Inspired by Roland from Hammaborgs shields I decided to make on of my own.
I used what information on finds I could get my hands on and started the projekt.

I´m making it of fir. I´ve also got my hands on a forged buckle, and I´m going to cover it with linen and figures made from brass. Like on the finds from Vendel.
I´m making it about 5-8 mm thick.

And I´m making it from scratch.

Here are some pics of the projekt.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6190009.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6190011.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6190017.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6190022.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6200040.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6200032.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6200028.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd166/Lord_Nelle/P6200030.jpg

Nice! I´m looking forward to following your projekt.
How big is it going to be?
What kind of shieldboss will it get?

/Viktor

Great project. I too will be watching.

Wow.

When I clicked on the first picture link, I thought to myself that you'd included the wrong picture. Then I realized that you were starting this project from live trees. That's impressive.

Thanks for sharing,
Steven

Making a shield , wich's planks are your work too? Remarkable!
Altough I think that pine is not the best material for a shield, since it brakes and cleaves easily.
(Of course I only know the pines grew in the southern region, the northern wood is said to be mouch better, since the slow growth.)
I made my shield too, a heater. different style I know, but the experience I gained might be useful. I have red, that shields were often made of linden or poplar. these are soft woods, but they do not cleave, and they are pretty light, wich are very important characteristics in such case. I wanted to make the glue of an old recipe (wich was said to be used by the Vikings too) but since I could not have found quicklime, I bought a glue, wich is being still produced by the ancient recipe.
They sell it as wood glue, and it smells like vinegar. (I don't know, if I'm supposed to say this, but the name of two products like this are Rakoll and Ravemur) The different plastic-based glues have got similar smell, but they can't be mixed properly with water (just like fat). This kind of glue is incredibely strong.
I made my shield of poplar, It's easy to carve it, they say that linden is even better.
I would like to recommend a link too, where they are making anglo-saxon shields, really interesting.
(Especially the third and the fourth part)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=AF7E2...ain+shield

Good luck!
John

You sir have me interested! I look forward to seeing how well this turns out. Do you think you could keep a few boards on the side so you can test the strength of said wood without risking the shield?

M.

Hello Anders!
How is the shield-projekt running?

/Viktor

Hi Anders,


You wrote,

"And I´m making it from scratch."

Wow, what a gutsy decision! I have to admit that I'm really of two minds about your plan. I absolutely hope it works for you but I'm really concerned that making your shield out of green wood will cause you some serious problems.

I'd imagine that it would be difficult to ascertain the condition of the wood that Viking age shields were made from by studying archeological examples, how can you tell if it was ever dried after its been buried in the ground for a thousand years or more? I suspect however that the wood they used was air dried, probably to a moisture content of about 10%. I would expect that their shields would have a tendency to pull themselves apart if they were made with green (wet) wood.

So are you planning on using hide glue to glue the boards together? What other techniques are you planning to use that are from the Viking age?

Best of luck and please keep us posted on your progress,

Ken

I have read the round shields, such as those used by vikings, anglo saxons, the vendel, etc.... are tapered towards the edge, to be lighter. Is this done on the front, back or perhaps both sides of the shield? Also, is this taper over the whole shield, or does it start closer to the edge?

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I apologize for the fact that this is very roughly done in paint, but it should get my point accross.

your a better man than I. when I finally get around to building my shield I'm going to just use oak 1by6's screwed to some steel bars and a boss from the internet.

I do have another question, since I to plan on making an accurate viking shield (though not quite so 'from scratch' as yours), if I were to start from boards, or was sawing or splitting them myself, would I want them flat sawn or quarter sawn? This is purely for historical accuracy, since I'm not planning on letting anyone hit it.