13 gauge hand hammered shield boss - rounded
Measurements
Let's face it - standard flat circular or heater shaped plywood shields look
like ... a flat piece of plywood shaped in a circle or as a heater with a
couple of straps attached. Heraldic paint job optional and often skipped.
So, how do you make that piece of wood strapped to your arm scream SHIELD!
to the world? Easy - add a boss. These suckers are hand hammered from 13
gauge steel by an insane friend with a really large right forearm. Overall
seven inches across, the bowl is six inches by two inches deep. 13
gauge. Hand hammered, not spun bowl. 13 gauge. That's gonna stand up to
anything your local super-duke can dish out ... wait, he's more likely to
just hit you in the head ... Okay, try again: 13 gauge. That's gonna stand
up to more pounding than you absorb doing the "Fight 1,000 fights at
Pennsic" routine ...
Usage suggestions: for a viking round, targe or buckler, cut a 6" circular
hole in the middle of the proto-shield. Four bolts run through the shield,
two bolts run through the shield and through the hand grip of your choice.
Viola - center grip round shield with glancing surface, hand protection, and
nice heft and balance.
Suggestion two : Attach at the central axis point of your strapped round
shield. You don't gain the mobility advantage of the center grip, but your
shield sure looks a hell of a lot better.
Suggestion three: Attach at the axis point of a large heater shield (i.e.
right about at the center). No need to center grip it, that's just not a
really good plan for heater use (unless it's buckler sized, in which case
you're fighting sword and buckler, not sword and heater.) Just the fact that
you've added a boss to your shield will make it way cooler ... yeah, okay,
it's not exactly period, but the style and look are absolutely true to the
small plastic Marx figures we played with as kids - and didn't they just
rule?
Suggestion four: also works well on a kite shield, teardrop, or scutum - in
fact, pretty much any kind of shield.
There you have it - a plethora of good reasons to add this boss boss (sorry,
it had to come out sometime) to your fighting rig.
across: 7"
bowl: 6" x 2"
weight: 1 lb 2.2 oz