Subject: Chain Mail (2nd Attempt)

From: Doug White <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 93 10:00:38 -0500

At least here, the second 2/3rds of my post got cut off.  This is another
attempt.
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I originally responded to this thread directly with its originator, Joel 
Chambers ([email-masked]) because I didn't expect much interest in 
this area.  Seeing that I was mistaken, I have organized my notes into 
something a bit more presentable.  

About 20 years ago, I discovered an easy way to make rust-proof chain mail. 
The only drawback is that it isn't cheap.  However, it's not outrageously 
expensive either, depending on your personal definition of outrageous.  The 
secret is to buy 'split rings' designed for making fishing lures.  These are
basically miniature  keyrings (the 2-turn overlapping spring variety) used 
to hold the hooks on fishing lures.  At the time, I bought nickel plated 
spring-steel rings for about a penny a piece from a semi-retail source.  
This was expensive enough that I only made small pieces of mail for helmets
and the like.  

After complaints that split rings weren't 'authentic', I did some research 
and found a photo in one of the big armor books of some split-ring mail in a 
Swiss museum.  Unfortunately, I lost my notes on the reference, but Joel is 
trying to track it down again.  Joel is concerned that it won't look enough 
like classic chain mail to avoid snide comments.  I never had too many 
complaints about general appearance, although that may have triggered some 
of the 'but it's not authentic!' comments from the usual crowd of people who 
don't know what they're talking about.  You really don't notice the 
split-ring construction from more than a few feet away.

I got out of the armor racket for a while, and about 10 years ago I met 
someone in the SCA grumbling about how difficult it was to make good mail, 
and how it rusted etc. etc.  I decided that it was worth another look, only
this time I was going to go wholesale.  A tour through the Thomas Register 
and some phone calls yielded info from three companies that made rings, and 
would sell in bulk.  

Let me start by describing the rings in more detail.  As far as shape, they 
look exactly like miniature key rings.  The wire is left round, unlike some 
keyrings where the wire is formed as two mating semi-circular pieces.  Some 
manufacturer's rings have a series of small dents where the forming equipment 
'grabbed' the wire.  The rings are available in a range of sizes from about 
1/8" OD (a No. 0) to about 3/4" OD (a No. 12).  Most old mail is made with a 
single ring size, but some interesting effects could be had by mixing sizes. 
The rings are made of nickel or copper-plated spring steel, or in plain or 
black stainless steel.  This gives the possibility of designing a coat of 
arms into the mail, using different colors.  They are also available in 
nickel-plated or polished brass, but it will be weaker, and not authentic, to 
the best of my knowledge.  You have to be careful when mixing the rings from 
different sources, because the sizes vary slightly from one vendor to the 
next.  The diameter of the wire used also varies, which makes some of the 
rings a bit 'thin' looking', while others are more 'chunky'.  This will have 
a big impact on the weight of the final result.

Once you know how chain mail is 'woven', linking the rings is a snap 
(literally).  You can buy (or make) a special pair of pliers for linking the 
rings efficiently, and with minimum damage to the plating.  One jaw of the 
pliers is flat, and the opposing jaw has a wegde shaped point that comes down 
against the first jaw.  The pliers simultaneously hold the ring, and the 
wedge pries the layers apart to hook them onto another ring.  Once you get a 
ring started this way, a quick twist of the wrist will complete the linking