Shield Handle question

[Gideon13]

Good Gentles,

I’m getting a new smaller shield, as my current kite gets in the way of some shots I’d like to learn and my defensive skills have improved. It will be a heater strapped with a forearm-and-handle arrangement.

Question: Is a street hockey glove with 3/8â€

[olaf haraldson]

You either need a real hockey glove (1/2" of padding or more) or a basket or gauntlet. Street hockey gloves are not sufficient alone, even behind a shield.
This is per SCA regs... street hockey gloves count only for padding.

I wear a gauntlet... I have used a hockey glove, with no real problems.

[D.Z.P.]

Please note that I’m not asking about Society minimums, but as someone who needs his fingers for a living but who doesn’t want to weigh himself down with extra tank-ness either.

If you would use the gauntlet or glove, or hand covering, or whatever by itself then it should be good for behind a shield. On the reverse side of this if you need your hands for work then you really should protect them as much as possible. I don't use a shield basket but if I end up loosing some fingers in a freak gasoline fight accident I would still be able to do my job. Where as if a Neurosurgeon needs to hobble around on a cane for a while because he blew out his knee he would still be able to do his job.

I know they are bad examples but I'm not feeling very creative today. Hopefully you get the drift.

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

I am also one whose livelihood depends on his hands.

Personally, I have worn hockey gloves once and will never do it again. Beyond the hideously obvious modern look to them, I lost a nail to a shot that came in behind the shield and tagged my fingers.

Street hockey glove? Not a chance.

[Sean Powell]

Hello,

I have worn hockey gloves and even lacross gloves behind my shield since I started fighting. I like for my hand to be very close to the shield for balance so I cut away all un-necessary badding on the back of the hands but leave it full on the thumb and fingers. I have only once, recently been clipped on the hard enough for an 'injury'... I lost a finger-nail. (damn lefties)

In preperation for the authentic plate & maile tourney at pennsic I needed to devise a non-hockey-glove solution. I do NOT like the ballance of shield baskets. My solution was to canabalize a gauntlet pattern for the fingers, thumb and inside of wrist. I left the back of hand unemcumbered. I then cut and shaped this pattern in leather which I hardened in water, the oven and then in diluted glue. I am VERY happy with the strength and weight. I do not expect to be hit in the hand frequently and once I refine the design I will be using this (or a thin metal version) exclusivly from here on out.

If you are considering using street-hockey gloves you could add sufficiet protection by adding thin 'rigid' material over the wrist, thumb and fingers. .080" to .100" bucket plastic would probably suffice... lets face it, we all work with our hands... and our eyes... and our minds but we need to ballance risk & hazard vs performance vs aestetics. Of these 3 the risk & hazard related to fingers behind a shield are pretty minimal.

Sean

[Ceawlin Alreding]

My rule of thumb (pardon the pun) is that I wear protection on my shiled hand equal to that which I would use to fight glaive.
I live in Mass, and am pretty familar with the Dragonship Heaven-BBM- Falcon's Eerie goons. Protect your digits, dude!

[Kilkenny]

While my personal preference is to wear no more than a lacrosse glove on my shield hand, and I truly dislike the steel shield baskets on several levels, I have been favorably impressed with the hardened leather shield "baskets" (perhaps "bowls" would be a better term, considering the method of their manufacture ) that have recently been shown on the Archive.

[Gideon13]

My fingers and I thank you all for your very helpful advice.

The steel basket-hilt's definitely out -- in addition to what His Grace and others said, at fighting practice last night one of our two-swordsmen borrowed my old steel-basketed kite shield to show me a move, made a pointed comment about the weight/balance, and switched shields.

So I think I'll temporarily go with a light plastic shield basket since I already have the materials at home, then switch to a simple grip big enough for gauntlets when I'm set up with them.

Again, thank you so very much!

[Josh K]

Since we're talking about street hockey gloves, I have another question.

Is a street hockey glove (3/8" padding) equivalent of a demi-gauntlet?

I was looking at photos of East Kingdom's crown tournament and I noticed that his highness Icefalcon is wearing only a street-hockey glove on his sword hand. He has a basket hilt, but from the pictures it doesn't seem to adequately cover the back of the hand or wrist.

[Donal Mac Ruiseart]

I have a related question.

I have always used a soft grip on my shield. I have a shield basket but I've rarely tried to use it. And I've always worn a hockey glove on my shield hand.

A hockey glove has one real advantage on a shield hand: Its back is flat. I tuck it into the hand-strap and when I slide my hand into the glove, the glove is melded to the shield. there is essentially no relative movement.

Now, my metal gauntlets are round on the back So I do not think one of them would provide the sort of positive control that the hockey glove does, both because of the shape and the lack of texture.

Does anyone make flat-backed gauntlets? Such an item would have the advantage that if you lose the shield arm, you can pull the gauntlet out and wear it.

[BendSinister]

Donal.
Pad your shield to fit the gauntlet. The back of your gauntlet is curved to fit your hand, the shield can be shaped with leather and padding so that it will fit the back of your gauntlet. Much easier than trying to build a "Flat Backed" gauntlet. This will also work so that the bell cuff on your gauntlet does not get in the way as much.
BS