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02-07-2005, 10:21 PM

Have any of you bought a deepeeka Roman scutum? 
 
What are they like? I would like to know your expert opinions. 
 
Are they made well? What is the painting quality like? Are they heavy? What are they made out of? 
 
I've been asked to obtain a late 1st to early 2nd century legio shield. Since I don't make that type or have time to in the next few months I thought of obtaining one from Deepeeka. 
 
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and feelings on this subject. 
 
Hoy Mithras!!!!! I know you'll read this, I think your Roman soldier sites are quite interesting. Good imagination!

02-08-2005, 05:12 AM

Many legios buy the Deepeeka scuta and repaint them. Do want you scuta to look like every other legio's scuta? The construction of the newer Deepeeka scuta appears to be ok, but the bosses remain much too thin. I saw many crushed umbos at Nashville.

Carlton Bach · 02-08-2005, 01:46 PM

How thick should umbones be? 
 
I'll be working on my first set of shields this spring (one each legionary scutum, oval auxiliary shield, parma and 4th century shield). Birch plywood is available at very reasonable prices ATM, I've figured out how to make the requisite glues and paints and am looking for shield designs now, but the umbo is one of the things I'm wondering about. Oh, and should the fourth century shield be round or oval? 
 
Volker

02-08-2005, 02:34 PM

Judging from experience, rather than archaeological evidence, I say use at least 14 gauge. Anything thinner will get crushed the first time you go to bash shields with your local barbarian.

02-08-2005, 10:52 PM

Getting back to the original question, the worth of a Deepeeka scutum depends on your ability to make one yourself. Yes, the boss is too thin, but it can be replaced if neccesary (either bash one out yourself or Valentine armories as some sturdy iron ones for $40). The goofy fake rivets holding the boss on are worse than the boss itselfÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦ theyÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢re really machine screws with a thin brass cap glued on to make them LOOK like rivets! The whole thing is pretty heavy, but this can be partially alleviated by adding a carrying strap as per the the Dr. Junkelmann design. The paint job is hideous... clearly it's supposed to be the Leg XIIII shields shown in the Peterson book, but the simplified lines and modern housepaint destroy the illusion of antiquity that the ones shown in Peterson have. I always repaint them, using a white brush-on primer to blot out the horrible design it comes with first, and picking a different, duller red as the new base coat. The hand-hole is likewise uncomfortable for many, but both the size/shape of the hole, as well as the thickness of the handle, can be modified to taste without too much difficulty. 
 
What's good about it, you may ask? First, the brass edging, the hardest thing for most reenactors to make, is extremely good. Second, the deep-dish curve is quite pleasing to the eye, and provides maximum all-around protection when held in the normal combat stance... most reenactor shields are just too flat, IMHO. Third, these things really hold up well to live steel combat! I've played a legionary on several History Channel shoots, as well as a gladiator at some of our local shows, and in both cases we pretty much whale on each other with our Deepeeka-made Pompeii-style gladii (the most common sword among reenactors)... I've had rim portions blown off, mostly along the top edge where the strikes are hardest, and dented bosses, but the shield themselves are very solid in their construction, far better than most others I've seen. 
 
For those who have a shield press, and the time/desire to make one yourself, I recommend going that route. I've made several, and it's fun to say you've done it. But I have absolutely no problem with the Deepeeka scutum, and actually prefer it's shape to the ones I've made. 
 
As far as where to get it at the best price, Terry Nix currently has them for $250 plus shipping: 
www.niximperial.biz/c2nrs_18.html 
 
Hope this helps, 
 
Darius

02-09-2005, 11:36 AM

Thanks Darius for your reply. 
 
I have no time to make one just yet so I have to obtain one from a local company in the UK. The person who wants it won't be fighting with it. It is just for show. I was concerned by the weight and the handle hole. I can easly file the handle area down. And yes to repainting it with more earthy natural reds and yellow, good advice. It is a pity about the false rivets. 
 
Can anyone point me in the right direction for making a scutum press and how it is done? 
 
I never come on with my roman name so here goes: 
 
Aurelius Maximus Valerius Valentinus Optio COH V GALLO

Carlton Bach · 02-09-2005, 01:31 PM

Does anyone know a place in Europe (even better, in Germany) that sells scutum bosses? If I order from Valentine Armouries, the shipping will likely come to almost as much as the item. 
 
GA 
 
Volker

LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS · 02-09-2005, 03:27 PM

Try at armae.com or armillum.com. Or perhaps look for "rÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¶mische rÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¼stung" at yahoo, google, etc. I think there are some dealers at germany. Good luck!

02-09-2005, 03:27 PM

I got these from Battle Orders in UK, but they had to order the square one in. 
Cheers 
 
Paul<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/Shieldboss1.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/shieldboss2.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

02-09-2005, 05:34 PM

Check out the legio XX site for details on the construction of scuta presses. I made mine from three sections of 3/4 inch semi-circularly shaped sections of plywood. Strips of 1/4 inch plywood cut to the length of the shield hold it all together. To use the press I first cover one piece of 1/8 inch plywood with carpender's glue, lay the next piece of 1/8 inch plywood on top, and then screw the plywood sandwich onto the press using drywall screws. After the glue is dry, taking 24 to 48 hours, I remove the screws and I'm left with a nicely curved scutum blank.

Mithras · 02-09-2005, 10:36 PM

Hi Paul, yes I'm reading this thread - and its reminded me I need to email you about this weekend's meeting. 
 
I tried half-heartedly to make a curved scutum but it failed miserably. Maybe in a year or so when I've got more experience. 
 
Paul I've heard of makers using a shield-press, but also strapping the shield a drum or water heater. But you'd need some nice wide straps that you can tighten - those ratcheting cargo straps would be perfect. I also heard of some doing the opposite (which I might try because it sounds easier) and that was to have the shield weighted in the middle so it sags. Although I can see some problems with uneven bend with that one. Paul Elliott/Caius Fortunatus 
 
3rd Century Auxiliary (Cohors Quinta Gallorum) 
 
4th Century Legionnary (Comitatus) 
 
www.geocities.com/zozergames/interactive.htmlEdited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=mithras@romanarmytalk>Mithras</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://forum.rpg.net/image.php?u=140&dateline=1069884232" BORDER=0> at: 2/9/05 11:37 pm

02-13-2005, 05:24 PM

Ave, 
Although on it seems to be one of the more daunting tasks of scutum manufacture, the brass edging is really not too bad to make. I would say the hardest part is cutting it out, which is pretty tedious. Through simply two or three posts on this board I learned to do it, and was astonished how easy it turned out to be. 
I give a reasonably good tutorial on it on my website www.florentius.com and if you follow that, you should be able to make edging that is superior to that on a deepeeka shield. The problem with the deepeeka edging is that it is in many small pieces, and real edging is not. It should properly be done in a few larger pieces. I describe using a steel jack, and dolly to build the edging, but it could be build directly on the shield as well, with only a ballpeen hammer, and a few other very basic tools. 
It will take a 'wholehearted' effort, but it's well worth it 
Vale, Florentius Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=jaredfleury>jaredfleury</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://img70.photobucket.com/albums/v212/jaredfleury/Quintustiny2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 2/28/05 7:43 pm

Sassanid · 02-15-2005, 04:28 PM

Does anyone know what find, the round brass Deepeeka boss shown above was copied from? 
 
Many thanks, 
 
Andrew Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=sassanid@romanarmytalk>Sassanid</A> at: 2/15/05 5:28 pm

FlaviusCrispus · 02-15-2005, 05:47 PM

<<Does anyone know what find, the round brass Deepeeka boss shown above was copied from? 
 
Many thanks, 
 
Andrew >> 
 
Ave, Andrew! 
 
It's a direct copy from this one, once in the Axel Guttmann collection: 
 
<img src="http://www.legionsix.org/niceboss.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
Photos of this and lots more real Roman equipment can be found on Legio VI Victrix's "Real gear" page: 
 
Real Gear 
 
T. Flavius Crispus 
Leg VI VPF 
CA, USA Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=flaviuscrispus@romanarmytalk>FlaviusCrispus</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/legiovi/vwp?.dir=/Flavius+photo&.src=gr&.dnm=flavhead2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 2/15/05 6:50 pm

02-15-2005, 08:02 PM

How would the Romans have tinned individual bits of the umbo as per the original? I'd like to get my Deepeeka copy as close to the original as possible. 
 
Cheers 
 
Paulus

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