rivet size information

[Kit Houston]

Can some one please give me rivet size information ?
I have come across a supplier for solid rivets but the shank it only 3mm thick and most of the stuff i have done in the past has 4mm.
My current focus if the 14th century and i wish to use them on everything for helms to hinge's.

What was the rough 14th century average ? what was the sizes used on the churburg harness.

Thanks for your help

[Konstantin the Red]

3mm would be all right for assembling things, especially small fine things, but they'd be pretty slender for articulation rivets, where you want something around 5mm. With 3mm rivets, use more of them, about half again as many, and they will be plenty strong. The little 3mm guys would look very well in hinges -- very well indeed!

If all else fails, make your own rivets from big nails; cut these apart with bolt cutters, as hacksawing these will take a long time. Even the cut-off nail shanks can be pounded into rivets themselves, most simply into flush rivets, but by hot working you can make a nice panhead rivet with your own hands: drill a hole the length of the desired shank into a thick steel plate or block, cut a length of nail enough longer than the hole is deep to provide enough material for the rivet head, heat red hot, drop in hole with tongs, beat into shape with hammer. Use a rivet set for this work and you'll make neat rivet heads. Take the finished rivet out with tongs or maybe use the thick plate to carry it, and drop into a bucket of water.

[Armour Design]

Hi Kit,

I use 4mm x 4mm round headed steel rivets for everything except strapwork where I use somewhat longer 4mm diameter rivets and this seems to work well and look good.

Mike

[Ambrogio]

I was under the impression that period rivets tend to be a bit thinner than what is considered "normal" today, I will try to find some info about the Churburg stuff.