The Armour Archive

As of now, my hauberk is waist length, and will hopefully be down to my knees. Here are my questions:

1) Should I add an expanding row at the waist to allow for more room so I can spread my legs, or no?

2) Which is best, a straight split front and back, or 45 degree splits?

1) I never added expanding rows at the waist for leg movement, the split will do that for you. On the other hand, if you need it for belly expansion that's another thing.

2) I am far from an expert but I have never seen 45 degree splits at the bottom of hauberks, always straight ones.

Pad

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L'Armurerie du Roi
webmaster@armurerieduroi.com

Thanks! No, the belly aint a problem (i'm only 110#)! Actually I have seen 45's but was curious about them.

3) How many rings wide should the split be? I'm guessing about 3.

It should only be one ring wide. That is, the "missing" linking ring.

Why would a gap be a good idea?


Effingham

I suspect many of the 45 splits you refer to are actually straight splits which pull apart under the weight of the mail. I prefer using expansions for 5 or 6 inches over the hips to make the split hang straight. A ring or two per row is adequate.

ahh, i was gonna make a knee lenght hauberk, but got lazy and its gonna be a haubergoon down to the thighs plus dags. i am almost done, just need to add about 6 inches lenght, the dags, and the sleeves. i am hoping i can gewt this done in FRI and SAT since i need it for school on monday. another reason y i dropped the knee lenght idea. but go ahead, if u wanna make it knee lenght.

out of curiousity, ur a mailler, have u ever checked out www.mailleartisans.org ? great place for maille, tons of articles and tutorials and like 300 something different weaves. its awesome

http://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.cgi?key=6844 is a direct link to a M.A.I.L. article I wrote on this topic. Scroll down to "Options For The Body Barrel" for my take on expansions in hauberk skirts (I like them too). They address a problem in divided mail skirts; they need a little extra to compensate for mail's habit of not hanging straight if it's laid out in a freehanging square, but to contract into a tapered configuration.

[This message has been edited by Konstantin the Red (edited 11-27-2003).]

Hehe.
I love the article about getting in and out of your hauberk. I always use a friend to help me, so I dont look like a fool crawling on the floor, scooting backwards out of this steel sweater!

i got it all figured out so i dont look *much* like a fool. just bend all the way over and shake and pull it off. let the weight do the work.

Methinks your hauberk may be a little too tight, M'lord. You should just be able to shuck it by bending way down and doing the shimmy.

Actually... it is.
I made it that way on purpose to tell you the truth. I don't have any padding for it yet, so I wanted to be able to wear it without it looking like it was made for someone 2x my size.
That... and I have this giant of a friend who, whenever he wears the maille that I make, complains about how small it is, then insists (whines like a little girl) that he wear it while we fight. Then, he blows holes in it, some on the 45 degree seams (which are evil to repair). Sooo. I've resorted to making things small. Really small. So small, he can't squeeze in!

I say hello to your big friend...

...and now that I've got his attention, I tell him he should only make his own mailshirt -- and you can help him, Artemis. Then your giant friend can use mail as it was intended, rather than sausage-stuffing himself into undersized shirts. Don't enable him any more: teach. Insist he do it right, that he may be happier in the end. Accept no excuses.

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."

I already taught him, and even offered to help make his shirt. He's just too lazy to take the time. He made a 6" square of maille and decided that it was too much work.

Twist his arm.

Twist it repeatedly.

Especially since he's already gotten a start. Make it a friends-over-to-help-weave thing. Get in his face with such powerful willingness to help that he cannot well refuse you.

If he wants to have the reward, it's time for him to suck it in and pay the dues, and you can tell him I said so. I wouldn't accept any answer but "Yes." No more immaturity out of him about it, and you can tell him I said that, too.

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">i got it all figured out so i dont look *much* like a fool. just bend all the way over and shake and pull it off. let the weight do the work.</font>

I've seen a 14th century picture of a guy doing exactly that, so I'd say your bending over qualifies as living history.

Is it rivetted or butted mail? If the latter, you'll probably want to reinforce the top of the split (in the mail skirt) by doubling or trebling the ring there.

Good luck and remember: chicks dig mail.