My shield keeps breaking, help me

[Joseph argento]

<img src="/forum/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" /> When hit at an angle with a padded training weapon simulator, the pipe insulation on the edges of of my shield tears through the cloth. Also, impacts dead on to the width of the shield are tearing through the cloth, ducttape, and foam. Have I done something wrong or is this just annavoidable. I spent many hours working on my equipment, and was dissapointed when it started to break after only two or threee uses. I would appreciate any tips you may have regarding this subject. <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Bill Welch]

Try using packaging tape with the strings in the tape, that stuff is very tuff.

[Brian Hunt]

Hi Joseph,

I would need a little more info on the exact construction method you used for your sheild before I could even begin to give any advice on how to fix your problem

Brian Hunt
GFS

[Joseph argento]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that

[TimSheetz]

Another possibility is using some rubber hose over the wooden rim first, then padding it... it will mitigate the squared edges fo the wood.

[Joseph argento]

Thank you, I appreciate your suggestion.

[Brian Hunt]

You could also round the squared edges of the wood with a belt sander, then cover them with rawhide. A soaked dog chew toy that you then unroll can provide a great deal of cheap rawhide. Handle rawhide with care, if you get a cut from it, it can give you a massive infection. I reccomend wearing rubber gloves when handling rawhide. after it dries, it is quite stable. use small nails or glue to hold it to the edge of your sheild. Vikings may have done something similar, but they used small holes around the edge of the shield and sewed the edging down. After applying the rawhide, you can then add your foam edging. This will add less weight to your sheild than a rubber hose.

hope this idea helps.

Brian Hunt
GFS

[Shane Smith]

We never did stop breaking padded weapons on padded shields in VAB <img src="/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif" alt="" />