Subject: Split Ring mail

From: [email-masked] (Michael S. Schechter - ISR group account)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 93 16:06:14 EST

If this arrives entact, the last line is 'MIT Lincoln Laboratory'
The problem appears to be on the sending end, and I have placed an
irate 
phone call to the bozos who wrote my software.  If you could post
this, 
I would appreciate it.  Thanks!
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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 
operation.  It's almost as fast as working with butted rings, and much
faster 
than riveted or welded rings.

The results are gorgeous, and practically indestructable.  Bright 
nickel-plated mail is really lovely stuff.  Because the rings are
designed 
for fishing gear, even the plated rings are pretty rust proof.  The
spring 
steel is VERY strong.  If someone gave me the choice of taking a sword
blow 
in this stuff or any other mail I've seen, I'd vote for this in an
instant.

Below is a summary of the info I got from the vendors.  This is all
from 
1982, so the prices are certainly out to lunch.  These were just the 
companies that responded to my original inquires.  Some of them may
have 
folded, but the Thomas Register can probably supply more.  Where
possible, I 
have quoted prices for No. 6 (about 3/8" OD) and No. 10 (about 5/8"
OD) 
rings, because I think that is the useful size range for mail.  The
exact 
materials available vary from vendor to vendor.

  Worth Manufacturing Company
  Stevens Point, Wisconsin  54481

  Worth was one of the biggest tackle supply houses, so they should
still 
  be around.

  Nickel or Copper Plated Steel:  No. 6, $7.15/K,   No. 10, $12.15/K

  3% discount for orders over 25K pieces.  Pliers are $8.25
  -------------------------------------------------------------

  Lakeland Incorporated    Tel: (612) 676-3666
  Isle, MN  56342

  Carry German-made nickel plated rings in sizes up to No. 6,
($8.86/K)
  Carry US made SS rings up to No. 7.  No. 6, $10.82/K

  2% discount for quantities over 5K.  Pliers are $6.40.
  -------------------------------------------------------------

  ROSCO (Div of Rome Specialty Company)   Tel: (800) 448-1206
  501 W. Embargo St., Box 109
  Rome, NY  13440

  Carries US made SS rings.  These have the little dents from forming.

  No. 6, $11.90/K,   No. 10, $27.60/K

  Add $1.00/K for black finish.  No quantity discount listed.  No
pliers 
  listed.

If you give them a specific size, most places will send samples along
with 
their literature.  Although I like the idea of stainless, I think I
prefer 
the Worth rings.  They come in the broadest range of sizes and
finishes, and 
have no forming dents.  I did some calculations based on using No. 6
rings, 
and came up with about $150 for a full mail shirt.  Unfortunately, I
can't 
find my notes on that either.  Depending upon whether manufacturing 
technology has improved, this could probably go up or down by $50.

I apologize for the antiquity of this data, but I don't have the time
to hunt 
down fresh prices and sources given that I'm out of the armor business
again. 
I have sent photocopies of a bunch of stuff to Joel who is looking
into 
current prices and such.  I'm sure he will report on his findings.  I
hope 
someone out there takes this idea and runs with it.  No one here at
the time 
could work up much enthusiasm for it because of the price.  The older
one 
gets, the more valuable time becomes, and this is certainly a fast way
to 
build truly superb mail.  

It is also possible to make your own rings if time is not an issue.
They
could be wound on a mandrel in the usual fashion, but you have to come
up
with an efficient way of cutting ever OTHER wire.  If the wire is
springy
enough (which the SS probably would be) you might be able to do it
with
a pointy set of wire cutters.  The only problem I see with this is
that
it will leave a million sharp burrs.  These could probably be dulled
by 
tumbling with ceramic media (which would also polish the rings).

Doug White
MIT Lincoln Laboratory