back; boss, shield, grip, band, handle. I think this configuration will set the hand forward while eliminating the extra weight of the doubled handle.

I then drew the desired thickness onto the edge to chamfer(I'm not quite sure if this is the correct usege). The center is 10mm and I used a belt sander to get the edge to 7mm. I could have gone more but it's not overly heavy and not going to be used for combat anyways. I do not have a scale so unfortunately I can't tell you the actual weight but if I have to guess it's probably six or seven pounds.

The next step was to cover the shield.

[Frank Anthony]

For the covering I used a linen bed sheet I had for a twin bed I no longer have. It's quite light but it worked out quite well. I once again used the white glue thinned with water applied directly to the back of the shield and painted it on again on the applied linen. I covered the back first knowing it would curve towards the back. With the front covered it pulled the shield flat and is quite sturdy.

I let the front overhang about 2cm and made small cuts every 5cm around the circumference to make it glue down to the back side with a nice, clean edge.

[Frank Anthony]

One more picture showing the edge overlap on the back. For some reason I took a picture of the least even part but it still looks pretty good to me.

Next on the to do list is re cut the handle and cut out the metal bands. I'll be using 2mm 301 stainless for the bands. Hopefully I'll get that done this week but I can only really make noise durring day light hours so I'll be limited to the weekend and I've got plans today.

Comments and criticisms welcome.

[Pitbull Armory]

Nice work Frank, thanks for the pics. I can make you a smaller boss if you need one just let me know.


Take care

Pb

[Frank Anthony]

Thanks Andy. Actually, the more I look at it, the happier I am with it's size. Now that I've re cut the handle down from thinner stock and moved my hand into the boss, I can see the room was needed.

[Swete]

Looks good, Frank. I am especially excited to see what type of shield boss you chose to go with it, as well as the paint job over the canvas.

[Frank Anthony]

Hi Swete,

I am using a boss I ordered from Pitbul http://www.pitbullarmory.com/in-stock-p ... store.html .

It's 15cm diameter round boss and built like a tank

I'm still trying to work out what I'll do for the paint. I've no clue what I'll do on the front except that I'll use green for the main colour. On the back however, I plan on painting Jormungand around the outside with four panels depicting; the creation of the universe, the gifts of the gods, the chaining of Loki, and Ragnarok. Unfortunately I'm having trouble finding enough line drawings of the characters but I'm thinking about ordering some books; Viking Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive) by A. G. Smith, and possibly Vikings Myths and Legends: Coloring Book by John Lindow. I haven't had much experience drawing these types and hopefully once I order these books, I'll have more references on how they're done. If anyone knows of good books on Norse, Vendel, Migration era artwork from the north, or know the books I listed(yes, one is a children's colouring book) I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks

[Frank Anthony]

I've just finished the handle, although it'll need some periodic feeding over this week. For the polish I used a paste I made using one cup olive oil and a quarter cup beeswax. This is in all probability an anachronistic finish. I got the idea in a post on romanarmytalk and seeing how both beeswax and olive oil are insanely cheap in Istanbul, I decided to use it. I would have preferred boiled linseed oil but I like the way it came out.

The carved designs look really well together I think but once again I used them as a learning project rather than for historical basis. The knotwork was my first attempt an in all honesty, I should have waited till I came up with a better design rather than just a braid but I was anxious to keep the project moving. The design I used for the ends are from

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/article ... se_art.htm

So far I think it's coming out quite nice. All that's left is to make the brass hardware and fittings, including edging and the paint.

[SafetyTurtle]

Looking very good so far, good work.

And quite inspirational, will be starting Viking age steel fighting and gonna be working on a plank shield myself so it's nice to see others make one.
How well is the handle holding the planks together? would be worried about it all coming apart during fighting.

[Frank Anthony]

Thank you SafetyTurtle. Right now the only thing holding the planks together is the white glue and more importantly the cloth facing. It feels pretty sturdy at the moment but I'm still anal about protecting it. Once the handle, banding and edge are on it should be really strong. I was worried about the weight of the hornbeam when I started but I've weighed all the parts together and it weighs 3.6kg so I'm quite happy how it's turning out.

[SafetyTurtle]

Looking forward to seeing the progress, you're doing more or less exactly what I was planning on except for the wood type and edging ^^

[freiman the minstrel]

Hi, that's really nice work.

Really nice. As in "I have to change my underwear" nice.

Most of the early period round shields I have seen (or more accurately most of the museum reproductions I have seen, there are very, very few extant medieval shields) have a leather face rather than a linen linen. I haven't seen any reason to pay for leather for faces myself, and use a lot of linen. I just can't document it. If you can I would VERY much like to have that documentation. The white wood glue a very good choice. If you are using most commercial white glues, you are using a cassein glue, which is accurate for this application. You will find with later projects that the slits around the outside aren't really necessary, as the linen will stretch nicely, and add a nice tension and rigidity upon drying. It can make 10mm feel like 15mm.

The Butt Joints are right. The introduction of more serious joint types (to my own very limited scholarship) didn't start appearing until much later.

Be careful about the number of rivets you use to attach the shield boss. Almost all of the museum pieces I have seen use five rivets to attach the boss. At the Germanishe Historishe Museum (and I am sure I misspelled that) in Nuernberg, shield bosses with any other number are vanishingly rare. To me (and I guess I just have a modern brain) it seems like the obvious that the shield boss needs to share rivets with the handle, but for some reason, it doesn't happen that way with extant shield bosses. I suspect that this is something that would have been obvious to a viking, but somehow, doesn't click with me (or us).

The things that I might suggest (and your work is just plain good, so feel free to ignore my advice. I wont be hurt) are that you cut away part of the handle behind the boss, include hand made bronze rivets (which are surprisingly easy) and include reinforcing straps.

Your handle is beautiful and elegant. If you can document the knotwork carving on the handle, I would love to have those cites, but even if you can't, they are just solid sexy. In practice, I have found that a handle that is strong enough to reenforce a plank shield is too thick to grip. Since (presumably) your handle will be riveted down on at least one side of the boss, the grip is the least likely place to break. Make it easy to hold. Your handle is just plain solid money. Very nice carving, and better than I could have done. I certainly couldn't have done it easily with blue beech.

Most shields I have seen (and almost all reconstructions) have additional strap to either side of the handle to give the butt joints a little help. It is also a great way to show off a little craftsmanship. The shields I have made over the past two years all include them. If you intend to be blocking anything with the shield (rather than making a display piece using as period a method as possible) I recommend using a two part epoxy to ensure a firm "grip" between the metal and the wood.

The bronze washers are easy. Just mash a penny flat and drill a hole in it. Since pretty much all pennies, from a huge number of countries, are a combination of copper and tin, usually with impurities like zinc, they are a very good approximation of early medieval European bronze. It is indeed fudging a little, but not to any real extent. Any medieval metal smith would call it bronze. Mash it flat, drill or punch a hole, grind it roundish, and decorate it to suit. Be really careful if you drill the hole. The spinning disk will cut your hands straight to the bone. Hold it with pliers.

Once again, very sexy work.

f

[freiman the minstrel]

Oh, and if you want a documentable method for making cassein glue, I have one.

[Frank Anthony]

Hi freiman, thank very much.

I have no documentation for the use of linen covering and would have preferred rawhide or parchment if it was available here. I used what I had but in all honesty the sheet I used was an extremely fine linen and while I suppose it could be debatable, I would have serious doubts that this would have been used for covering a shield.

Yup I'm very happy with the glue but would be very interested in a recipe for making some. I'm sure in period they wouldn't have added half the chemicals to stabilize the glue for long term purposes.

I've already got the straps cut and punched. Now I just need to distress and finish them to hide the stainless a bit.

I have absolutely no documentation for the handle artwork but it just seemed wrong to leave the only visible wood naked and plain. It did come out rather nice though.

Thanks for your comments and criticisms.

[SafetyTurtle]

I would be interested in some documentation on rawhide being used on the front of the shield if you have a link of sorts?...and I take it the rawhide was then painted?
It's not that I don't believe it, just wanna read stuff ^^

[Gerhard von Liebau]

SafetyTurtle, take a look at The Anglo-Saxon Shield, by I.P. Stephenson, if you get an opportunity. Expensive book, but it goes over a lot of details regarding shield construction in a very scientific manner. I've only ever borrowed it from a friend, but when he reconstructed a viking age shield using the evidence in the book it was clear that rawhide for the front of the shield is almost exclusively what has been discovered facing shields from this era.

For High Medieval shields, Jan Kohlmorgen's Der Mittelalterliche Reiterschild is the definitive work. It's fully available online, but is in German. I suspect you'll be able to read a bit of it considering you're in Denmark, or may be fluent for all I know! Almost every shield that survives from the period between 1100-1400 has a parchment facing.

Frank, your shield's coming along wonderfully. I was going to wait to comment until it's done, but wanted to respond to SafetyTurtle's inquiry. Cheers!

-Gerhard

[SafetyTurtle]

Only really interested in viking age shields to be honest ^^ but when searching the net find alot of very mixed info, it's kinda hard to figure out whats what.

[James B.]

I would be interested in some documentation on rawhide being used on the front of the shield if you have a link of sorts?...and I take it the rawhide was then painted?

It's not that I don't believe it, just wanna read stuff ^^

Raw hide is often suspected but the leather is so beat up its hard to prove. Some shield info says parchment also, but that could be thin rawhide. Leather covering of some sort is almost always universal except one "Viking" burial with no cover just paint on wood with a rawhide edge. I own both books Gerhard mentioned and have information on the Henry V shield I picked up at Westminster when I visited in 2006.

[freiman the minstrel]

Cassein glue from milk.

(Please note, I have NO evidence that cassein glue was ever used in period, but I have no evidence that any sort of glue was used in period, for anything. Organic glues would not last long in a grave or a bog. If you are doing an absolutely accurate copy, you can't use this. If you are making a "plausibly period" item, you can feel free to include it. The leather was stuck to the shields with something).

Take a cup or more of milk curds. (if you can't get milk curds, use whole milk, unpasteurized is better, and add a tablespoon or so of vinegar. This will cause the milk to get all yucky, and separate into a mess that looks like cottage cheese, and a mess of really, really icky, mostly clear fluid. The fluid is whey, and the cottage cheesy stuff is the curds. If you don't get full separation, it should be a very clear separation, put the lid on the jar, shake the snot out of it, and wait. If that still doesn't separate cleanly, add a little more vinegar)

Break the curds up. I use a fork. You want to get the bits pretty small.

Gently warm the curds. Very, very low heat. Add a strong base. I am pretty sure that IF the glue existed in period, it would have been lye, or powdered egg shells, or white wood ash. I use baking soda. (I need to say that I simply CAN'T document this, or any other glue)

Stir the glue constantly while gently warming it.

If it's too thick, add a little water. If it's lumpy, add a little more of your base.

Use it like any other wood glue. The glue will spoil at about 24 hours after use. It is water soluble when dry, so be careful about leaving your shield out in the rain.

f

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Freiman, Pliny mentions the use of milk glue as early as the first century CE. There are a number of later anecdotes referring to its use and others in the Medieval period. Here's a nice article on the subject.

http://www.rocks4brains.com/glue.pdf

[Frank Anthony]

Cassein glue from milk.

(Please note, I have NO evidence that cassein glue was ever used in period, but I have no evidence that any sort of glue was used in period, for anything. Organic glues would not last long in a grave or a bog. If you are doing an absolutely accurate copy, you can't use this. If you are making a "plausibly period" item, you can feel free to include it. The leather was stuck to the shields with something).

Take a cup or more of milk curds. (if you can't get milk curds, use whole milk, unpasteurized is better, and add a tablespoon or so of vinegar. This will cause the milk to get all yucky, and separate into a mess that looks like cottage cheese, and a mess of really, really icky, mostly clear fluid. The fluid is whey, and the cottage cheesy stuff is the curds. If you don't get full separation, it should be a very clear separation, put the lid on the jar, shake the snot out of it, and wait. If that still doesn't separate cleanly, add a little more vinegar)

Break the curds up. I use a fork. You want to get the bits pretty small.

Gently warm the curds. Very, very low heat. Add a strong base. I am pretty sure that IF the glue existed in period, it would have been lye, or powdered egg shells, or white wood ash. I use baking soda. (I need to say that I simply CAN'T document this, or any other glue)

Stir the glue constantly while gently warming it.

If it's too thick, add a little water. If it's lumpy, add a little more of your base.

Use it like any other wood glue. The glue will spoil at about 24 hours after use. It is water soluble when dry, so be careful about leaving your shield out in the rain.

f

Thank you for that. I might want to play with this one day.

[James B.]

Here is someones article on casein glue, I was looking at it for my shield project too: http://mymedievallife.wordpress.com/201 ... sein-glue/

[Kilkenny]

Either "the book of the Craftsman" or "On Diverse Arts" - or maybe both - discuss(es) glue. It may be difficult to find analyzed examples of historic glues, but there are definitely text references giving solid information about them.

Gavin

[Frank Anthony]

It's been a while since I've updated but I just got some supplies to start painting(I still have a lot of work on the design and I'm not much of an artist when it comes to paints) and a bunch of bronze rivets. My RW no2 punch and dies so I'll start bac to work on the helm I'm doing till I figure out the paint design. Thanks for all your comments so far. Hopefully I'll have some more pictures up in a few weeks.

[Frank Anthony]

Here's a vambrace inspired from the Valsgarde 8. I had cut out the pieces a while ago but finally got around to punching the holes. Not much to tell about them. They are 2mm 301 stainless and 1.2mm brass with brass and copper rivets. The buckles are from Jelling Dragon. Hope you like them.