Scutum carrying strap

[Crispvs]

When constructing my shield harness I had four considerations in mind: firstly, it must be able to support the shield in a way which would allow me to move relatively comfortably over long distances; secondly, it had to have some sort of quick release mechanism to enable it to be employed quickly in an emergency (ambush) as the optimum carrying position is inconsistant which the normal defensive use of the shield; I had to be able to put it on and hoist my shield onto my back (actually back and left side) unaided; and it had to be durable. I modified Florentius' 'Junkelmann' design by replacing the hooks with buckles about six inches away from the ends of the straps, as I felt that the hooks might get caught on straps or other equipment if the shield had to be employed in a hurry. This allowed me to avoid having to attach rings to the handle of my scutum as the straps simply passed around the handle and then through the buckles. I was concerned that the straps might shift around on the handle as I marched, upsetting the balance of the scutum, but in the event this did not happen and the scutum remained quite stable. To give extra strength to the leather of the straps (and thus greater durability) I made each strap from two pieces of leather stiched together down both sides. I also made the main shoulder strap much longer than Florentius' one and made it the same width all the way along. This was not uncomfortable on the shoulder as some people suggested it might be, because the collar plates of my armour distributed the weight in much the same way that Florentius' widened shoulder strap would. The narrowing and lengthening the main strap (the strap which leads from the shield handle over the left shoulder from behind) meant that I was able to buckle the main straps to the scutum handle and then pass the main strap loosely over my left shoulder and through the buckle attached to the top end of the forward main strap whilst kneeling next to the shield on one knee. I then stood up and by bouncing the shield up and down whilst pulling the end of the main strap, ratchetted the strap and buckle into a position which held the shield high enough over my left shoulder that it did not knock against my calves when marching. The torso staps were then buckled around the chest to achieve a firm (but not constrictive) fit for the whole harness. Interstingly, when I managed to get the hang of donning the shield and harness it was noted that my shield rode in precisely the same position as that of the shield of the marching soldier from the Mainz column base (who also appears to have a strap running across his chest, angled up towards his left shoulder). Although initially I did not do the main straps up as tightly as I later learned I needed to (resulting in cuts and bruising to my calves) after I had got the tension and height of the shield right I carried the shield fairly comfortably on this harness over much of the length of Hadrain's Wall with no further trouble (aside from my rather poor level of fitness in comparison with that of the Roman soldier). Overall the harness performed very well but I noted certain features which could have been improved. Firstly, after the shield had been hoisted into position it was much more difficult to release the 'quick release' buckles than I had expected (although it could still be done in a few seconds) and if I was making a second harness I would lengthen the strap beyond the buckle which would result in a greater length of strap to use as a lever to unhook the buckle pins. This restriction meant that when removing my shield I resorted to undoing the buckle of the main strap. However, marching several miles tended to make the main strap retreat under the main shoulder guard and the buckle was sometimes difficult to get to. If I were to make another I would attach the buckle to the main strap rather than the forward strap and I would make the forward strap shorter. This would mean that the buckle would be ratchetted down rather than up the strap and would thus be in a much more accessable place against the side of the torso rather than on the shoulder, where mine ended up. I also made the mistake of making my front torso strap too long, meaning it buckle on my side rather than more conveniently on my front. Overall then, a good harness and sveral lessons learnt.<br>
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Crispvs <p></p><i></i>