Shield Covers

[Paul Elliott]

I've not made a shield cover yet... how many goatskins will I need (do you think) to cover a typical Late Roman oval shield (flat); and how about a Deepeeka curved legionary scutum?

I'm OK with stitching and design and such, but have no idea how many goatskins to order!!!

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

depends on the size of the skins, if they are small skins i'd say 4 for the depeeka one, or if they are large (more than 6 - 8 ft2) then 2

[M. Demetrius]

Figure out how many square feet/meters you need to cover your shield by simple measure, then order about 15-20% more leather (since the animals are not cubes, you will lose some to the trimming. You'll not be able to be sure until you have the skins. Try to order something that the tanners have plenty of, in case you need to order in a supplement.

Lucius Duccius Rufinus : depends on the size of the skins,

Just had to chuckle at that! :lol: :wink:

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

Just had to chuckle at that! :lol: :wink:

shhhht!! it depends on where your ordering it from! some suppliers only do skins from 6 - 8 feet squared, and also you dont know the shape of the skin until you get it, as that 6 - 8 feet isnt always "usable are" haha

i'd get 4 to be on the safe side, but i can use them for other stuffs

[Paul Elliott]

Yes, its a 'variable' I know ....but when I get delivery of goatskins, though, they are always the same size!!! I use Le Prevo. I guess they measure their goats to the mm before taking delivery

[M. Demetrius]

Maybe they're genetically engineered for the leather harvest. 8)

[Crispvs]

I would suggest four skins. You probably won't need quite that much but you would certainly have enough and you could use the left over pieces for all sort of other things in any case.

Regarding Le Prevo, they are certainly very good and are where I got most of my goat skins. However, they ended up being a good deal more expensive than I expected or had calculated myself. Then, about two weeks after receiving my skins from Le Prevo, I was at the re-enactors' market and discovered that I could have got goat skins for around half the price from one of the traders there.

Therefore, if you were planning on going to one of the re-enactors' markets anyway, you might want to do that before you make your order to Le Prevo.
The National Living History Fair is on from 29th -31st of October this year and the Original Re-enactors' Market is on from 12th -14th November this year, in case you were interested. If you were really lucky, you might even get to meet a few other RAT members there as well. :wink:

Crispvs

[Lucius Duccius Rufinus]

Crispus, they are a little bit expensive for normal goat skin, but if you look at their specials they have goat skins at the moment "with a few marks" for £1.25 a square foot, you cant really beat that... well maybe you can, but i thought it was bloody good, works out about £7.50 for a 6ft square hide, and the 10 that i've got from them are all fine, no noticable marks, or at least not ones i cant sort

[M. Demetrius]

There's nothing wrong with surface marks and scars. I'm pretty sure Roman leather had those, too. :!:

[Doc]

Four goat skins is about enough for a rectangular scutum with curved sides (thats what I have). However, I purchased 5 skins just in case. If done properly, a good tegimentum will require a good bit of leather.

[John Conyard]

Paul, remember the old goat skin cover I made for my old Comitatus shield? It took three skins. Your old Comitatus shield should take the same.

I would think your Deepeeka scutum would take four.

I wouldn't go to Le Prevo but as Cripsus says, buy from one of the traders markets, and last year we got a deal for buying in bulk. But don't let the cost put you off. Shield covers are a basic bit of kit.