The Project Starts

My basic tools are the oxy torch, an offset mushroom or ball stake around which to raise, a heavy steel swage block full of useful depressions and holes for sinking, and the hammers.

This picture was taken after I had done a good bit of work.

I first had to measure and cut two blanks of 12 gauge cold-rolled mild steel sheet on the band saw for the project. I knew the diameter would be reduced by raising, as well as the flange, so I started large.

I had a dished 14 gauge boss already made, which I had future plans for. I may have messed it up by trying to refine the shape by raising, during this project, so I'm not going to talk about it any further.

Raising the flat blank was as simple as heating one small part at a time and hammering while the metal was red hot, doing this in concentric circles from the middle out. At least, that's how it is in theory. Easier said than done when you're trying to make a symmetrical, even bowl out of thick iron with tools you are unfamiliar with. It took shape kind of like this:

These are the hammers that I use most. From left to right: 1. Dishing, 2. removing lumps and planishing, 3. my main raising hammer, which I use the most, and 4. a small raising hammer:

Norwegian Shield Bosses for Reference

Display at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway

I decided to begin to learn raising by making shield bosses based on examples in museums in Norway dating from the heyday of the Viking era. The boss is a round iron fixture that is important on almost any center-gripped shield, as it protects the hand that grips the shield and has many ancillary uses. It is also an important part of a shield's aesthetics, and attractive examples show the metal worker's skill and tie the shield's proportions together. These links are about archaeological evidence and general use of shields.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age_arms_and_armour

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~chrisandpeter/shield/shield.html

Since there are not detailed instruction manuscripts about fighting from the Viking era when these shields were used, recreation of Viking shield use is based on clues from other kinds of sources. There are many exciting theories and hypotheses and there is no doubt that these shields were used because they were good and effective. These links are about reconstruction of Viking combat using the shield, which is necessarily speculative but is being done by some very smart people.

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_shields.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkhpqAGdZPc

These are some of the bosses that I want to replicate. My source for the images is http://www.vikverir.no/museum_gallery.html

Telemark, Norway 10th Century

Grave find from Torshov, Norway 9th Century.

Fossesholm, Norway 10th Century.