Hello everyone, im new to armouring and ive only just registered on the forum, although ive been reading lots of the topics for a while.
Ive been making butted chainmail at home for a while, and i would like to make riveted but i cant because of the noise (i live in a flat), and i was was wondering if butted chainmail could be used for reenactment (with metal weapons, not padded), and if so, would would be the ideal diameter, gauge.... What other types of armour can i make fairly quietly?
By the way, im sorry if there is a topic like this alreay, but i didnt come across it.
Reenactment chainmail
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Konstantin the Red
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Well, if you have to find a workaround for noise, use leverage and lots of it. Sure, every period picture we have of mailmaking shows normal-sized pliers in use, but great big levers or compound leverage, or both, on the setting pliers will fix the noise problem. The other problem to have solved is how you're going to do the anneal or normalization step, in the flat or out of it.
Most of us don't trust butted links to stand up to being hit with steel blunts, let alone sharps.
Washer manufacturers can run you custom batches of stamped solid links. It's a combination of a very light gauge of metal compared to most washers, so the article is more like a spacer or sealing ring as far as the manufacturer is concerned, with a large ratio of ID to OD, such as an ID of 5/16" and an OD of 7/16" or a little smaller, such as 13/32". It's really a matter of whether or not you want to foot the bill for their minimum order size, though that's not such a terrible price considering that you're going to be using fifteen thousand of these links or more for a shirt.
Most of us don't trust butted links to stand up to being hit with steel blunts, let alone sharps.
Washer manufacturers can run you custom batches of stamped solid links. It's a combination of a very light gauge of metal compared to most washers, so the article is more like a spacer or sealing ring as far as the manufacturer is concerned, with a large ratio of ID to OD, such as an ID of 5/16" and an OD of 7/16" or a little smaller, such as 13/32". It's really a matter of whether or not you want to foot the bill for their minimum order size, though that's not such a terrible price considering that you're going to be using fifteen thousand of these links or more for a shirt.
"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."
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Pietro da San Tebaldo
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Suppliers like The Ring Lord may offer pre-flattened links for your enjoyment. I know also that Forth Armory (who advertises on this site in the Merchant section) has links and tools for rivetted maille.
The other option (which you've obviously thought of) is to find somewhere where you can make noise, visit that location periodically to stock up on flattened rings, then retire to your home to get on with the somewhat quieter assembly process. Folks who've made far mor maille than I tell me the process is constantly one of making the pieces then spending a far longer period of time putting them together.
The other option (which you've obviously thought of) is to find somewhere where you can make noise, visit that location periodically to stock up on flattened rings, then retire to your home to get on with the somewhat quieter assembly process. Folks who've made far mor maille than I tell me the process is constantly one of making the pieces then spending a far longer period of time putting them together.
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Jeff J
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Re: Reenactment chainmail
kersme wrote: i was was wondering if butted chainmail could be used for reenactment
Depends on the reenactment group. In mine - No.
