The Armour Archive

My queue is getting short again and I'd like to get a shirt order or two in the works. Ideally, I'd like at least one order to be a mantle top shirt like this: http://tinyurl.com/lsoyq9. It doesn't have to have the integral mittens and coif but it can be.

Normally, I'd charge more for a mantle-top but since this is an experiment (I haven't done one in the small ring sizes) I'll charge the same price as a normal shirt (doesn't include coif or mittens) for the first mantle-top order. In addition, I'll knock $25 off the long aventail price with your order and provide free shipping to the US as well ($30 worldwide).

Depending on size, my shirts vary in price from $300 to $500. A 22" long (from armpit), 48" chest, short sleeved shirt would be around $375 in the 3/16" (5.6mm actual) stainless ring size.

Payment will not be due until your order is ready to ship. From the time you give me your measurements (see below) it shouldn't take more than a month to make your shirt (it may take as little as two weeks depending on my work load).

I'll need the following measurements over any for a normal shirt:

Front - armpit to armpit across front.
Back - armpit to armpit across back.
Armpit - width of armpit
Fall Length - length of shirt from armpit to bottom hem.
Sleeve Length
Bicep - circumference of arm at full flex.
Head - smallest hole you can fit your head through. I can make the head hole smaller and make it a lace up front with leather for $10 extra.

For a mantle shirt I will also need to know the following -

Sleeve angle - Desired angle of the sleeves from the body.
Elbow - Circumference of elbow when full bent.
Wrist - Smallest hole you can fit your hand through.

I don't need the last two measurements if you want elbow length or shorter sleeves.

I will also offer a discount on normal shirts as well.

-Ben

What would the estimated price be on the following:
Regular shirt

front 22"
back 24"
armpit 7"
chest 58"
fall 26"
sleeve: elbow length @12"

Thanks,
Bear

I'll need your bicep as well for a firm price. As for total weight it'd be under 9 pounds with a 16" bicep.

EDIT: assuming you have a 16" bicep, it'll be $500 for the mantle style, $475 for a 'normal' shirt.

Pm sent.

-Ben

I got a maile shirt off the archive classifides.
It was the very fine maile, like the mantle and the remnant I received from Atlanta Armory.

I like it... it reminds me of Elvin Maile.
This shirt would be a bikers dream.
However the sleeves should be longer.
The need to cover the elbow in a 70 MPH skid on the pavement is paramount.

Now all we need is some new fine coifs.

Hal

Now all we need is some new fine coifs.

I'll get back to you (and the archive) in a few weeks. Just trying to work out a good pattern (I can't stand the look of those horrible square hoodie things). If you're interested Hal, you can get the first prototype one.

The ring size I'm offering here is larger and coarser than what I've offered in the past. I'm also working on getting a denser ring size that would be better suited to heavy combat. I have a patch of the old 5/32" ring size but it's with thicker wire. It feels like mercury in your hand and is about twice as dense at about 1 pound / square foot. However, it will probably be another 6 months or more until it becomes available.

-Ben

Put me on the interested list for a coif.

I'll work on a pattern this week. Right now it looks like a coif would be $175 - $200 and weigh a little under 1.5 pounds. It would consist of a round top, the usual neck and face protection, and would have one of my mantles attached as well. It also looks like the most efficient (least expensive) way to do it is to have an almost teardrop face. I'll see if I can work around that but that will probably be the way the first couple are made. It will also have a slit at the back of the neck that can be laced with leather to allow for ease of movement.

I'll post when I've made the first one.

-Ben

BTW, once I've got the pattern down I'd be happy to do an integrated coif with the shirt. It looks like it'd only be an extra $115.

I have a hard time precisely visualizing the difference between a mantle shirt and regular maille.

It can wait till Ben can make one, but does anyone have any good visual examples to show the difference?

Thanks.

A normal shirt has the sleeves hanging 'open' and require a 90 degree seam in th armpits. The head gole is square since the shirt is basically a square piece with sleeves and a chest.

A mantle shirt is a round section with sleeves and a chest section added on. The sleeves hang 'closed' and the head hole is round.

There aren't many photos that I know of since they are fairly rare but there are several out there, I just can't seem to find them.

-Ben