Period Plank Shield Construction by Warren Cummins RTT Combat/Archery Recognized Authenticity Thegn Over several years, I have

made a few dozen shields out of planks and plywood. Both are effective if done correctly. The shields are for rebated steel combat and are designed to withstand a lot of abuse. They are not indestructible however and have a limited life span. The information provided in this resource is designed to help the reenactor build an economical and functional shield. The size and dimensions are based on historical examples and have been modified slightly to allow for ease of construction and for maximum strength of materials and a fairly light finished shield. I am assuming that most people can use tools and so things like peining a rivet are not covered. Materials 3/8" x 4" x 36" planks of period wood. For this shield I used quarter sawn ash as a material and ensured grain of the wood was irregular to prevent splitting. Use freshly sawn wood and not kiln dried wood. I got my wood milled at a wood turning shop where they produce "thins" regularly. I bought enough to make the handle and strapping on the shield and the shield face. Total for planks was around 65.00 Period woods include linden, basswood, oak, poplar, willow, birch and ash. I suggest using a wood that is both strong and light. Linden or limewood is both, but really expensive. I settled on the ash as a compromise. Plywood works too if you want to save money. Use 4x4' poplar subflooring at 3/8" thick. You can get two smaller shields out of this or one larger one. These run around 20.00. Use quarter inch poplar for handles and strapping. Shield boss is an extra large 14 gauge spun steel boss with 6 holes made by Get Dressed for Battle. They have an 8" diameter edge to edge and a 6" opening. I like this size as I get my big hand with a fight glove on into it easily. They are strong, and run 20.00 or so. There are many makers of these out there too, but don't go lighter than 16 gauge as the metal can collapse after repeated blows unless hot forged. Make sure it fits you with your fight glove on. Rivets for the shield are 2" common nails with 16 guage washers made from auto body mild steel and cut with shears and punched out with a sheetmetal punch. Nails for rim are 1" saddle tacks designed to clench over when hammered into an anvil. These can be had from Weaver Leather in Ohio or any fine saddle and tack shop and run about 400 to the pound. A pound is around 15.00 I have them in stock too.

This shield is rimmed in a strip of veg tanned leather 3" by 101" long. This was cut from a piece of belly leather with a strap cuttter. The weight of the leather is 6/7 oz or 3-4 mm thick. I do not use rawhide as it gets brittle and can break on contact with a sword and cause septic cuts in skin. This shield is covered in cross stitch fabric. It has a coarse weave, is very strong and bonds nicely to the surface of the shield. Other materials can be thin leather (if you feel rich), canvas, denim or linen.

Dimensions. I made my shield per combat specs of no more than two inches over my elbow with the arm at 90 degrees. So diameter is 31" Centre hole is 6" in diameter to accompany the shield boss. Handle is 3 pieces of ash, two inches wide and progressively longer that have been laminated together with glue. Straps have been made from 1" ash strips of 3/8" thick. Tools Jigsaw Long wood clamps Small spring clamps Ball pein hammer Sheet metal punch Anvil 1" Saddle Tacks 2" roofing nails Titebond III wood glue and 2" paintbrush Krylon paint (its waterproof and dries quickly) Lepages Solvent Free Contact Cement and 2" Paintbrush Tack hammer/cobblers hammer Retractible knife Straightedge or strap cutter solid work surface Bucket of Water Compass Here we go: Lay out planks so that grain is alternating and not all running the same direction. If the planks have been faced and edged, then you can glue them together with the Titebond and clamp for 24 hours. Use long bar clamps and weight the wood to keep it flat while drying. Ensure the wood does not lift and that all seams are of even height.

This photo shows the planks glued together and the handle I made. I have also traced out the shield and the hole for the boss using a compass. Note the grain of the wood is all different directions as I wanted maximum strength from the quarter sawn ash. The handle is just laying on top for the photo. Cut the shield round with the jigsaw, Drill a hole inside the center hole large enough for the jigsaw blade to get started and cut out the center as well.

Apply the contact cement with a two inch brush. Apply liberally over one side of the shield and the outside and hole edges.

Apply the fabric to the side with the glue, keeping it tight as you go. Immediately apply another coat of contact cement over the fabric. This contact cement is latex based and creates a laminated surface with the second coat. Let it dry 24 hours to cure.

Once the glue is dry, trim off the excess from around the edge, leaving a little hanging over and remove the center piece too.

Now you have a shield with a laminated front and its latex based, so its waterproof too. At this point, mask and paint your shield in your desired colors.

Once the paint is dry, install the boss and handle which has been cut to length and shaped and finished to minimize catches and splinters. The handle must be perpendicular or 90 degrees to the planks. Note in the photo below the varying lengths of planks to make the handle. Use the sheet metal punch and tinsnips to make the square washers. This is a consmetic but historical feature that makes your shield look more authentic. Use the roofing nails with the head of the nail on the front of the shield. Clip the nail with sidecutters down to 1/8" of an inch over the washer and then cross pein until flared and then ball pein until tight.

Once the handle is on and everything is tight, then oil the wood with boiled linseed oil, tung oil, danish oil. I used a natural finish danish oil, but if you want darker wood, use a fruitwood or walnut stain oil. Apply liberally with a two inch brush, allow 10 minutes to penetrate and then wipe off excess with a rag. Allow to dry 24 hours. Give it a second coat and allow to dry. Now you are ready to edge the shield. First, cut your leather strips 3 inches wide and cut enough to go all the way around the shield. A belly is nice because its usually long enough. Calculate the amount needed by using Circumference = 2x pi x radius.....C= 2x3.14 x 15.5 on this shield for a circumference of 97.5". Square the ends of the straps as well. Roll them up and soak in warm water until the bubbling stops. Then fasten around the edge with the spring clamps.

After clamping around the edge, mark the nail holes with a set of dividers or a compass at 2" intervals. This will ensure a very stable edge and prevent the leather from curling up as it dries. Using the tacks, set the tack with the beveled end facing the edge of the shield. Hammer over an anvil so that the nail curls back into the leather toward the center of the shield. Work your way around the shield keeping the leather taut and even over both sides of the shield. Work until you get to the end of the leather. Place an additional nail in 1/4" from the edge of the leather. Butt the next piece of leather up against the first. Start 1/4" from the edge and continue as before. Cover over the ends of the handle.

The result will be an edge that is consistent and solid. You might split a board or two along the way as the nails sometimes tend to do that. If this happens, inject a bit of tightbond into the split. As the leather dries it will pull the wood tight again and glue it back into place. Allow the shield rim to dry for 24 hours. Note the piece fitted into the upper left quadrant of the shield. Trim to butt the leather if there is excess. Once it dries, you do not need another piece to cover these butts. They will be tight.

The shield might warp a bit at this point but will settle out as the leather is stretched and dries tight. It will feel heavy because of the water. But it will lighten up when dry. When the shield is completely dry, you can apply a matte finish arcrylic spray over both the leather and painted area if you want. Its good to oil the leather with boiled linseed oil and you could put another coat of oil on the back, but these things are totally optional. If you want additional support for your planks, run two 1" strips of ash parallel to the handle inside the rim half way between the edge of the shield and the center. Rivet as describe above.

I used plywood in exactly the same manner with a light strong wood for the handle in the last picture. Everything else is the same. This shield is used in Torvik and has been in use for over two years now. The boss and fabric have been replaced but the wood is still going strong. The red and black shield was just finished today, January 2/09 and has seen no combat yet. If you have questions, email me at ykmedieval@yahoo.ca

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