Riveted maille tools?

[Jamestown Fred]

I'm trying to find a good way of punching and riveting links for maille.Tools are the big issue! Ideally they should be as period correct as possible in appearance. Does anyone know of a good way to make such a thing, or even a sounce for them?

I have access to a forge and basic smithing skills, and a co-worker who can work miracles in the forge.

Suggestions?

Thanks, Fred

[Konstantin the Red]

Welcome and well come, Jamestown Fred.

You might, between the two of you, make up a medievalized tool inspired by the modern tool modified for crunching mail rivets seen towards the bottom of this riveted mail thread further down the page. Note too the remarks there about forming the jaw around the upsetting-dimples to get the pent-roof crease in the link overlaps as you squeeze with plenty leverage.

Use a drift to open your rivet holes in the overlaps; your method must be to conserve metal there because there just plain isn't a lot. Whether your drift is round or rectangular-section depends on the century you're making that mail in -- triangular-rivet, a/k/a wedge rivet, mail became more prevalent from the fourteenth century, though it never eliminated round rivet -- though perhaps Gjermundbu-type whiskbroom-shaped rivets (effectively wedge rivets with necks to them) don't appear after the Viking era AFAICS.

No mailler's shop has ever been excavated or preserved. We have a bit of artwork and some successful experimental archaeology to go on.

Update: a new development in the last post in that thread.

[Jamestown Fred]

Yes Thanks, there is quite a bit of good info there!

[Halberds]

The miracle worker on the forge is a blessing.

I bet you guys can make anything.

Best of luck on your quest.

Hal

[Vermillion]

I know Clang made some riveted mail tools that made the process much easier, you might contact him. He posts here once in a while, but email might be more effective.

Clang's Armory
http://clang.adkinssoftware.com/

[leekellerking]

Get Dressed For Battle has swaging tools for both done and triangular rivets and Kult of Athena carries them.

Now, when did triangular rivets start showing up?

[Konstantin the Red]

Triangular-rivet links gained prominence in the fourteenth century. While all-riveted became dominant, even half and half riveted and punched-out solid links still hung on. Explanations for these varied phenomena are probably all pure economics -- what was available, and its price.

[Buster]

After annealing the flattened rings, I hit them lightly with center punch. I then put the ring on a hard stump, put a 16g wire nail in the center punch indentation, and strike it squarely with a hammer. This pierces a small opening through.
Then you can usually put an 18 gauge wire nail through (started with some light hammer tapping), trim it, and peen it.

[Gaston de Clermont]

You make it sound easy, Buster!