scutum covering again

[M. Demetrius]

How do you sew/seam the goatskins? A scutum is bigger than most of the goats around these parts. My experience with rawhide is that when the skin contracts as it dries, the stitches don't "stretch", but the holes in the seam open up. Look at how a "primitive" drumskin is stretched, and you'll see what I mean.

[Hibernicus]

I have reskinned my bodhran a few times.

The goat we've used is made for drum skins and is stretched very thin.. stretched enough to fit a scutum... pricey! Bovine that's been made thin enough for drum skins is less pricey.

[Peroni]

The goat we've used is made for drum skins and is stretched very thin

Isn't that what is termed as 'vellum'?

[Lugorix]

I read through these pages and was pleased to see the results of the testing. However, I am still a little baffled as to what might be considered to be the best method to attach a rawide facing to a shield.

I'm looking for some advise, please. I called around today and found rawhide large enough without holes for this project since I'll be making a new shield in the coming months.

Thanks!

[martijn.wijnhoven]

Although a book that concerns the Middle Ages, Der Mittelalterliche Reiterschild from Jan Kohlmorgen, might be of help. It consist of two parts, the first section is an in dept analysis of remaining kite shaped shields; the second part concerns the building of such a shield for the reenactor. The writer gives quite a lot of information about glues and leather coverings. I guess this information and his experience might also be interesting to the Roman reenactor as it gives a framework of what is possible.

Here a link to amazon:


http://www.amazon.de/mittelalterliche-R ... 91-6763467

With kind regards,

Martijn

[caiusbeerquitius]

Here´s what I do:
In the morning of a hot day I apply the rawhide wet onto a good layer of white- or hideglue. I fix the rawhide all around the rim of the shield with small clamps. I put it out into the sun and let dry all day and the next. Finished. With some experience you will get a completely glued on surface. When I started buidling shields it was sometimes the case that in some areas there were "air bubbles" under the rawhide. Meanwhile I have the hide made to my specifications at a local tannery, i.e. with the right thickness, and the same thickness all over, and no longer have any problems. That´s the key, however, use the right kind of rawhide from the right kind of animal.

[Lugorix]

I'm afraid I won't be able to decipher the German book, but thanks for the suggestion. If it's available locally, I'll have a look.

Would it make sense to wrap the rawhide around the edge and stitch it on when wet/damp instead of clamping it? I've done lots of rims with rawhide and know it's quirks.

Yeah, I was wondering about the potential bubbles underneath since this is going on a flat shield. I've also wondered if the drying/shrinking rawhide will warp the shield. I'm cheating using Baltic Birch plywood, so the warp might not happen. Just something I half expect.

[Hibernicus]

We use a sand filled blanket made of canvas that we lay on top of the hide as it dries. No more bubbles.