The Armour Archive

So I know I want/need to add maille to my early 13th century impression, but have blown the lion's share of armoring budget for the next six months on one of Shamrock's faceplated crusader helms.
Considered doing butted mail from door-springs, but would rather have riveted.
With two small kids, a full-time job, and full-time school, my time is limited to a couple hours a night of family tv time. That means cutting pre-coiled wire is as about as intense as I want to get with non-weaving.
Found this recently:
http://www.gkswidgets.com/ririco41pc.html
and it looks pretty encouraging.

Does anyone have any other sources for loose rings, already flattened and punched, with rivets?
How about a source for solid, flattened rings, to speed up weaving, and give that period half riveted, half stamped look?
Anyone have any words of wisdom on pursuing such a project?
FWIW, I'm looking at doing a camaille, sleeves, and fauld initially, and then covering with a surcoat.

I think icefalcon carries loose rings.
Historic enterprizes also has them.
As for punched rings theringlord.com stocks them.
compare prices between materials and the finished product.
figure out how much time you need to invest.

Most of the time your better off makeing something else to sell then investing that into your maille.
With the labor rates overseas Maille is something you do for your own enjoyment.

Those rings are from GDFB. If you order from them they are around 20 bucks (tho I can't say what shipping from the UK would be) for 3000 rings and rivets as opposed to 1000.

Of course shipping over the Atlantic might make it cheaper to go with the place you've posted. You'd have to inquire with GDFB.

Christopher

losthelm wrote:compare prices between materials and the finished product.
figure out how much time you need to invest.

Most of the time your better off makeing something else to sell then investing that into your maille.
With the labor rates overseas Maille is something you do for your own enjoyment.

The cost of completed mail put it out of reach right now,and unfortunately the only craft I have mastered enough to resell, is realistic oil painting.
Selling one portrait would pay for my mail. Do you want one?:D

You can make money selling portraits, but generally it requires working full time marketing the work, which I am neither willing nor able to do. Plus, I was thinking of mail-making during down time while watching TV with the fams, so it wouldn't really cost me anything time-wise.

Less than $200 on supplies, especially in increments, and I can do it sitting on the couch while my lady crochets in evenings, will keep the peace in my house much more than spending a month or two's rent on mail.

I got a packet of approximately 5000 loose flat-ring, round riveted maille form Icefalcon for $75.00, picked up a set of small pliers for around $10.00, and made a set of riveting pliers from $7.99 fencing pliers. Just dimpled the tip of the jaws with a Dremmel.

I think I put in about an hour a week. Making this aventail is going to take forever...lol.

Drogo Bryce wrote:

losthelm wrote:compare prices between materials and the finished product.
figure out how much time you need to invest.

Less than $200 on supplies, especially in increments, and I can do it sitting on the couch while my lady crochets in evenings, will keep the peace in my house much more than spending a month or two's rent on mail.

Dude for $200 you can get a finished camaille, no need to make anything.

Cisco wrote:Dude for $200 you can get a finished camaille, no need to make anything.

Sure, but I want sleeves and a fauld as well... Very few folks sell those items, and usually when I find them, they would cost just as much as a hauberk.

Christopher- Thanks! It looks like GDFB also has the solid rings. I will investigate dealing with them directly.