When will you have them.
Albion could really use some shields to couple with their fine swords. I feel as though I don't have a great understanding of how my Norman and Templar would have felt as I do not have a kite shield.
You guys have the viking shield so what's down the pipeline?
Jeremy

Jeremy , we're in the process of getting the hole locations lined up between the boss, leather face,board and fabric backing templates. Bit expensive R&D wise as after a set or two of redrilled holes we have to glue up a new board, cut new leather ect. Couple of weeks should have it straightened out.

Hello all,

For those that can remember, it's been a while, the Merc. Tail. did have a kite shield at one time. Here's a couple of pics. I think they did an excellant job and I can't wait to see the new ones.

Jeremy, this is them. Half inch thick poplar faced in 5-6 ounce vegtanned leather, trimmed in 7-9 ounce natural rawhide, back is covered with plush hair on felt with adjustable forearm strap and two adjustable hand grips, stuffed leather padding nayled under the arm/grip area with detachable guige strap. Avaliable in both right and left handed version(the shield shown is left handed). The leather facing is paintable and the shield has about a 20 degree curvature.

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Norman Shield - back of shield [ Download ]

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Front of shield [ Download ]

Ohh man,

I gotta get me one of those!! :lol:

Or, you could make one from plywood, which would be nowhere as nice, but a lot cheaper... And expendable... ;)

All armour is expendable. Armour undergoes attrition through use just like swords ,axes or anything else you bash with or gets bashed. If it gets destroyed over a period of heavy use and you have to get more it did its job well your still around to buy more after all.

Poplar or cheap plywood??? For frequent practice in modern times " plywood "! For " theoretical " practice and mostly for collecting the " polpar " and maybe a nice paint job!

If my life and limb depended on it I'm sure the poplar reinforced with the tough leather is more resilient and should be able to take more punishment: Would still need repair at least after a real fight.

I might not want to scrap a $300 dollars shield every weekend though: A cheapy $25 plywood maybe.

The point I think is that real armour used in a real manner will need repair or eventual replacement, if it kept you alive it did its' job.

As a collector I want it made as close to what we think it was made and as functional and sturdy as it was in period but I don't think I would actually use it against " sharp " or heavy full power and dangerous sparring ! ( Not suicidal ! )

Now light, controlled, half speed sparring might be o.k. if the shield could endure this for a few years. In that case signs of use and repair would be expected: IF YOU USE IT YOU BRUISE IT ! ( Applies to all our collectables. ) If you want it pristine don't use it or buy two: One for show and one for use.

As to shield use I'm waiting for my order of Spada1 and Spada II from Chivalry Bookshelf to arrive.
In the mean time I assume that you would use shields like this in deflecting as much as possible rather than trying to make hard stops and that the resilience of the material would make actually cutting through the shield difficult.