Hey I am about to order material's for my KT Shield. My first question is what do you all use? Is there a specific way that you make your shields. What is my best option? We use a foam that is white and you can buy in a plank here in Louisiana. I love it because it is eay to use and put together! How do you all cover your shields as well? Please let me know so that i can make the best shield possible!

Typically, we use a plywood core, blue foam (blue closed-cell foam camping pads), and your choice of adhesive (either carpet tape, spray glue, or DAP). We make either flat-topped kite shields or, if you want a smaller shield, a heater. We cover them with white duck canvas with a red cross sewed or painted on.

Shields have 3 (usually) layers of blue foam on the front and the surrounding edge as a safety precaution, and then usually in a few spots that face the wearer while the shield is equipped, such as where the arm goes so it doesn't rest directly on the plywood and usually a little bit on the bottom and the top in case the shield is pushed back into the wearer (this isn't so much mandatory as it is for comfort).

As for the cover, here's how Roderick, one of our most skilled foamsmiths, described it in a different post:

1. get shield and fabric
2. lay fabric out on the floor and place shield on top face down
3. mark approximately 7-8 inches out from the shield in all directions
(use pencil or something that won't show through to the other side)
4. cut along the line
(in order for the cord to make the cover tight it has to uniform all the way around)
this is where it gets tricky, if you just fold the fabric around the shield it will either bunch or be very thick
5. mark where the corners of your shield are
(there will be 6 corners)
6. cut from the mark all the way to the edge of fabric
7. fold the fabric around your shield
(when you're done sewing it, it should be like a form fitting tube)
8. if there's excess fabric cut it off
(we don't want it to be thicker than 2 layers in any place or it will be hard to sew as it can end up being 6 layers in some places)
9. mark and/or pin the fabric together as a guide for where to sew
10. everywhere there's an edge of fabric laying on top of more fabric sew it together
(at this point you should test fit your shield after each corner you've sewn to make sure it's not to tight or loose)
11. fold over about 1 inch of fabric and sew it
(this is where your cord goes)
12. cut out an area the you've just sewn to have to pull cord come out at
(you can sew the fold with the cord inside it just don't sew the cord)

Have any of you heard of the white foam that people use for shields? Is it inferior? does anyone have an opinion on this? And hey thanks wolfgang that great for the cover! as well as for the information!

I don't know anything about the white foam. In the D.C./Maryland/Va. we mainly use blue for shields.

It is some really neat stuff! You can buy a fairly large plank of the foam! Then cut to your specific desires and make modifications! You don't need a core like with blue foam! It's hard but yet light! I'll try and find a picture of some of the shields we use here in lafayette and show you! I was just wondering if the was some downsides to either and which would be better! I know that plywood is more weight but less likely to get pushed around! But i know that the white foam is light and manuverable but most likely lest sturdy to shield kicks and checks!

In this picture the tower shield is made entirely out of the white foam! I have the tiny blue foam shield next to him! haha



In this picture you can see the small round punch shield made out of the white foam!




Here you can see the back of a smaller strap tower shield made entirely out of the white foam with a food tray to keep handles in place!

Sorry that i don't have anything better than theese pics to show you i will try and find a link to the foam online

http://www.foambymail.com/PE2-_1/polyet ... 2-2lb.html



This is the foam we use! the 2" thick and the 24" by 54" sheet or quater sheet!

If that is what you use and it is safe that is fine. Without knowing the density I cannot comment on the foam but I believe that polyethylene is what blue foam is. (Side-bar: Wolfgang our spare kite is probably 1/4-1/2 inch strips of this white foam.) The blue foam, however, is much easier to procure and shipping cost is what ever it takes to get you to Wal-Mart.

Typically we use three shields in the Templar: curved kite, flat kite, and flat heater. The curved kite comes from a plastic drum that is cut into thirds and foamed, the flat kite comes from a heavy plywood core (cause we are men and men are strong) that is cut angularly such that it covers most of the torso with a little bit to cover the legs, and a heater that is cut to protect the torso and not much to protect the legs. In my opinion the strapping should be between 30 and 60 degrees with the hand hold nearer the edge than center if not almost at the edge.

In the Knights Templar the men are men, the children are men, and the women, of course, are men.

On the subject of heaters, our spearmen often use them as back protection, because they're less cumbersome than kite shields and still afford adequate protection from back-hacking and ranged weapons.

And as Johan said, cores are important for Templar shields. Prevents them from taco-ing, more accurately represents a medieval shield's actual weight (we're not barbarians using woven baskets affording minimal protection), and it can help build strength and endurance.

Our curved design is lighter weight because of the plastic core, but is less effective for bashing, charging, and checking (or at least I think Richard, who from time to time uses one, mentioned that).

I forgot to mention that we primarily use strap shields rather than punch.

Just remember what is best in life.

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Thanks! I have every intention on using plywood as a core later. The chapter I am in right now is small and my shield will most likely be passed around to newer users. For this reason I have decided not to use a plywood core for the playability of it for new commers. I prefer using a heater shield compared to the tower that I will be making. My next agenda will be to make a heater shield with a plywood core! And then a Plywood core kite shield. My next question is do you all use the waffling method for covering your plywood like I have seen on so many forums or another method? Also on an unrelated note how do you all make your tabbards? is their a specific pattern that you use or just a normal mid thigh tunic with leg slits?

We typically just cut our foam in the shame of the shield (our shields are slightly heavier than the shields of other groups. Ours are also slightly sturdier)

Thanks Wolfgang, Frontinus, & Johan S Grahm for your willingness to help me out on all of this! I really do appreciate it!

White Polyethelene foam is great and it's very common in Aratari. I'm gonna reiterate what Casamir said. I prefer it over blue foam because it's lighter, sturdier, instead of gluing layers you just cut out a shape and if your using a punch shield it matches the cover better. I use a coreless 30" round punch shield and if you have good control and power. You will be able to knock people over with it and make it so the shield is not easy to move when hit.

~W

Light shields have a place, just keep in mind that while you can move your shield around much easier when it's lighter so can your opponent. A major benefit to coring your shield is that you have something substantial to attach your handle to. I find handles tend to wear out long before the shields foam will so having the best possible handle is more important to me then shaving a pound or two off of the overall weight. If weight really is that much of a problem try attaching your handles to a 1/4" board and attaching that to an all foam shield. The foam will keep the board from breaking while the board will keep your handles from pulling through the foam. In the end though, I tend to think the cored shields end up a bit thinner than the sturdy and "not-flaccid" all foam shields. Bulky gear tends to bother me more than weight does.

With regards to go center grip or strapped? I tend to fight with a wide variety of weapons and shields and while I do like the center grip rounds, a strike that hits certain parts of your shield (stabs to the edge for instance) will turn it aside and go straight past. You have to keep a shield like that moving to effectively block a lot of shots which can set you up to be easier to feint. You do get the benefit of extra fighting reach with your shield but that is only good if you can be aggressive with your shield. Also, flails are easier to block with a center grip. Strapped shields are great for taking hits and are a better passive defense. You can still be aggressive with one and can apply more force than you could with a center grip. Checking and bashing is more natural making it easier. You do not have to be stronger than your opponent in order to stop there stabs and harder attacks like you would for a center grip- the force of an attack is taken by the body rather than the wrist.