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(More customer reviews)The product description for this item says "This classic cast metal medieval shield is sure to draw attention at the next renaissance fair!"
No. No it would not.
I bought this item, based upon that description, as a prop for a film project in which an actress will be carrying the shield for "actual use" (in other words, it won't be taking hits from weapons but it should look like it could). This shield is not meant to be carried, clearly. Though it comes with a handle and an arm strap, if you can call them that, it also has a chain hanging along the top of the back side to be hung on a wall. Hanging it on the wall is about all this would be good for.
Thank goodness I won't be using the audio from these scenes, because the handle sits so loosely that it rattles around. The handle is made from cheap metal and foam, and looks likely to break at any moment. The arm strap is even worse. It is two strips of plastic strap with velcro on them, which hook into slot on the back of the shield so loosely that they fall out at the slightest movement. I will have to crimp the hooks to get it to stay, and if I had more time I would just want to rig up a different strap altogether because this one could never be seen by anyone without them being totally put off by its cheap appearance.
The shield itself is not bad. Mine came with a big scratch on the front, so if I had bought it as a wall decoration I might be kind of irritated by this, but for my purposes it's actually for the best as it adds authenticity to the prop. The shield is cast from some sort of pot metal, and coated on the front with a satin finish paint in silver. The gold piping seems held on well enough, though I can see the individual solder spots that hold it on. The piping also has a lot of flat areas along the front edge, detracting from the look of the piece.
The lion at the center of the shield is raised far more than it appears in the picture. This is not a bad thing, but something you should be aware of before purchase. The front claws of the lion are not even attached to the front of the shield, and hang in suspension about a quarter inch from the front because of the curvature.
Overall, I am extremely disappointed with this item. It was not exactly cheap at $60.00, but it was marked down from nearly $100.00! For that price, I would expect stainless steel, strong solders, and a handle that doesn't feel like it will break. For this same project, I have ordered a number of armor and weapon items, and many of the items that cost far less than this were crafted from thick stainless steel, and actually look battle ready. This one barely looks wall hanger ready.
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This classic cast metal medieval shield is sure to draw attention at the next renaissance fair! Measures 24 3/4" tall. Tomahawk, XL1415
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