The Armour Archive

[img]http://members.aol.com/sbvast1/Shieldboss1[/img]

[img]http://members.aol.com/sbvast1/Shieldboss2[/img]

I hope these pics came through... If they did, it's my first attempt at a shield boss. Submitted for constructive criticism. Before these 2 points are covered, I know that it should have been planished a little more, and also that there are some evil marks on the flange. I made this rather quickly and it is my first one. Also, it is designed to be the type that only covers the hole in the shield with the handle attached to the shield... it is NOT the type made to fit your whole hand inside.
Made of 14 guage mild steel... about 2 inches deep.

Whatcha think?

Oh, ps... I'm going to have these as a stock item on my site from now on... I was thinking $30. Bear in mind that following ones should be cleaner in appearance.

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Otto's Armoury
(home of one HIGHLY overworked armourer!) http://www.members.tripod.com/SBvast

[This message has been edited by Otto (edited 06-20-2002).]

Well, I like it. I love the rough munitions grade look.
Bet it will be real nice if you go ahead and planish it.

Keep it up.

Looks pretty good Otto.

Here's a pic of my first boss for comparison if you like. I think it took me somewhere around 6 hours to make.

[img]http://www.cowdenwoods.on.ca/sboss001.jpg[/img]

It actually lookes much better in the picture then it did in person.

Anyway tips. If you make it so that the slope at the edges of the dished area is steeper it looks punchier.

How big around is it?

$30 sounds fine. Armour store used to sell them for $45 for 16ga mild IIRC. And I know they did actually sell some since there's 3 or 4 listed on their backlogs left to be cleared up. On the other hand don't feel like you have to charge more then me if that's your reason for your price.

So did you use my how-to at all? If you did care to make any comments on it. If there's areas of it that need improving I'd like to do so.

Anyway looks good. BTW shotputs are PERFECT for planishing bosses on. At least that's what I always use.

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The budding mid 14th century German Transitional guy.
Mad Matt's Armory

[This message has been edited by Mad Matt (edited 06-21-2002).]

Not a bad start Mr. Otto I think you've reached the maximum depth that you're going to be able to achieve (without raising) with using 14ga steel. With 12ga steel, you can go another .5-.75 deeper without compromising it's strength.

Matt and Otto, I'm curious - do you guys start from the outside of the boss and work towards the center or vice versa? Or do you do like I do and just strike all over the boss with the hammer? Also, do you prefer sanding the boss blank before dishing it or after? I always seem to have trouble buffing up a shield boss after dishing it...

I very rarely planish my shield bosses. We've got a bottomless dish that I use and I use a 4lb and 1lb rawhide hammer to dish the bosses. I start with the 4lb hammer until I get it about as deep as I'd like to be and then I use my fingertips to feel the inside of the boss for any high/low spots and I use the 1lb hammer to even those out. I would guess that it takes about as long as bouging but is still quicker than planishing with a metal hammer over a ball stake. Besides, I hate planishing.

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If you can't be the best, be your best.
Salinas Swordsman
Darkmoor Armoury

[This message has been edited by Prince Of Darkmoor (edited 06-21-2002).]

Let's see...

It took me about an hour to make... didn't need a "how to" mostly I wanted disc size and depth to shoot for... as it is mostly just basic dishing after all.

The disc size I have been using is 9"

and... how I shaped the 2 I have done so far is to start with the disc, with the 1 inch border outlined... using the medium oxy tank from Clay and a 4 lb. engineers hammer, I do some basic shaping. The bowl of the oxy tank is not deep enough, so I flip it over and use the open end (just the right size) and hammer into that until I'm happy. Somewhere along the line in this process, I work the flange over the front edge of my railroad track anvil to bend in forward. When the whole thing is deep enough, I work around the edges to "steepen the grade" a little so it pops out more. That done, I do my best to planish the thing and clean it up with a wire brush. If I planished a little more thouroughly and sanded when done, I suspect it'd look lots nicer. Maybe I'll spend an extra 10 minutes on the next one and see how it does. Oh, and after some basic dishing, I switch to a 2 lb ball pein hammer... more control that way with the lighter hammer.

Oh, and Clay... I generally work the center with the big hammer until it's well started, then I switch to the lighter hammer and just kind of work around where ever I think it's needed. I'm really non-specific that way.. just kind of hammer until I'm happy...

[This message has been edited by Otto (edited 06-21-2002).]

I follow a specific pattern when I dish them but it's really wacky.

I think planishing them steel over steel hardens them a bit more. It usually takes me about 7 minutes to planish an entire 13 gauge shield boss.

I put the finish on a boss after it's dished and planished. Because we all know planishing leaves it looking kinda funny.

I really hate planishing too. I really need an air compressor so I can build myself a hammer.
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The budding mid 14th century German Transitional guy.
Mad Matt's Armory

[This message has been edited by Mad Matt (edited 06-21-2002).]