01-13-2006, 11:05 AM
I've never heard of any evidence that shields were made from a single piece of wood. If you cut horizontally, the grain would run end-on to the face and I wonder what effect this might have on its defensive qualities.
You could cut a vertical slice, of course, but, in either case, you'd be likely to get cracks opening up across the shield as it seasoned.
Other shield-makers (Wulf Guy-Ragan and Ashley Holt) have, I believe, worked using thick baulks of timber, side by side, which they then sculpt. Wulf has also used the layer technique. I've never used a router, but I think Ashley said that he did, at some point.
You could cut a vertical slice, of course, but, in either case, you'd be likely to get cracks opening up across the shield as it seasoned.
Other shield-makers (Wulf Guy-Ragan and Ashley Holt) have, I believe, worked using thick baulks of timber, side by side, which they then sculpt. Wulf has also used the layer technique. I've never used a router, but I think Ashley said that he did, at some point.
