Shield in Progress(pic heavy)

[David of Doell]

I was originally going to put the belts right through the shield but saw that it would make a bump in the foam. Maybe it wouldn't have been that bad but it bugged me and it inspired a great idea so it was worth it.


It's a threaded screw from Tandy. I had to sink it in because it wasn't long enough to go through two layers + a thick belt. Plus it won't be in the way of the foam or anything.

I get belts from a used clothes store in town for $1 or even 50 cents. It's a cheap way to get adjustable straps for any project.


I then added new holes to the belt with a drill. I have the proper leather punches but it was late and night and the drill was quieter than hammering a punch.

Then later I cut the excess belt off.


Now all I need to do is add foam, a cover then put my design on the front to give it some spunk.

[Cib]

sweet. Make sure the buckles are where you want them, those kinds of things are harder to adjust latter.

[Moginheden]

you might want a second set of buckles at a different angle so you can hold the shield differently depending on who you are facing/how tired your arm is. Especially if you are going to loan this shield out.

[Moginheden]

looks good though. I'm making my own belts right now.... the buckles alone cost $0.99 - $3... then you need the leather too!

Where can I find these cheap belts you are getting?

[David of Doell]

I get my belts at the Clothesline in Cochrane. Maybe try Value village or some other used clothing store. Acutal leather ones are usually $1 and the other types are 50 cents. If you want me to get a few for you I can. They usually have a lot. I look for the most medival/plain ones for the best effect. Let me know how many you want. I was going to stop by there and look for some black fabric. They practically give stuff way there, it's awesome.

[Moginheden]

well I just made 6 belts out of the leather I had left over from my armour so I think I'm set for now

[Darr]

Sweet shield. Very classic medieval design. Should be awesome!

[Kyrian]

I know I'm REALLY necro'ing this thread but I've found that tee nuts such as these work very well for attaching straps to shields:



They are hammered flush from the front to the back of the wood. They have the added benefit that if you should need to replace the straps, you won't have to tear the foam out to get to the screws. Also, use washers (preferably the fender type)



on the inside of the shield between the strap and bolt. This distributes the pulling force across a wider surface area and reduces the chance of the straps tearing.

[Cib]

I have heard those things are wonderful but have had no idea what they were. Thanks for the picts.

[David of Doell]

That's a good addition to the thread. I did use tee nuts for my second shield and I highly recommend them. I guess I should put up a picture of the final shield since it's been done for a long time.

[Darr]

That does look like a really slick way to do it! However, with my shields, I use regular bolts and am still able to replace my straps when they wear out, without ripping the foam. I just put the nuts on the strap side with lock washers. When the straps are needing to be replaced, I just unscrew the nuts and remove the straps. It works not too bad!

[Moginheden]

Ya... Darr I've ripped my pants on the washers on your shield, (it was on the ground and I slid across it as I fell)

[Darr]

What?!!! When was that, yesterday?
I didn't know my shield was the most dangerous weapon on the field! ;D

[Moginheden]

It was last summer.

[Cib]

Apr 23, 2011 7:16:44 GMT -7 Darr said:

What?!!! When was that, yesterday?
I didn't know my shield was the most dangerous weapon on the field! ;D

lol, ya, I don't use those because they scare me. I have been hit in the face by my shields allot. But I know that method is a commonly accepted and used mouthed around the world.