Aventail- stainless or mild

[William de Faleston]

I've put off buying an aventail for too long. The vervilles I installed on the bascinet two years ago are starting to look silly without it. My big question now is whether to go with stainless or mild. I'm looking at Duke Icefalcon's 9 mm flat riveted blackened, and from what I hear, excessive shinyness won't be a problem. The cost is what's making me hesitate. Going mild would free up cash to buy new elbow cops and other goodies.

Having never dealt with mail, how much trouble is it going to be to take care of a mild aventail? Is going stainless really worth the added expense? Are there easy techniques for keeping rust off an aventail? Any significant weight difference?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

[Vitus von Atzinger]

I don't know how they do it but my squires have non-stainless mail and it's NEVER rusty.

Ask Jess. I'll stick to stainless.

[Blackoak]

The time you spend cleaning and maintaining the mild will far outweigh the added cost of stainless, IMO. Not to mention not having to deal with getting rust or oil on your fighting tunics.

To me it's a no brainer. Stainless is the way to fly.

Uric

[Jess]

Stainless is better. But if you don't have the money and like the blackened look, mild is fine too.

I have a mild steel flat ring riveted shirt and aventail and use this on it:

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=40

Spray lots of light coats. I sprayed them both on a nice warm summer afternoon. After that IT IS ALMOST NO MAINTENANCE. I sprayed it on shortly after I got it the summer of 2008 and have re-sprayed the aventail once. That's all. I fight in it about twice a week and at GW and Pennsic. I don't worry about spilling drinking water on it or anything. If it does rust eventually, you don't have to strip it or anything. You just spray more rust converter on it again.

[Eamonn]

The description of that stuff says to only put it on already rusted metal. So does that mean I have to let my mild aventail rust before I can put that on it? Or can you actually put it on clean surfaces?

[Jess]

I put it on pre-rust.

[Angusm0628]

I'm gonna second Jess' recommendation..

With a mild you can hose it down with WD-40 then light it.. Will blacken the mail and help with rusting. Use a pump bottle, like a windex style, coat liberally and then fire it up..repeated application will darken it further.

[MattL.]

Any significant weight difference?

[Jess]

I have no idea regarding the weight difference.

I recall it took me like 3 months to get used to the weight of the new aventail, but that was compared to no aventail at all, and compounded by the fact I have a neck longer than E.T. I assume that normal people will not have this problem.

[Stephen du Bois]

When I bought my aventail, titanium was only $50.00 more than stainless..It was money well spent.

Stephen

[Rasper77]

Well... whats the helm made of?
If its a stainless helm I would make it match.

[William de Faleston]

Hmmm Rasper, you have a point there. The helm is stainless. The again, dousing something with WD40 and lighting it sounds like something that would be fun aside from the blackening value.

[Halbrust]

Who offers stainless riveted? Or does anyone? I don't like the look of welded maille

[Angusm0628]

Who offers stainless riveted? Or does anyone? I don't like the look of welded maille

Icefalcon....

[Rasper77]

Hmmm Rasper, you have a point there. The helm is stainless. The again, dousing something with WD40 and lighting it sounds like something that would be fun aside from the blackening value.

Fire is fun.. but ide stick with stainless on a stainless helm.
That way you dont have to worry about rust. and its matching.
You can always order some Stainless Blackener if you prefer the look.

[Morgan]

I must concur with Brother Stephen... TI is the way to go.

[Halbrust]

Who offers stainless riveted? Or does anyone? I don't like the look of welded maille

Icefalcon....

I just went back to his sight and see that he indeed does. So I ask, who makes shiney stainless riveted maille?

[Angusm0628]

Who offers stainless riveted? Or does anyone? I don't like the look of welded maille

Icefalcon....

I just went back to his sight and see that he indeed does. So I ask, who makes shiney stainless riveted maille?

Check Ice again... I know he has blackened, pretty sure he may have regular as well

[William de Faleston]

Icefalcon isn't listing shiny, that's where I've been looking. I think I've decided on his stainless blackened. With a 16-month-old I' not wanting to worry about the time needed to maintain mild. That leaves enough cash for a pair of crecy-era elbows from Anshelm. I'll have to pit off the 14th century pourpoint from Revival that I've been watching, but I'm still convinced that I might be able to make that one day. Thanks for all the advice.

[Vladimir]

Stainless is better. But if you don't have the money and like the blackened look, mild is fine too.

I have a mild steel flat ring riveted shirt and aventail and use this on it:

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=40

Spray lots of light coats. I sprayed them both on a nice warm summer afternoon. After that IT IS ALMOST NO MAINTENANCE. I sprayed it on shortly after I got it the summer of 2008 and have re-sprayed the aventail once. That's all. I fight in it about twice a week and at GW and Pennsic. I don't worry about spilling drinking water on it or anything. If it does rust eventually, you don't have to strip it or anything. You just spray more rust converter on it again.

Can you get that stuff at Lowes or Home Depot?

I'm heading into town later today.

[Jess]

Sure. I think I bought mine at Lowes.