Rawhide Shield Edging

[Carlton Bach]

Salvete

A question for those of you who have done this already: How do you best fix rawhide edging to your shield? Am I right in thinking it would be sewn on, not nailed like in some medieval examples? what do you use for sewing? Sinew, leather/rawhide strips, linen thread, or something else entirely? Are there tricks to it you have learned the hard way?

Thanks

[Peroni]

The method I found easiest to do was to soak the rawhide strips until they're very pliable. Tack the end to the rim of the shield and stretch it around the edge. Tack the other end down and repeat until the entire edge is covered. You may want to overlap the ends of each section a little to allow for shrinkage when drying.

Let it dry out completely and shrink on to the shield. Then with a 2mm dril, make the holes 10mm apart for the stitching all the way around the edge.

For the thread I used artificial sinew thread as it looks better than linen, and comes pre-waxed.


You can buy it here..
http://www.pearcetandy.com/products/index.htm

email: [email protected]


Regards,

[Primvs Pavlvs]

I would follow Peronis suggestion. However I wet the rawhide and clamp it to the edge with paper binder clips. I also use a thin coat of Gorilla glue to help hold in on once its dry. Then I drill the holes and sew it with a similar thread he is using. The thing about using glue is if you are doing any kind of combat and bust any of the stitching the rawhide will stay in place.

[Flavius Promotus]

According to Simon James, 'twine thread' was used for stitching the rawhide to the Dura shields - I therefore used waxed linen thread (saddler stitch). Otherwise I did it more or less like Peroni :wink:

[Franklin]

I've always used masking tape to mold the damp rawhide to the edge of the shield.

Rawhide...the plastic of it's day.

[Robert Vermaat]

A few nails and some big clothes-pegs.

[Carlton Bach]

Thanks.

I was thinking of clothespegs. Some of the edges are curved, and I don't want to spend a fortune on clamps I'm never going to use again.

Will try

[Flavius Promotus]

If you put thin plywood strips (for rectangular shields) or shorter plywood pieces (for ovals) under the clamps, you get a better distribution of the pressure = no unsightly bumps in the rawhide, later.

And if you use saddler stitch, take looooooong pieces of thread (several meters!). It will be very complicated at first, but the less knots you have, the better it looks.

Hope that helps

[Dan Howard]

The rawhide rims in the Iliad are described as being laced or sewn on.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Thanks.

I was thinking of clothespegs. Some of the edges are curved, and I don't want to spend a fortune on clamps I'm never going to use again.

Will try

Volker,

The camps I am using are around .20 cents each here in the US. Here is a photo of what I use

They are very useful for other projects also, like holding leather pieces while sewing them.

[Carlton Bach]

Volker,

The camps I am using are around .20 cents each here in the US. Here is a photo of what I use

They are very useful for other projects also, like holding leather pieces while sewing them.

Effin' Brill!

Man, why didn't I think nof that? (Obviously because not everyone can be brilliant all the time). Off to the stationer on Friday...

[Hibernicus]

Or clamp it with spring clamps over wood strips.. or C-clamps...
or drive screws through the wood clamping strips into the shield and through the wood strip on the back side... lots of ways

[Chuck Russell]

this would be a great HOW TO article guys. so people remember it

[Tarbicus]

Remembered.

[Tarbicus]

Are the reasons for edging the entire edge of a scutum to do with the Dura Europas scuta? Because the only place rawhide edging was used on scuta was on the corners, not the entire rim. Leather was stitched on to the rim to keep the plywood planks together, and rawhide used to reinforce the corners. At least according to Simon James' catalogue.