Medieval knight shield with umbo

The knight's shield, or heater shield, developed around the end of the 12th century from the Norman kite shield. Heater shields take their name from Victorian historians, who thought the shape resembled a Victorian flat iron. These shields were considerably smaller than the earlier Norman kite shields, offering less protection to the left leg whilst being much more manoeuvrable. At the beginning of the 13th century, heater shields were employed alongside the larger Norman kite shields. Later, only heater shields and bucklers were utilised. These shields remained in use on the battlefield until the 14th century and continued to be employed afterwards for tournament purposes.

The shield is reinforced with steel in the shape of a cross for added strength and features a steel boss. On the reverse, a steel handle is fitted to ensure a secure grip. Crafted from wood and based on depictions found in medieval manuscripts and sculptures, the shield is well-suited to medieval reenactors.