One of my members is building a dragon-wing-shaped shield:



While I think the concept is interesting and could look great - and maybe even be effective - I'm concerned about the handle style:



Rather than the traditional leather strap, he insisted on building up a construction that allows holding the back of the hand under the handle. Keeping in mind that this is not finished and could have padding added to it, what do you think of it? Any experiences with such a handle?

-Hårdgrim of Monachium

If I were him, and wanted that style of handle, I would use a plastic trowel handle. The first time someone steps on that wood handle it's going to snap. Otherwise, I've seen rigid plastic handles on a lot of shields, and have never heard of an injury because of them.

However, I have personally been injured by someone using a solid metal handle. They reached out and hit me on the shoulder with it, and it put me out of fighting for the rest of the weekend; **** hurts. So, I would warn against using a solid metal handle.

Solid handles like this are more of a danger to the user than anyone else. This is a game that allows the kicking and manipulation. I've seen a solid handle strike a fighter in the face after a solid shield kick. He was lucky to avoid losing teeth.

There is no rule that would prevent such a handle, but many experienced fighters would council against it.

If one padded the whole handle arrangement in a manner similar to courtesy padding on a haft, would it be save enough to avoid the loss of teeth? I have no experience in taking rigid surfaces to the face yet.

Padding the handle, if you choose to use a solid plastic handle, would be advisable. The chances of hitting yourself in the face with your own handle is unlikely. The danger to others once the shield is dropped is more concerning.

Tripping on the handle or falling teeth-first into it? It seems like entanglement is pretty universal as a danger.

The only danger I see is if the shield is dropped with the handle facing up, and a person were to fall on it. In that case, I see it as a dangerous projection. That being said, these types of handles are common in both Bel and Dag, and I've never heard of an injury resulting from one. This is just speculation.

If you argue entanglement on the back of that shield, you have to argue it on every single shield on the field that has an arm strap.