Posts: 98 Location: United States
Sun 08 Jul, 2012 9:06 pm
I was expecting the experts to weigh in with lengthy advice, but until they do I'll give amateur advice.
You should change some important things to make it more historically accurate. Keep looking for information. Surviving Celtic and Roman large
shields were made of planks shaped to curve around the body, and flat circular Viking shields have been discovered that were also made of planks. While I'm not aware any Norman shields that have been dug up, I think its safe to say they were made of planks until we dig up evidence to the contrary. It may be inexact to tell you how to make a kite shield by showing you Viking shields, but the Normans were just Vikings who settled down in France. Shield technology might have been similar throughout Northern Europe in the Viking Age.
As far as we know they weren't made of plywood. You may be surprised to know that they did not have wooden or iron crossbars to which the planks were nailed, and that they held together without such things, but Viking shield experimentation suggests that if you glue butted planks together side by side using glue made from cheese and vinegar or the modern equivalent like latex glue and then cover that with leather that's fitted to the face, and then you fasten a rawhide rim all around the edge, it will be sturdy enough for its medieval purpose. You might want to make it of plywood if you will fight with it, since that would extend its life, but I think planks would be most accurate as far as we know. The facing of the shield is very structurally important. The
Hastings era shield blocked missiles and strikes by flexing and distorting a bit on impact, and even if the glue between the planks didn't hold or the planks cracked then the facing and rim would hold it all together. Shields back then were somewhat disposable, so you're justified in either over designing your shield or using plywood for durability.
Mike Loades shows a popular theory about how the Viking shield is made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-FyB9O-kcs&feature=relmfu
shields took damage something like this:
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manu...hields.htm
The Classic Norman Kite shield had a leather strap and handle system which could be used, it seems, according to the user's preference, at least if the Bayeux tapestry can be trusted.
http://www.angelfire.com/wy/svenskildbiter/ar...armes.html
I assume based on the fact that your design has a round top that you're going for Viking Age to First Crusade time period, i.e. 950-1100. If that's so, I suggest you put a shield boss on it. If you're doing after 1100 then some of the information I suggested might be slightly changed. For instance, by 1180 many knights had large flat-topped kite shields that looked roughly triangular. At some point they stopped using shield bosses. By 1250, small triangular shields were popular among knights and large kite shields were still used but were much less common. Decide on a specific time period for the best historical accuracy.
Also, you want to build your shield to curve around you in a gentle semi-cylindrical fashion. You wouldn't have that bend in the middle that makes it V shaped from above. If you think you saw it in a picture then it's probably just two-dimensional perspective. Try making it over a slightly curved cylindrical form.
Hopefully somebody will give you better advice than me. Rock on, and good luck.