Battle shield DIY set – Drop / Norman / Slavic shield 115cm

Battle shield kit

With this set you get everything you need to build a battle-ready shield. All materials are of German origin. We produce the blanks ourselves to guarantee consistently high quality.

The blank of the battle shield consists of a glued composite of 3 x 3mm plywood with intermediate layers of linen fabric. This makes the blank particularly stable and lighter than blanks made of multiplex produced by competitors

Dimensions:

Height: 115cm

Width: 60cm

Special feature: curved

(As the shield blanks are handmade, the dimensions may vary slightly)

Included in the kit:

Composite blank: Made from 3x3mm plywood and linen

Rawhide tape: Enough to secure the edges and the handles

Rawhide: Bovine split for edge protection

Leather straps: For the handles

Optional: Variant 1 – Linen fabric for the inner AND outer cladding OR Variant 2 – Linen fabric inner cladding AND rawhide outer cladding

Processing instructions:

We recommend gluing both linen and rawhide to the battle shield. Applying the rawhide is challenging! Due to the bending of the blank, you will have to work with tension belts. ALWAYS glue one side only. At the same time, it is impossible to achieve a clean result.

History

This form of battle shield appeared for the first time on the embroidery of the Bayeux Tapestry. The tapered shape provided good protection on horseback. But even in a shield phalanx, a closed surface could be formed if the carriers aligned the shields vertically in opposite directions. The shields complemented each other with their narrow and wide sides.

The teardrop shield became a recognizable symbol of the Norman cavalry, but also of Slavic warriors. Later on, the size varied and narrower, wider shapes were used.

A sign was a consumable product. It had to be strong enough to last two fights and be quick and cheap to produce.

Sometimes the shields were only painted, sometimes they were first covered with skin and then painted and sometimes they were simply taken into battle in their natural state.

PICTURES OF THE FINISHED SHIELDS ARE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY