Kilt or celtic weaponry...

[Woodsheal]

is the targe a wood center finished by leather? If not what material did you use or would you suggest? This will be for display only, and not for stopping anything (except for the odd dish if my wife find out about the creidt card bill )

I use half-inch plywood, with thick cowhide for the front face, thin deer or calfskin for the back. Brass tacks in various sizes, and upholstery nails can be obtained at your local furniture refinishing/upholstery store....

[Iolaus]

I use half-inch plywood, with thick cowhide for the front face, thin deer or calfskin for the back. Brass tacks in various sizes, and upholstery nails can be obtained at your local furniture refinishing/upholstery store....

What do you do for the edge, just stretch the cowhide around?

[Woodsheal]

What do you do for the edge, just stretch the cowhide around?

I rasp and sand the edge of the wood so it's rounded and smooth. The front piece of leather I cut so it's a few inches greater in diameter than it needs to be. I then make 1 inch triangular cuts around that diameter, so that it ends up looking like a big circular saw blade.

I then thoroughly wet the leather all around its diameter to make it pliable, then begin pulling it over and nailing it to the back. I do this by nailing at opposite sides of a "clock face" if you follow me. I.E., I'll pull the leather over and nail it at the 12 o'clock position, then 6 o'clock, then 9, then 3, etc. This will result in it being more uniform and not bulging or bunching in spots.

When it's all nailed around the back, and the leather has dried and tightened into place, I trim off the points of the "sawblade" I mentioned earlier.

The thinner back piece of leather can either lie under, or go over the nailed back front piece. The former is easier; the latter is the method seen on most originals. I also put padding - usually wool fabric - under the back leather, too, doubly thick under the arm area.

Most originals are 19" in diameter....