Makin' Mail

[JIMBOTHEBLACK]

I'm a medieval warefare enthusiest and a collector of medieval weapons.I,ve got a broadsword, a warhammer, a double headed flail etc. and I'd like some armour to go with my growing collection of armaments, and a shield or two would be nice. But as I soon discovered weapons are the cheapest thing on the market. I spent an average of 20-100 dollars on my replicas,I even got my spiked club [which looks exactly like the one my avatar is holding] on clearence for only $16.99. I found a few helmets and even they were 150 or more. Even a small coat of mail, just a basic chain shirt costs $400 plus, a suit of full plate armour can go for a good grand and a half, and full body chain mail, don't even ask.It was then that I heard about people who made thier own chainmail and it sounds like my only hope.So if anybody out there can tell me how to go about it, where to buy materials, or has any other helpful advice for ye olde geeke, it would be greatly appreciated.Hurry, the other enthusiests are laghing at me and calling me a cheap knave!

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Google is your friend. Making armor'd take a long time, though, I think.

 

[der_kluge]

Do what I intend to do.

1. Collect thousands of "pop tabs" from soda cans.
2. Buy some floral wire, or similar.
3. Construct your own chainamil armor.

I saw a guy wearing something like this to GenCon several years ago. It's totally feasible, though I suspect quite time consuming. I have an idea on how to do it that I think will greatly simplify the process. I may even patent it.

 

[Greatwyrm]

It takes time. Lots of it. Aside from that, pretty much everything you need you can find at a hardware store.

I usually used galvanized fencing wire. I used to use 12ga mostly, but after a couple of years, my hands just couldn't take it. I moved down to 18ga and found that much easier to work with.

You'll need a couple of good pairs of needlenose pliers. A way to turn the wire into a tight coil (I can elaborate on that if you can't find anything on google). You'll also need a good way to cut several links at once from the coil. I use a small set of bolt-cutters, but there's probably a better way.

 

[IronWolf]

There are also places that have the pre-made links and even kits that comes with everything you need to make a chainshirt or whatever you want.

Here are a couple of links to sites that have some of the supplies:

http://www.mayhemltd.com/arms-chainmail.htm
http://www.talisart.com/chainmail_links.htm
http://www.chainmailman.com/mmmframe.html?/material.html~main

There are others out there on the net, I have not dealt with any of these, just found them after a quick Google search. Looking at Renaissance Fair web pages will usually yield some good links to others that may sell chainmail kits.

 

[Kaylen]

So you want to make chainmail? Great! I actually just learned myself about 2 months ago. I've nearly completed my first mail shirt and i've made a few other things as well. Bracelets, necklaces, dice bags...

I've found a few good websites since I started

Mail Artsan's
http://www.mailleartisans.org
which has forums on nearly every topic and people that are great on dealing with questions.

The Ring Lord
Theringlord.com
Is a mail supplies store, no you can't buy many finished things, but they sell hauberk patterns, rings, wire, pliers mandrels

SCA sites usually have different rules for different chapters, if you're interested in fighting in armor....

generally their accepted ring size is 3/8'' inner diameter with 14swg rings.

Wire, always have to have wire.

I was told to use galvanized steel to start, because it's cheap and easy to find, so if you don't want to do it or don't have the time you're out only a few bucks. it's usually 2.50 or so for 100' of wire for 16g and about twice that for 14. Some sites on the net offer different types. stainless steel is stronger but harder to work with because of that. Titanium is super tough and half the weight but again harder to work with. other metals are out there, auminum, which is super easy to bend, bronze, brass or whatever.

second you'll need something to wrap it around, called a mandrel. this is basically a round steel bar with a hole in it for the wire to get started. they sell them in different diameters at home depot's, lowes and many hardware stores. On the mailleartisans.org site there are several articles on drill vs hand winding and also some mandrel brace designs I recommend reading them to get an idea of coiling.

cutters, aviation shears or a hacksaw are my two methods of cutting. A hacksaw for finer things, like jewelry and aviation shears for armor links. use the yellow handled straight cut ones, they are what i've seen most often recommended.

Pliers, you'll need a set you like. I've heard linesman pliers prefered for a lot of armor weaving, esp with the stronger metals. I use one pair needlnose, 6.5 inch kobalt, and one pair flat nose. It's been recommended that an identical pair be used. My needlenose have serrations, flatnose doen't. the serrations easily mar lighter material, even the galvanized steel can be scratched with them. So, if you're worried about how the rings will look on close inspection, you should probably use non serrated pliers. check jewelry stores or online sources, most hardware stores will only have the grippy ones.

the mail artisans site has lots of instructionals on how to start. the most common weaves for mail were (this is the european common) 4 in 1 and 6 in 1. Meanign that 4 or 6 rings passed through each other ring. 6 in o 1 is at you would expect, about half again as heavy, It is also not as flexible. 4 in 1 has a good amount of fles to it, in the horizontal dimension. Vertically both weaves do not flex.

Lots of Luck

David

 

[Rel]

I've never tried this but I talked to a guy one time who said that he ordered a BIG batch of key-rings from some company and then was just hooking them together. Obviously this isn't going to make terribly realistic or functional armor but it strikes me as being a lot easier than making the rings by yourself.

I found these that are only 5/16 of an inch (after considerable googling): http://www.mrlock.com/eshop/locks/35136BX.html

 

[Kaylen]

The key ring link says they're 7 dollars for a hundred. At 5/16'' you're going to spend about 700 bucks for rings. It takes an average of 10k to 12k rings to make a hauberk. Honestly, winding the links is quite simple and if you use a drill, not all that time consuming. I get about 1k links from 100' of galvanized steel which is only 2.50.

David

 

[Stone Angel]

you could easily make some, well I don't know how easy in theory any how, by some washers at a tool or bolt store. You would have to snip, or grind through the washer then using some sodder and the stuff that plumbers use to sweat on pipes you could fissure them back together once you had them all interlocked. I have no idea how long this would take. A probably about three hours to fix your washers another few to interlink them and then prolly a day to heat them back together.

I suppose that is more like ring mail but it is the best I can come up with. I don't know of anywhere that sells mesh chain like the ones they use for armor.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[nakia]

So you want to make chainmail? Great! I actually just learned myself about 2 months ago. I've nearly completed my first mail shirt and i've made a few other things as well. Bracelets, necklaces, dice bags...

David knows what he's talking about. He made me a rocking dice bag! Now my dice are well protected, except from piercing weapons.

(Hi David!)