How Strong were Viking Shields? Gokstad Replica reply to Joerg Sprave

Thrand has his Gokstad Historical Viking shield replica finally completed he starts off with a historical test on this shield made from white pine 5mm center tapering to 3mm edge covered in heavy cow rawhide back and front with casein glue by testing under extreme force standing on it in full maille armor to recreate the wall breach in the Gull-Thoris saga. The Gokstad shields with extremely thin shield boards of pine have been an academic controversy for quite a while now over if they were strong enough or even used historically or were they just made for the ships burial. Thrand goes to the extreme to dispute that the Gokstad shields and historical shield finds of thinner shield boards in the Viking age are stronger and lighter than many historians could ever possibly imagine if recreated based on documentation and historical evidence. Thrand fights with shield in heavy combat and even shoots a historically accurate leaf shaped arrow at it to prove even with thinner boards it is basically indestructible just like Joerg Sprave confirmed in his ThegnThrands Awesome Viking Shield - Will it hold? • ThegnThrands Awesome V...
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This is a reply to Joerg Spave's
The Time Traveling Viking Challenge
• The Time Travelling Vi...
Viking age shield Test reply to Joerge Sprave Time Traveling Viking
• Historically accurate ...
Viking age shield mobility test Reply to Joerg Sprave
• Viking age shield mobi...
Special Thanks to Brad Lynn for this thumbnail, intro and outro
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Chris Barker Music
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Special Thanks to Vegard Vike Archaeological conservator @Kulturhistorisk. With a focus on weapons and tools from the Viking Age.
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Special Thanks to Dr. William Short at Hurstwick
www.hurstwic.or...
Society of Combat Archaeology at combatarchaeolo....
Rolf Warming's KZbin channel
/ @societyforcombatarcha...
Shields and Hide
• Shields and Hide

[@justrobin8155]

I have never seen anyone trust his historical gear as much as you. That demonstration at the beginning was awesome.

[@Thrand11]

Thanks and I made the shield so was pretty confident in it to stand up to the stress.

[@snakeoveer1046]

Native american shields were made only with boiled rawhide and they were sturdy enough to stop arrows at close range. Zulu shields too were made with rawhide and a wooden handle and they were good enough for war. Proves that all a shield needs is good facing and backing.

[@Thrand11]

agreed the rawhide is most important part of shield acts like modern polycarbonates or plastics but better.

[@breaden4381]

I've seen original Zulu shields and they're about the same thickness as a viking shield

[@josephvisnovsky1462]

See also the Spanish conquistador adarga shield.

[@frekitheravenous516]

Both examples failed miserably against bullets. Lol. And any blade or arrow head made of iron or steel would go right thru both as well. A shield needs more than facing and backing.

[@fenrirrising131]

As per usual top stuff m8,i especially liked your scaling of the enemy tool shed.

[@Thrand11]

Thanks :D

[@facina3390]

That’s some damn fine upper body strength, Thrand! The pull-ups have paid off! 👍

[@victorcast2467]

Thrand, my favorite parkour viking ninja

[@Thrand11]

Víctor Cast lol

[@nttntjno1797]

I appreciate that you do the arrow test. And it's good to see that the shield did works as it's intended. Well done.

[@widgren87]

I think I said it once before on another video of yours but people back then knew what they were doing :-) Imagine if you could talk to a smith or a craftsman in general from the old days, the things you could learn... Anyway great video and best of luck with the next one.

[@CelticGod220]

widgren87 imagine how stupid they would think people are overcomplicating various processes " Stop, stop, STOP! You're working it to hard. Do it this way its so much easier and works better."

[@widgren87]

pretty much yeah :-)

[@MrPandafarts]

The intro slate is way too short. Good tests though. I would like to see a more intense swing with the ax as well as sword and one handed ax. Would love to see a destructive test just to see how much it can take before it fails. Thanks for putting this up. Look forward to more.

[@Gandalf-The-Green]

Now I know how I am going to build my Viking shield. This video was very informative and especially well made. Thank you, Thrand

[@AlexanderTzalumen]

Try blackening the shield with iron acetate (You can make it easily by letting steel wool or shavings dissolve into vinegar) it reacts with tannins in the wood to darken it, and it might also react with the hide.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

It dies leather black.

[@Dominator046]

Awesome video, Thrand! I would /love/ to get my hands on a shield like this.

[@CelticGod220]

Dominator046 make one.

[@TheFlyguywill]

Nice job! Best video on viking shields that I've seen

[@Thrand11]

Thanks

[@45calibermedic]

Cool test, Thrand. I would love to see some footage of the tilling process, if it's not too much trouble. I was wondering how the tapering would be planned out and executed, so that the thickness is correct at any one point on the shield. Or maybe you could comment on how the taper looks inch-by-inch (or however you break down the shield into sections with a specific thickness) going from the center to the edge? Also, it's up to you, but I would be very interested to see what a powerful downward blow with, say, a sword, would do to the shield, with the grain and then against it (of course, one might consider that the shield is often held at an angle in combat, probably increasing the effectiveness of the shield by avoiding a perpendicular impact). Anyway, thanks a lot! One more thing, I saw Joerg's test. Perhaps one addition to your time-travelling Viking shield could be a metal reinforcement to the center of the handle, as Roland Warzecha has found in some examples: facebook.com/pg/Dimicator-266934476773420/photos/?tab=album&album_id=351156038351263 www.patreon.com/posts/17826635

[@Thrand11]

Will have construction video out soon on patreon then release on KZbin after a bit.

[@45calibermedic]

Awesome, thanks!

[@cheefeth]

Loving your videos!!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, truly inspirational! Yours in Service, Thorsten Yngvarson the Brute, Kingdom of Meridies, Shire of Crimson River

[@SirNukey]

I may have missed it in the video but how thick is the rawhide? This video inspired me to make an attempt at a shield covered in hide. I love your videos, keep up the good work Thrand!

[@Thrand11]

About 1.5mm to 2mm thick about about 5 to 7 oz rawhide cow although Horse would be stronger and lighter.

[@ROBBEAUDOIN66]

Excellent video!! Thank you.

[@brentullehalfdanhllon5282]

My Papaw was a ship builder in Finland. He said, sand and tar on the bottom of his shoes was an old Viking trick. That might be worth looking into for slippery shoes.

[@Thrand11]

Great idea and sounds viable.

[@brentullehalfdanhllon5282]

ThegnThrand keep up the good work, I thoroughly enjoy your research.

[@brianfuller7691]

Viking shields were covered with leather or sometimes linen. Another good video. The amazing thing was that they were quite durable but simple in construction.

[@CelticGod220]

Yes. Seasoned poplar and kiln dried 2 VERY different things. It takes a long time to season poplar. Upto several years. A good source for preseasoned poplar though is old barns. Most farmers sensibly though won't sepparate with it.

[@CelticGod220]

Be careful though some will sell you hemlock and say it's poplar. It's good and hard but working it? The dust can literally kill you.

[@jameselders2228]

Very informative, thanks a lot !

[@Thrand11]

You are most welcome!

[@PepeULT]

Great video as always !

[@Thrand11]

Thanks

[@Manweor]

Definitely late to the party, but I would like to know the weight of the final shield. Some say the shield should be around 4.5 kg but that feels really too much for something that is kept at arm's length for a good fraction of a fight or battle.

[@airnt]

weren't the Gokstad shields painted onto the wood alternate yellow and black? (suggesting no covering as opposed to edging) There are more fragments that are painted onto the wood there is the latvian shield covered front and back and padded with grass aren't the gokstad shields bigger in crossection as well? (i might be misjudging the size due to the video) original viking shields do vary a lot in the middle thickness, i have seen up to 16 mm in the middle, but the edges come down to 3-6 mm indeed I have tried a white pine glued single plank shield with just rawhide edging with sharp swords but we used an example that was 16mm thick in the middle. stood up fine without rawhide covering

[@Thrand11]

Yes I cover the paint on the surface or paint pigment found on the gokstad burial shields in this video. That is also one on my discoveries with this project.. Historical hields could be covered in rawhide due to translucence of rawhide and the presents of pigment or paint does not mean that the shield was not covered. Casein or cheese glue is also used as paint and pigment can be added to the adhesive if wanted.When you then add true rawhide is translucent meaning you can put solid colours under the hide to protect them. If the background was one solid colour it would show through the hide easily and more detail could be added by painting on the outside of the hide if wanted but even intricate details could have been painted on the wood of the shield and shown through the hide if wanted this would keep the painted image from being damaged by the weather, water and last much longer than scratching of the rawhide easily. Casein glue is almost clear as well and very near water proof. Wax and oil treatment could then be placed on top of hide to weather proof it with out damaging the image or solid colour. That is the best method to paint shields from my experiments. The thickness is exact to Gokstad being about a 1/4" in middle or 5mm here tapering down to about 2-3mm at about inch from edge then to razor from there to accept rimming. As for diameter this shield is 36" or 3 feet and is the average size of the Gokstad ship burial shields. The shield you are speaking of with out facing or backing of rawhide could not possibly hold up as well even at 16mm thick with a rawhide edging. Did you see the weapons that Joerg Sprvae and I tested on the shield and how well it held up with out cracking or splitting? Plus only minim amount of penetration for force used. It took extreme force could stop a lance or heavy crossbow I will add 16mm even if pine would be extremely heavy for a 3' or 36" shield, that is over 1/2' thick and almost 3/4" thick and way to thick for such a large round Historical shield find. oh by the way how big was the shield you made just curious because would be very heavy quick with a decent Viking age such as 33" to 37". Was it held by a center boss like it should be? If so was it quite small?

[@airnt]

@@Thrand11 i see what you mean but a bit unconvinced as there is more detailed painted wood fragments too (i forget the find, it has been 20 years since i made my replica) obviously rawhide covering is seen and is mentioned for sure, but i just think there were two types, the fully covered and the rawhide edged ones. the shield from latvia was of course found with its' entire covering, but also that is padded with grass, and various paddings is seen through a longer part of history, this padding would also obscure any colouring. I reproduced a slightly different example 20 years ago, but that was thicker in the middle, but similar at the edges, and i used just the edging in rawhide and we tried loads of sharp weapons when and it did die after a while, but it did really well. the thing is that the gokstad ship shields are a set that belong to the ship and they might have been mostly designed for projectiles. I very much agree that rawhide covering is a massive improvement to the sturctural integrety of the shield, and that is was done, just that they also had tapered wood that would be servicable

[@kylkim93]

Interesting video! I'm just getting into Viking re-enactment fighting and HEMA, and am considering how to build a training shield. I'm wondering if it would be possible to use cheaper to source synthetic alternatives, like adequately thin plywood + neoprene + cordura glued with rubber cement, to get similar lightness, flexibility and durability. 🤔

[@richstone2627]

Great video, loved the climbing and seeing you dressed properly adds to the experience. You should have made a video of you building the shield with the specs included or did I miss it? I don't remember seeing a video of you building that shield but maybe I missed it. Where did you source your hide and glue ? I have some hide glue and rawhide but would like to try what you used. Thank you.

[@Thrand11]

Working on video but lots of editing to do on it and a voice over so hard to do with boys out of school with out interruptions.

[@tiggytheimpaler5483]

you know that scene in Vikings when they tie a rope to a hand axe and use that like a grappeling hook? would love to see you take a look at that

[@Thrand11]

Not a bad idea to test.

[@corwinhyatt519]

Neat, this is starting to make me wonder when the concept of lamination originated since it seems to be being used to great effect in this design. I'm also a bit curious about something a little bit off the topic though, was that a massive bumblebee or a dark june bug photobombing you from 16:15 to 16:45?

[@Thrand11]

Its a Black carpenter Bee they live in wood targets behind me in video :D

[@corwinhyatt519]

Wow, I'm glad we don't have them out here.

[@hendrikvanleeuwen9110]

I would suggest bow making would be the place to look for early use of laminates. Weapons are always at the cutting edge (sorry!) Of material technology. Also bows are found all over the world and date back to the Neolithic period, if not late Paleolithic. Boat building would be another area to look. I understand that some traditional canoes used treated hide over a surprisingly thin wooden hull, similar to the viking shield construction. Unfortunately stone and bronze are basically the only materials they used that are impervious to time. I often wonder how they would have used materials such as bone, sinew, intestine, wood, hide, shells, you name it. Not to mention glues, coatings, pigments, stabalisers and the like.

[@Thrand11]

Agreed the shield is akin to shield making of the Vikings hence why Ulr is God of Hunting, Bows and shields.

[@runkurgan]

ThegnThrand Loki/ Odin/ Ulr that's the definition of a triumvirate. Beats a holy trinity in my books!

[@richard6133]

If a shield can be used as an improvised backboard, then maybe a paramedic backboard can be used as an improvised shield. I will have to ponder this...

[@Thrand11]

Richard Sabo lol true they did use same techiques to make other things like doors and strong plates.

[@Beardshire]

Ivar the boneless approved.

[@thrownswordpommel7393]

"How was your day at work honey?" " Terrible. A guy called me because he had seen a Viking climbing on his neihbor's roof. I should never have applied for this job."

[@Thrand11]

Lol

[@thrownswordpommel7393]

Thanks for the heart mate. I appreciate.

[@hollowhughes198]

I made a shield that’s 3/4in thick. 35in diameter, plank style with two reinforcements on the back. No tapered edges but bison leather rim. All pinewood and the sucker weighs in at a whopping... 20lb Now I’m 6’3 and 200lb but it’s too much strain on my wrist to use for more than a few minutes. Looks like this one will be going on display until I can create a new one about 5-lb lighter.

[@hokorhokkus]

poor bison

[@Jay_76]

I wonder what Theophilus would have thought about rhinohide or elephanthide in comparison to horsehide. Anyway, great video, and it just goes to show that sometimes, the old ways are best.

[@runkurgan]

BigJay7410 Or giraffe. That's an inch thick hide right there and I have a feeling it'd be easier to work with than elephant or rhinoceros.

[@MaliciousMollusc]

Wasn't there a Norse drinking game where people use the shields as platforms and they step on them as they run atop people? I saw that in a movie somewhere, don't know if it's legit... PS: I think what makes the shield good at absorbing attacks is the fact that it flexes a little as a whole. Even the wood itself as you pointed out seals itself back to shape.

[@Thrand11]

That was from a movie called Outlander based on Beowulf, I am not sure of a historical reference.

[@vmfjru47]

Would you consider selling shields at some point?

[@Thrand11]

Ja! just need some money up front hides are expensive. Contact me on Facebook or [e-mail] if interested. you could order hides and have them shipped to me and just pay for other materials and labor plus shipping.

[@runkurgan]

You could have user manual illustrations on the inside of the shield. That would help with the ease of use of the shield.

[@Thrand11]

runkurgan lol

[@runkurgan]

ThegnThrand You know there'd br at least one Viking warrior in the pillage party who'd benefit from something like that! The guy that in basic training would turn right when the drill Viking would yell left and then he'd be all apologetic "I thought you meant your left, sir", the guy who builds tents out of spears and shields and then pile dives into them... You know. The guy who suspiciously heads for the goat pens for the rape part of the rape and pillage. And everybody thinks he's doing the nasty there but he's in fact choosing a couple of goats to sacrifice to Thor. (Had to dig myself out of it) Yup. This guy could use a couple of sketches with instructions on the inside of the shield.

[@YoutubeCommenter1]

It's like modern composite materials, like the aluminium-glassfiber they use in to buildd airplanes. The hide has good flexibility and tensile strength, the wood has better compressive strength. By laminating them the shield can be stronger and lighter

[@Thrand11]

Agreed

[@garychynne1377]

real good info. thank yew gare

[@Thrand11]

Your are most welcome.

[@Schmunzel57]

Last week or so I saw a Video of an archer using the odd father in or out on a bow, because people would think it makes a difference. He shot targets 12, 25 and 50m with both and could not tell witch one was witch one. I guess it only makes a difference with stiff plastic fletchings.

[@christkandosii3337]

Very cool. I am trying to make a Viking shield in the same way myself, so I have questions just to clarify. The Gokstad Shields were 5 mm stick in the center not including rawhide covering, the thickness tapers down to 3 mm or less on the edges, and they have a rawhide covering and a rawhide rim. They were made of planks glued together with Casein glue and the covering was also attached Casein. This is all correct right? I want to make sure that I do it the same way. Is there anything that I missing? How do you find the balance of the shield, does it dip forward or backward in your hand as you hold it? Is the edge of the shield 3 mm including the rawhide, which means that the wood is thinner, or is the wood itself 3 mm and the rawhide is added in addition to that? Do you think that modern wood glue would be as strong and as flexible as Casein glue?

[@Thrand11]

Tyler Finn modern wood glue or Carpenters glue is based on casien glue and will work. Yes 5mm in center about 3 at edge tapering butted glued planks made from pine. White pine works well.

[@colmhain]

How common were these thin-edged shields? What was the most common average shield thickness?

[@Thrand11]

colmhain thickness depends on size larger seem to be thinner smaller diameter seem thicker. Average thickness about 8mm to 4 to 5mm edge and all taper to more at edge to edge shape to accept rimming on most. Smaller shields have been found s thicker but larger are thinner which makes perfect sense when considering the rawhide covering

[@kleinjahr]

You really should rig something up so you can measure the force of your blows. Something as simple as a seesaw with a weight on one end, shield on the other. A scaled board behind the weighted end and when you hit the shield, the weight rises. A bit of math and you know how hard you are hitting.

[@DwarfLordAirsoft]

what do you think about laminated and grass-filled shields? some guys in my reenactment group have mentioned laminated ones.

[@tzad2104]

how useful were pictish and celtic H and square shields and other odd shapes ?

[@johnevans5472]

Hi Thrand, where did you get the rawhide for your shield?

[@Thrand11]

Tandy's leather

[@Norseman311]

I had a oak fall down it's about 3-4 ft wide. Is it good to have a full piece as a shield?

[@fransthefox9682]

Hey Thrand. Some people say that you can't thrust with a curved sword. (I know it's false.) Can you test it with some curved swords (katana, sabre, etc.) on some targets like ballistic gel or something similar?

[@Thrand11]

Simon The Digger sure have done it before could do a special video on it.

[@fransthefox9682]

ThegnThrand Oh, I didn't see that.

[@TheShadowlt]

Where you can find a video or a description of how to make such shield?

[@Thrand11]

Working on a special edited video showing its construction but had put in on the back burner for a wile. Was also unsure if should release on Pareaon or just KZbin. Might do a short video for KZbin and full version for KZbin!

[@sf90001]

Would you be able to make a shield that’s concave rather than flat? I believe a curved surface would definitely deflect blows and arrows better than a flat surface.

[@Thrand11]

We have never found a true lenticular shield from the Viking age only depictions that I know of them.

[@Gloin79]

A concave shield seems to be less effective at deflecting because they are more stable and don't get turned as easily. I think the flat center grip shields would deflect blows by turning

[@sf90001]

Might make a good test to try and make one, especially since we know they made shields from planks.

[@Thrand11]

True each plank would have to be cut from a tree in the proper shape like the Greek Aspis or Hoplon but Greeks used popular and willow. would be interesting to see how a lenticular Viking shield age shield would hold up.

[@sf90001]

I wonder if rather than cutting and thinning the shield if it would be possible to assemble it and then bend it. That might be too complex/time consuming since we want something that the average person could make themselves.

[@mattaffenit9898]

So, semi-unrelated question. Would spear and shield be more common, or shieldless spear? Also... what exactly is an atgeirr? I've seen/ heard a lot of things, but nothing consistent. Edit: To clarify, I've oft seen them called proto-halberds and depicted as axe-like polearms akin to a voulge, but I know Hurstwic thinks they're closer to a glaive. Have there been any actual finds of atgeirrar, or textual references to their visage?

[@Thrand11]

Hard to answer spears were used two handed in sagas with shield slung on back with carry strap just for that purpose but spear and shield can be used in shield walls and formations plus two handed can be used standing from behind shield men and even more effective. So close call I would say two handed more common and sword and axe and shield as pair being more common but this is guess due to function and use.

[@mattaffenit9898]

ThegnThrand Good to know, thanks.

[@guitar-guy2087]

Hey thrand I was looking at your name in the into and saw the rune writing and I was wondering if its elder futhark?

[@Thrand11]

Yes it is and Brad Lynn created it for me.

[@guitar-guy2087]

@@Thrand11 if I'm not mistaken the runes on the last letter D says ELD GRIM what does it mean? EDIT: Oh I think it refers to the viking champion right?

[@Thrand11]

Eldgrim is a name and was part of the channel a year ago or more.

[@brianknezevich9894]

Gokstad replica vs your Viking weaponry collection? Should happen..

[@Thrand11]

Brian Knezevich It sorta did in first reply to Joerg Sprave only difference planks got half as thin but appeared to make no difference in strentgh or stopping ability just flex and weight. Why I find rawhide most important part and how it is adhered to it much like a composite bow.

[@dreammfyre]

What's the weight of the shield? I just watched a bunch of videos on the Greek/Spartan shields here on KZbin and carrying around those ~20 lbs shields all day doesn't make any sense. Just like this, I think they were a lot lighter and thinner.

[@seamus6387]

And the other thing to think of is the fact that a lot of wood back then was not cut boards but slit out of the log. With the fibers of the wood going the length of the boards they might have been even stronger than this one.

[@tracywu5702]

Home with your shield or ON IT! You're taking the Spartan creed too literally.

[@Buffalo45-70]

A great wealth of information. Thanks Thrand. On Google books there is a free book called the Viking Age by Paul Belloni wrote in the 1800's, a great highly recommended read on warfare and life it's five hundred pages or so taken from various sagas and archeology. I think you'll like it and it will give you a greater insight to the viking age and Scandinavian culture.

[@nikobelik224]

I'd like to see how the shield stands against a hammer. If there is possibility to breake it.

[@cntrlaltgeek]

Nice test. Just so you know, the G in Gökstad is pronounced like the G in Gillette...

[@runkurgan]

cntrlaltgeek Or the Romanian "j" if I may. It's very interesting though. Are you sure it's not mote like the Y in Yugoslavia? Or the European pronunciation of Jutland?

[@holtzappledalton2153]

I hope we can get more quotes

[@diomedes39]

What bow is that?

[@MrTrilbe]

I wonder if any lost stopping power from tilling it down is made up by the flexibility absorbing the impact forces

[@Thrand11]

I believe the stopping power is from the rawhide and the wood just became a hair more flexible not much.

[@MrTrilbe]

I'm not going to argue with the rawhide being the main thing in stopping a blow to the shield from penetrating ( www.bronze-age-swords.com/Clonbrin_shield.htm the testing done on that type of shield proves how resilient a pure leather shield can be, it's also sadly out of most people's price range for destructive testing, it is in it's own right a piece of art as well as the leather workers art). But with the smaller shields you mention being thicker, since they can not spread and dissipate the shock wave of an impact the same way a larger more flexible shield can do. It would be interesting to see high speed footage from the side of the shield to see how much it does flex and how that changes between a metal rimmed and hide rimmed shield

[@bobjoe7508]

And this is just the kind of shield used by raiders which probably used these just for hit and run attacks. More professional soldiers may have had even thicker and well made shields, so in the case of actual shield wall combat, "viking" shields would have worked (and if your in the Great Heathen Army, your not even a viking). I read an article online claiming that "viking" shields wouldn't have survived shield wall combat, so therefore the shield wall never existed, I call bullshit (they used terrible references such as the show Vikings, or The Last Kingdom which use ridiculus immobile stacks of shields) on refuting the use of the shield wall.

[@Thrand11]

The shield in this video would survive shield wall combat and many later century heaters were even weaker than it but could withstand a shield wall. This shield is not weak it will stop a lance or heavy crossbow to a good degree lol

[@A14b19]

WOULD THEY HAVE DOUBLED THE HIDE? MORE TOUGH .OR WOULD WAIGHT BE AN ISSUE.WHAT YOU THINK.THINNER WOOD MOORE HIDE OR SOME THICKNESS WOOD MORE HIDE

[@Thrand11]

Angelo Bi too much hide adds weight so does wood but more hide less wood to a degree is better .

[@CanidaeCanislupus]

@@Thrand11 If you look engineer wise at double T beams and so on you soon find out that the I part is "only" to seperate the _ and upper part who take the load(overly simplified). Looks like the wood does a similar thing with these shields. Would explain why its spruce and so on and not a heavy hardwood (Spruce is 430 to oaks 660 ( kg/fm ) at 0% water). Wood provides stiffness by itself and the space between hide+glue like a double T beam,... and the hide stops the Wood from splintering/breaking. No wonder this thing is so strong. So about double hide or double Wood id say (with my limited knowledge) More wood for a stiffer stronger shield to stand on , punch with or get punched against(blunt damage), more hide would help against piercing damage better (spears arrows). just my 2 cents.

[@WakarimasenKa]

The Goths, and according to Asterix, also the Gauls, proclaimed their leaders by lifting them up on shields.

[@Thrand11]

Agreed and why I find it an enlightening test to see if a thin shield board like the Gokstad ship was valid and a good shield not to mention this one stopped everything thrown at it by I answered Joerg Sprave :)

[@WakarimasenKa]

It also seems obvious to me that they would last long enough to be worth the effort to decorate. A shield like that could be in use for years, with a few minor repairs.

[@HS-su3cf]

Some Roman emperors were also proclaimed by being raised on a shield, at least in the 4th century.

[@Fatespinner]

The big gun is the Thousand Joule Arrow Launcher.

[@Thrand11]

Awww Thanks sorry had forgot the name of it and do not script anything so had no idea what to say. Wonder how it compares to a Crossbow I know it way over powered compared to my bow.

[@markstockford9109]

Your neighbors must think your crazy!

[@Thrand11]

They do but love me I live in Texas most of them collect guns not swords, spears and axes :D

[@markstockford9109]

@@Thrand11 That's cool. I live in Australia which, unlike its international reputation, is actually a total nanny state. We can't even own guns here, or even carry a pocket knife. If I so much as swung a sword or threw a spear in my back yard the neighbors would probably call the cops and I would have the items confiscated by law enforcement for community safety. Even crossbows and sling shots are banned here, as are plastic batons for home defense. Even pepper spray is banned. Only the cops and criminals have guns. Don't give up your rights.

[@Thrand11]

Thanks you and agreed we got the rights a year ago to open carry swords and spears of any kind here in Texas. No crime increase what so ever but love being able to carry my long knives, throwing knives, switch blades and swords no problem what so ever where ever I go.

[@AlexanderWernerJr]

Great video Thrand! You surprised me with that climbing stunt. But now: LESS TALKING, MORE RAIDING!!! >:-O

[@mattaffenit9898]

Alexander Werner Jr But it's almost harvesting season!

[@AlexanderWernerJr]

What's this then, ey? Out for a stroll, are we?

[@mattaffenit9898]

Alexander Werner Jr *_I V Í L L Đ R Í N K F R Ø M Y Ó Ú R S K Ú L L_*

[@magtegi2]

the AAhs are everywhere thrand thegn thrand never changes :)

[@CDKohmy]

If skjoldrs were this durable, why provide 3 for the holmgang duel?

[@CanidaeCanislupus]

Probably because not everyone had them. Leaves even the poorer people with a way to defend them self with shitty shield instead of top of the notch stuff.

[@akakios7386]

Because Holmgang shields were specifically made for ritual duels, and as such were intentionally made fragile.

[@Ascension.z]

Why does anyone talk about the Slavs and what they used?

[@edi9892]

This video is overmonetised! (I had to keep clicking pop-up-adds away) (Many of them said somehthing in French like: _find the guy of your life_ but I'm a guy myself so WTF???)

[@Thrand11]

sorry will look into it

[@jeanladoire4141]

Let him get money dude, i mean, more ads, more content, right ?

[@edi9892]

Jean Ladoire having over five ads is annoying. Moreover, I recently get a lot of ads that have 0 to do with the videos or my personality. That includes stuff for women or little kids and ads in foreign languages... While personalised ads can be creepy, it gets annoying when YT puts you in the wrong category. My mother had some really obscene video recommendations which went well beyond what annoyed me.

[@jeanladoire4141]

edi why do you even watch ads ? Just look away ...

[@edi9892]

ThegnThrand thank you. It's not like I don't want you to earn money, but when I watch you while eating and can't watch the video without putting my fork down is annoying. I don't know how much influence you have over the frequency of the ads, their type (pop-up, skippable, unskippable) or their content. I wonder what you would do, if you have ads on your videos about something you dislike (politics etc.).

[@InqWiper]

0:18 Looks like a bugged character creation screen in some alpha testing.

[@duchessskye4072]

Would just like to say that your helmet looks a bit too big to be a proper viking helmet. From what I have seen, they either did not use any padding, or just very thin such.

[@Thrand11]

We only have one true Viking age helmet find its the Gjermundbu helmet it most likely was not too tightly fit and had room for padding, strapping or both. what are you basing your ideal on art work?en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gjermundbu_helmet

[@duchessskye4072]

Mostly artwork yes, although also the fact that textile was not cheap then. They did not use padded armors, and there's no indication that they used padding under mail either That leads me to believe that padding under helmets would have been minimal

[@demomanchaos]

I take it you have never heard of these things called "Gambesons" have you mate? Linen and wool were not exactly rare, nor were hides and fur. The Dark Age people weren't idiots, and they would have known that padding helps you not die when struck by an axe blow. I can't imagine them being too dim to wear a bit of padding or some thick clothing in an attempt to put off going to Valhalla until after they've looted all the women and valuables from their enemies' towns.

[@duchessskye4072]

I know perfectly well what a gambeson is, and I also know perfectly well that they were not used by the vikings (or from what I can tell anyone else during the dark ages) Padding under armor was worn by the Romans in the shape of the Subarmalis, and was probably adopted by other cultures, but padding as armor was a concept that was discovered later during the start of the High medieval ages There's no mentions of them in any saga, there's no artwork depicting them and they're not documented in any period sources. They simply did not exist back then. There's no evidence to support the fact that they wore padding under the mail either, although that part still remains more likely than the former

[@CelticGod220]

War braids are also a thing for padding. So a helm should be a little big to make room for war braids or padding packed in. Unless you have one with the basket straps. Then shaved so it sticks to yer head better.

[@Bravo1486]

Leave with your shield, or on it!

[@CyprinusCarpioDiem]

Thrand, you need a beard sir.

[@Thrand11]

I use to have one lol

[@CyprinusCarpioDiem]

@@Thrand11 grow it back! Thats where a Vikings power come from! (Other than gold,glory,honor,no fear of death, and constant training.)

[@Thrand11]

:D

[@christominello]

Hmm... I think you love that shield too much, as I would. We need to fund another shield that you intend to destroy to see what it takes to destroy it, best weapon to use against it, etc.

[@Thrand11]

Plan on making more shields like it soon :D

[@Alagachak]

Ah nothing like having a loving, caring, woman behind your camera... 'I'am gonna laugh at you...' :

[@Thrand11]

Very true :D

[@Agreus-WolfsbaneYT]

The vikinhs were smarther than saxons rhas for sure

[@Thrand11]

LOL Ja!!!

[@gps8958]

Love the voice of female reason in the background lol

[@anthonypantano2627]

you should try Lord of the Rings online its free to join

[@jorgeguanche5327]

Kevlar in ancient times.....viking shields b!tches !!!!!

[@v.sandrone4268]

Buy a metric/imperial tape measure they are not expensive.

[@v.sandrone4268]

My mistake. Thanks for the effort though I must admit I find it frustrating to have imperial units used when I am so interested in the topic. Edit: I have downvoted my comment in shame!

[@runkurgan]

V. S If I may offer a solution? Just try and have some dimensions memorised, like 1/8th is half a cm (if I remember correctly) and then you could extrapolate from that. It's what works for me. The interesting part (for me) here is how different a mind that thinks in inches works.

[@v.sandrone4268]

runkurgan Thanks. I am pretty good with the conversion of many units ft, yd, miles, mph, fps, lbs, lbf, psi or even multiple inches but fractions of inches excluding 1/1000s, are not often used by me and to do the conversion does not come easy on the fly. I do get annoyed and feel that a speaker does not care about me as a listener when they want to communicate with me. It would be like if threw words into a sentence with you in a language that I spoke and you did not. I make an effort to be able to translate from imperial to metric but sometimes get caught out with the myriad ad-hoc approaches of the imperial 'system'. While I thank you for your advice, I find it a bit annoying that I need to learn more conversion factors to be able to learn more about what interests me. As an aside, can you convert between the units I mentioned above and the metric system?

[@v.sandrone4268]

Are most of your viewers American? Otherwise, most people do NOT understand inches.

[@Thrand11]

V. S I showed it in meteric and inches. The tape is reversible. Meteric one side inches other.

[@v.sandrone4268]

ThegnThrand my mistake though most units where imperial. My personal favourite (or favorite for your benefit) was at 4:38 "so most people could understand an 1/8 to a 1/16 of an inch"

[@v.sandrone4268]

Jotunn Dovregubben Why?

[@v.sandrone4268]

Jotunn Dovregubben I find mental calculations involving 1/16 not so easy. Just because you are used to them does not make it them more natural. I understand mm easier than x/16 , x/32, x/32 of an inch.

[@v.sandrone4268]

Jotunn Dovregubben what is the natural body represented by 1/16 inch?