Caring/Reforming Indian Dhal Shields?

AkaaliSingh · 14th April 2016, 08:39 PM

Hi all , sorry for so many treads! I've got this dhal and wanted to reshape it slightly just so its flat along the edge. Does anybody know how this can be done?

Any information on what hide this is? It is rhino? What do you guys use to maintain your leather dhals? I don't think pre lim and renaissance wax works well on leather..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glzFgMHlr5Y I've seen examples for normal leather but not for dhals that have been hardened... My thinking would be you have to wet and vacuum form it around a wooden cast/mould?

I'm also looking for G.N Pants book called the Indian Shield.. apparently it has a lot to offer on this topic! Can anybody share pages from this book if they have it?

Thank you regards A.s

kahnjar1 · 14th April 2016, 10:02 PM

Hi Akaali,
Firstly I should say that I have never tried to flatten a leather shield. The normal way to reshape leather is to wet it and then dry in some sort of jig to keep the shape you want, but I would not be too keen to do this here in case the decoration that is left is removed altogether. Perhaps a better way might be to use a source of steam on the under side, and some sort of adjustable "clamp" to GENTLY flatten the shield as it softens. It would be a pity to crack the surface in the process.....
Just an idea anyway.
Stu

kahnjar1 · 18th April 2016, 06:20 AM

It surprises me that no one else has ventured here! I for one would like to know what others think, and I am sure that Akaali would also like to know.
Stu

AkaaliSingh · 19th April 2016, 12:06 PM

Thank you kahnjar for your replies! I am currently testing this method on another warped dhal. It has a worse warp than this.

I applied steam on both sides on the sections that I intended to flex back into shape..

Next i wiped off the steam/residue and then applied pressure with weights ( around 50kgs) on top of the shield while the shield is laying flat. I have left the shield in this position and also heated up the room with a small heater and left it running over night to dry out any of the moisture..

Its been in this position for around 20 hours..

will post my findings soon. I may have to repeat this process 2-3x times for the flatter result i'm looking for.

drac2k · 19th April 2016, 01:30 PM

Do you think it would help to first permeate your shield with a leather conditioner like Pecards so that it might make it more pliable and less prone to cracking during the "reshaping ," process ?

Martin Lubojacky · 19th April 2016, 03:01 PM

Hi,
I have no experience with painted Indian shields. Nevertheless in the case of Ethiopian shields I used to put the shields completely into the water in order to get damp. After then I usually used system of wooden concentric circles (made of board) which I prepared myself in accordance with the dimensions of the shield (bottom wooden circle base with cut out for handle an upper with big cut out for domed body of the shield). I clamped peripheries of the wooden circles by several joinery clumps. Once I also used "pyramid system" of buckets heavy-laden with some weight to form the domed body. It always worked, but the shield must copletely dry before it is unclumped.

After than the treatment depends ... I some time use lanolin dissolved in technical petrol, some time I only wax it. I n any case you have to count with the fact, that the shield will probably react on changes of the air humidity and in some cases it could slightly change its shape again.

Martin

14th April 2016, 08:39 PM	#1
AkaaliSingh Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 31	Caring/Reforming Indian Dhal Shields? Hi all , sorry for so many treads! I've got this dhal and wanted to reshape it slightly just so its flat along the edge. Does anybody know how this can be done? Any information on what hide this is? It is rhino? What do you guys use to maintain your leather dhals? I don't think pre lim and renaissance wax works well on leather.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glzFgMHlr5Y I've seen examples for normal leather but not for dhals that have been hardened... My thinking would be you have to wet and vacuum form it around a wooden cast/mould? I'm also looking for G.N Pants book called the Indian Shield.. apparently it has a lot to offer on this topic! Can anybody share pages from this book if they have it? Thank you regards A.s Attached Images

18th April 2016, 06:20 AM	#3
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,741	No other ideas?? It surprises me that no one else has ventured here! I for one would like to know what others think, and I am sure that Akaali would also like to know. Stu

14th April 2016, 10:02 PM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,741	Hi Akaali, Firstly I should say that I have never tried to flatten a leather shield. The normal way to reshape leather is to wet it and then dry in some sort of jig to keep the shape you want, but I would not be too keen to do this here in case the decoration that is left is removed altogether. Perhaps a better way might be to use a source of steam on the under side, and some sort of adjustable "clamp" to GENTLY flatten the shield as it softens. It would be a pity to crack the surface in the process..... Just an idea anyway. Stu

19th April 2016, 12:06 PM	#4
AkaaliSingh Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 31	Thank you kahnjar for your replies! I am currently testing this method on another warped dhal. It has a worse warp than this. I applied steam on both sides on the sections that I intended to flex back into shape.. Next i wiped off the steam/residue and then applied pressure with weights ( around 50kgs) on top of the shield while the shield is laying flat. I have left the shield in this position and also heated up the room with a small heater and left it running over night to dry out any of the moisture.. Its been in this position for around 20 hours.. will post my findings soon. I may have to repeat this process 2-3x times for the flatter result i'm looking for.

19th April 2016, 01:30 PM	#5
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,232	Do you think it would help to first permeate your shield with a leather conditioner like Pecards so that it might make it more pliable and less prone to cracking during the "reshaping ," process ?

19th April 2016, 03:01 PM	#6
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Hi, I have no experience with painted Indian shields. Nevertheless in the case of Ethiopian shields I used to put the shields completely into the water in order to get damp. After then I usually used system of wooden concentric circles (made of board) which I prepared myself in accordance with the dimensions of the shield (bottom wooden circle base with cut out for handle an upper with big cut out for domed body of the shield). I clamped peripheries of the wooden circles by several joinery clumps. Once I also used "pyramid system" of buckets heavy-laden with some weight to form the domed body. It always worked, but the shield must copletely dry before it is unclumped. After than the treatment depends ... I some time use lanolin dissolved in technical petrol, some time I only wax it. I n any case you have to count with the fact, that the shield will probably react on changes of the air humidity and in some cases it could slightly change its shape again. Martin