Wicker shield reconstruction

[jvrjenivs]

How about using thumb-thickness oak or ash for the warp, and pencil sized willow for the weft? Seems like that would add greatly to the weight. There would have to be a different way to capture the top and bottom ends, but that isn't too hard to accomplish, really, just drill another oak stick to fit the reduced ends of the long vertical sticks (warp) and fasten them together. Some baskets use a similar technique, so it's not inventing anything new.

The wicker training shields would have to be very strong to withstand a beating from a double weight wooden gladius anyway, and thicker sticks would be necessary. Seems like sound thinking to me. What do you think?

Indeed I think the shield I started myself is to soft, but those thin willow was all I was able to get. Next time I've to search for another source for thicker willow. I'll try to weight my trainingsscutum soon, but I don't think it's heavier then my 'normal scutum'. Probably even less. (Also as my normal scutum has an heave iron umbo, where the willow one has a deepeeka brass one.)