Hans Tolhoffer’s Dueling Shield -Needs More Hooks!

If you’ve spent any time reading about historic trial by combat (trial by battle, trial by wager) you’ll recognize this...

Supplies

1. A sheet of plywood 6 feet x 3 feet (about 1/2 an inch thick)

2. A 6-7 foot pole

3. Nails for rivets

4. Wood glue

5. Nylon webbing (optional)

6. Sheet aluminum

7. A canvas drop cloth big enough to cover the whole shield (8 feet x 6 feet or the closes to it should work)

8. Gesso

9. Red paint

10. Sealer (optional)

11. Metal spikes (optional)

First of all, be careful when working with tools - especially sharp blades and power tools. If it can cut leather, wood, and metal, it can cut you. I know this from experience. Wear safety goggles. Wear work gloves. Be safe.

First step, get a piece of plywood so big it can’t fit in your car. Second step, figure out some way to get it home.

Third step, cut it to shape (including a whole in the middle).

Fourth step, make the boss by creating a 4-sided pyramid out of wood. The inside of the pyramid is reinforced with metal plates, wood glue, a strip of nylon, and rivets.

Fifth step, take a central pole a bit longer than the shield overall, and glue it in place with a strong adhesive. After the glue is dry, if you intend to use the shield in demonstrations, drill holes through the shield surface and pole, then rivet it all together.

Sixth step, cover the surface of the shield with barge cement in stages, and apply canvas (a canvas drop cloth for painting is fine). Carefully press the canvas onto the surface, and smooth it out as you go along.

Seventh step, after drying, cover the canvas with gesso. Finally paint the distinctive red cross on the front of the shield. You can then apply seal if you like.

For historic accuracy, you can also apply spikes onto the ends of the pole. For safety and ease of transport, I did not.

At the end, you should have a judicial dueling shield straight out of 15th century Germany (be careful).