Age of Ultron Captain America shield handles

Valor · Jan 26, 2015

I haven't seen a thread dedicated to this, so here we go. I'm kind of fascinated at the new design of the handles Cap is sporting on his shield in Avengers AOU. At first it seemed he was handling it with some sort of magnets on his wrists. Recently, two images show a filing handle system in use. The HotToys Cap figure shows the best view of Cap holding one of the handles while the forearm seems to be attached to the shield. Also, the cracked shield that was seen at cons shows the dual handle system. I'm kind of sad to see the leather harness go away, but I like the functional design here. How long before someone is offering kits of these handles ?

Peek73 · Jan 27, 2015

After making my own set of his earlier version, I think I'll leave this one up to someone like..........YOU.

Valor · Jan 27, 2015

A significantly different challenge. The design requires a more complex tooling procedure than the original. It could be built and cast from resin, but strength would be an issue. Also, for it to function with the magnets on the wrist, it would need to be made from ferrous metal. .... sounds expensive.

I do think I like the design. A couple things bother me. Can he use the shield when in civilian clothes? I see there's a hand hold, but what about a forearm attachment if he isn't wearing the magnetic gauntlets?

Peek73 · Jan 27, 2015

I see the one handle but it looks like the other might fold out as well? I agree with you though I like the older style.

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Casey009 · Jan 27, 2015

If you look, the old brackets are the same as the ones you make Valor. It seems like it's meant to be interchangeable with the leather straps which would be in civilian cloths... You just take off all the leathers and the two pentagon shaped parts, and where the metal pentagon shapes went onto you would slide the two new handles in place and locknut down. Makes way more sense to just have ONE handle system though or every time he had to suit-down he'd have to swap out the handles.

Valor · Jan 27, 2015

Yeah, I see there's still the pentagon structure underneath. But I can't believe the leather straps will swap in and out through the film. I suspect this is the new shield. I also suspect they have an answer to all this and I'll just have to be patient to see.

Casey009 said:
If you look, the old brackets are the same as the ones you make Valor. It seems like it's meant to be interchangeable with the leather straps which would be in civilian cloths... You just take off all the leathers and the two pentagon shaped parts, and where the metal pentagon shapes went onto you would slide the two new handles in place and locknut down. Makes way more sense to just have ONE handle system though or every time he had to suit-down he'd have to swap out the handles.

The Full Armor · Jan 27, 2015

I'm starting work on designing these and will be posting updates on my AOU build thread.
http://www.therpf.com/f78/age-ultron-costume-project-captain-america-iron-man-mark-43-ultron-230947/

GeneralFROSTY · Jan 27, 2015

I really like the new design myself but also share the concerns of you guys. We're looking at this from a standpoint of how easily we can make something and wield it - which I'm sure the prop department did not have in mind when designing it for the film.
That being said, we still have three movies featuring the older design.
As Valor pointed out, having the new ones made would either require some pretty expensive tooling if done in metal - or sacrifice strength by making them in resin.

Valor · Jan 27, 2015

Waitaminute!! Is this why my last 3 sets of Shield brackets isn't selling

Fly4v · Jan 28, 2015

Looks like an over-engineered solution for something that didn't need fixing.

"I know engineers, they love to change things!"

Hopefully this is a new shield and the Cap still has his old one.
But, we now know why Cap and Stark have their final falling out. Cap left his shield unattended and Stark did that to.

Tengu3 · Jan 28, 2015

Hi Steve,

Thank you so much for starting this new thread on the RPF. I've been puzzled by this since I saw the new Hot Toys figure's shield. This explaines those silver forms on Cap's new costume's upper forearm and on the back of his hand.

Though if he has a folding grab handle, why does he need anything on the back of his hand? Is that so he can keep his fingers free to hold other things?

It's great to see the names already popping up here. If any group of people can figure out how to do this, it's you lot.

We just need Chris Fields here, and a couple of others and it'll be a party!

Would resin coated craft-foam forms be strong enough, but light weight to work with small powerful rare-earth magnets, instead of making a fully ferrous metal form?

No tooling up costs. Craft foam is cheap and easy to work with, and the coating would give it a rigidity and allow it to paint up like metal.

Just shotgunning.

I think Marvel Studios made this change in the shield brackets just to frustrate the replica prop modelers out there. "Let's see them make THIS!," I can almost hear them laughing.

AoU - Cap - Hot Toys - shield folding handle.jpg

A-AoU unifrom mounting points for shield.jpg

A-AoU uniform w mounting points for shield at red arrows.jpg

Kevin Gossett · Jan 28, 2015

Craft foam won't be strong enough to support the weight of the shield.

Tengu3 · Jan 28, 2015

Which shield? The heavy spun aluminum? I agree, unfortunately.

The airsoft shield made of PVC is much lighter, in part because the diameter is just over 22" Grey Matter, here at the RPF has successfully used sheets of PVC foam core board (used in outdoor advertising signs) to craft brackets. Perhaps that might do better?

My main gripe with the PVC airsoft shield is that the center star is slightly too big for the overall proportion of the shield. But that didn't stop me from getting one.

Here's a photo of Grey Matter's PVC airsoft shield, under 5 lbs complete with leather straps.

Grey Matter - RPF - AIRSOFT Shield project - complete - PS shadows and cropped.jpg

Kevin Gossett said:
Craft foam won't be strong enough to support the weight of the shield.

Valor · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks for the pics and discussion folks ... And I saw that new Cap pic. What I wonder is ... Is that a forearm strap? (green arrow)

And, I wonder about the physical attachment. I heard magnets are the theory. But, The attachment points on the glove and forearm seem to be more of a receiver for a clip of some sort. One facing backwards, one facing forwards to sort of clasp the clips on a shield. Which I don't see any sign of on the actual shield. Curious

Tengu3 · Jan 28, 2015

Yes, I agree it appears that shield is meant to CLIP into place on those mounting points.

Valor said:
Thanks for the pics and discussion folks ... And I saw that new Cap pic. What I wonder is ... Is that a forearm strap? (green arrow)

View attachment 432026

And, I wonder about the physical attachment. I heard magnets are the theory. But, The attachment points on the glove and forearm seem to be more of a receiver for a clip of some sort. One facing backwards, one facing forwards to sort of clasp the clips on a shield. Which I don't see any sign of on the actual shield. Curious

teragon · Jan 28, 2015

The blue strap pointed by your green arrow is there because the magnets are not real, so they had to find a way for Evans to comfortably hold the shield. It's blue to blend in the costume and not be noticed on film. That's my theory at least, but I might be wrong !

Valor · Jan 28, 2015

I suspect you're right. And that's part of what bugs me. I'm kind of a function-first guy. I want this to actually make sense, and if possible work in real life. And I suspect the designers of the prop want that too. I would if I were designing this for the film. Better believe I would have real world functionality figured out. Maybe we're learn more as the movie progresses.

teragon said:
The blue strap pointed by your green arrow is there because the magnets are not real, so they had to find a way for Evans to comfortably hold the shield. It's blue to blend in the costume and not be noticed on film. That's my theory at least, but I might be wrong !

- - - Updated - - -

Here's another great bunch of photos (thanks Jake) that show the attachment points. I gotta believe there are corresponding points on the shield bracket somewhere.

teragon · Jan 28, 2015

Maybe the magnets or whatever locking mechanism they used does really work, but is not strong enough to make big movements though. Thus the hidden strap to keep the shield from really flying. But I do believe the idea is indeed for the shield to lock on both attachements on Steve's suits, with two folding handles on both sides so the shield can be worn on both arms. And given that there seem to be a locking piece on the back of the hand, I'd say that not only does Steve need to hold the handle, but the back of the hand holding the handle also locks on the shield too, while the forearm is attached to the shield only by the locking piece.

Valor · Jan 28, 2015

And I may have found it. There's this small detail on the one side of the shield bracket, that seems to conform to the shape and position to the clip on Cap's arm. An attachment point perhaps. This just seems like a bizarre way to solve the "non-problem" of how does cap hold his shield.

Fly4v · Jan 29, 2015

Need a change of colors but it looks like Parks Sabers was ahead of the game with the metal handles.

http://www.parksabers.com/america.html

Age of Ultron Captain America shield handles

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