The Armour Archive

My SCA personna is 10th century norse. I'm in the process of making a leather lamellar body armour, and would like to have a 14ga chain hauberk to put on under it, just to make it look better, etc.

It will be a while before I can even think of ordering something like this...but I'd like to get an idea of how much I need to be saving up for.

While I'd like rivited, I think butted will be fine for SCA. I want 14ga instead of 16 (which I see everywhere) because it is (obviously) thicker and sturdier. Mild steel will be fine. I don't want shiney stainless or aluminum.

I'm a fairly big guy. 6'2", 310#. Short sleeved, but mid thigh. Nothing fancy (no dags, no designs, etc.).

Anyone here available to do this, and if so, how much?

*EDIT* - What I'm attempting is sorta like this (the hauberk and lamellar over it): http://www.aaf.org.au/gallery/kit/drew/ ... fullscreen

You want riveted... flat ring, preferably.
https://ssl.perfora.net/www.finditarmor ... shopscript

olaf haraldson wrote:You want riveted... flat ring, preferably.
https://ssl.perfora.net/www.finditarmor ... shopscript

All I found there was 16 gauge. I'm looking for 14 gauge.

Thanks though.

hey az i have daves old butted one floating around some where. i tried to sell it for him a couple years ago when he dropped out but never had any one follow through and pay for it. It might fit but atleast you could check it out first. 160$ and we can get togather to try it on if ya want. no idea what gage the rings are tho..

Adric13 wrote:hey az i have daves old butted one floating around some where. i tried to sell it for him a couple years ago when he dropped out but never had any one follow through and pay for it. It might fit but atleast you could check it out first. 160$ and we can get togather to try it on if ya want. no idea what gage the rings are tho..

Well...are they thin or pretty thick rings?

And, is it mid-thigh, or stop at the waist?

I might be interested!

Often people will upgrade after a few years with a butted ring hauberk.

Usualy the rivited or welded mail makes a stronger joint. More expencive and a bit more historical but harder to tailor if your not a standard size.
I do some butted mail but the market has gone to hell with Ebay and imports. Aldrics 160 price is a cheap expecialy considering the labor investment.

The first one I made was around 75 in materials... galvinized steel 14 guage 3/8 ID abour 3/4 mile of wire over 200 hours with lots of trial and error.

A thinner wire guage will hold up well with less weight. But some items like an avintail the weight absorbes quite abit of force before the shot comes near the neck due to the weight.
Some crude distructive testing is on youtube showing roughly when the rings fail under load.
www.Icefalcon.com has some stuff that holds up well from india or pakistan
Another member also does some custom welded chain.
www.weldedchainmail.com mostly made in the US and vietnam through a family connection. I would sugest looking at his prices when you upgrade.

Thanks for the links.

Anyone else?

Hi Az,

I bought blackened butted mail from IceFalcon with the thought of putting it under my lamellar but have decided not too. Will you be at Castle Wars? If so, I will toss it in the van when I head down and you can look at it. I am really not sure what gage it is, but it is pretty hefty.

Gunnar

GunnarUlfson wrote:Hi Az,

I bought blackened butted mail from IceFalcon with the thought of putting it under my lamellar but have decided not too. Will you be at Castle Wars? If so, I will toss it in the van when I head down and you can look at it. I am really not sure what gage it is, but it is pretty hefty.

Gunnar

Unfortunately, no... My work schedule just changed at the first of this month, and now I work weekends. So...no Castle Wars for me.

Which size is it? I'd need the XL (I am a big guy). And, which one was it? The full hauberk or one of the shorter ones?

14ga is going to weigh a frikkin ton.

Asbrand, the flat ring riveted I linked to is the same shirt I've been fighting in for several years. Being that (flat ring and riveted) makes it stronger than 14ga butted, at half the weight.

olaf haraldson wrote:Asbrand, the flat ring riveted I linked to is the same shirt I've been fighting in for several years. Being that (flat ring and riveted) makes it stronger than 14ga butted, at half the weight.

Ah...makes sense.

Doesn't appear that the link you gave offers the mid-thigh length hauberk though. (the one that is split in front and back) Just the "below the waist" shirt. Or am I missing something?

I really like the blackened riveted stuff from Ice Falcon though. But, for my size... $650. Whew... Gonna have to think on that one...

Asbrand,

I am assuming you want an XL mild flat riveted hauberk? If so, I will go $595 with the stimulus sale I am running. How does that sound?

Ice

Duke Icefalcon wrote:Asbrand,

I am assuming you want an XL mild flat riveted hauberk? If so, I will go $595 with the stimulus sale I am running. How does that sound?

Ice

Sounds good. Is that the same for the blackened one? Not a fan of shiny metal.

Also...how much is shipping on those....? I know they aren't lightweight.

All of the steel and stainless maille I sell is blackened. I use flat rate boxes to keep the shipping down. $28 with insuarance.

Ice

The one I wear, I split myself, as well as shortening the sleeves. I'm just a little guy, so it comes down that far on me.
The one from Icefalcon is a great deal though... stainless rocks.

asbrand wrote:Doesn't appear that the link you gave offers the mid-thigh length hauberk though. (the one that is split in front and back) Just the "below the waist" shirt. Or am I missing something?

"All of the steel and stainless maille I sell is blackened. I use flat rate boxes to keep the shipping down. $28 with insuarance. "

The guy at my office that delivers the mail HATED me when my box arrived....

Expect a "Except for that guy Icefalcon..." clause in the "If it fits, it ships" USPS mantra soon...

Duke Icefalcon wrote:All of the steel and stainless maille I sell is blackened. I use flat rate boxes to keep the shipping down. $28 with insuarance.

Ice

Excellent. Looks like I'll be saving up some $$$.

Sale will be good till Christmas. Should give folks plenty of time...