Chainmail help!

[Daemon324]

For the links, you could buy just a dowel instead of making or buying a mandrel and make them that way. It's not as great, and it takes more work, but if you want to save a little bit here and there. For just aesthetic, a friend of mine says that 12 gauge is the best for non-combat maille. He's made his fair share of maille, and he's here nearby for me to pass on this tidbit of useful (or not) information.

He also says that (and I am asking as I'm typing all of this) if you want to keep the brown color, that colored wire would be a good thing consider, even though it's more expensive. This is of course if you want to make your own still. Personally, I would, just so that I could say I made the entire thing.

But, I'm also a kind of person who sees the who endeavor as worthwhile, and an investment, as it could be a useful skill later. Closetgeek still has very valid information, and is definitely something to consider.

 

[NintendoLiam]

I would love to make it myself , I will have to really consider all this,
I am however going to be doing important exams soon , so am trying to limit the amount of time i work on this whilst still making a quality costume,
Being in the uk , ready made rings are impossible to find, and i see no good way of cutting the rings neatly at home?
Many thanks again
The RPF is one of the best resources for everything costuming!
Truley appreciating all the advice

 

[SmilingOtter]

I cut mine with aviation snips (they might be called something different in the UK,) after hand winding the coils on a jig that looks much like the one here:
M.A.I.L. - Maille Artisans International League - Stephen's coil winder - Submitted by Stephen

Personally, 12 gauge seems really thick, especially for non-combat, unless the diameter was pretty wide. I started with 14, then eventually moved to 16 with an inside diameter of .25 inches. Not great for combat I suppose, but looks good for anything else. Of course, in this sort of thing, there's no "right" size, just what works best for you personally.

 

[closet geek]

Closet Geek is giving very good advice.
One thing to keep in mind with the zinc coated (galvanized) maille is that it will over time turn from a shiny steel color to a dark flat gray. If you look at chain link fences, they're galvanized steel, and age the same way. It looks fine for medieval costuming, but I'm not familiar enough with Link's costume to know how shiny his maille is.

The first pic in CG's last post is a pretty good example, though I'd say that it's not normally as spotty looking.

Great point about the dull look from the zinc, I forgot about that. That is what happens to it over time, same with plain steel+ rust. I have heard of people polishing their mail in a small barrel of sand by rolling it. Mine was used for live steal combat where just about every piece of armor had dents or dulled by the end of the year and had to be polished thru the winter, I was too lazy to worry about the chain mail. Besides that is how it would have been in ye olden days + some rust. Don’t know about the brown. Depending on how much you want to speed you might cheek with a plaiting co. that doze anodizing thou I am sure it would be pricy. OH, Oh, OH, I just thought of something you could go with plain steel and leave out side in the rain for a week or two then it would rust reel good and tada, brown mail. But I digress, I have not looked but if you need shinny stage mail you might look into aluminum rings. They did not have this in my day to my knowledge, and it is probably a lot lighter but I am sure it is not as durable and you might have to repair it quite often. Maybe not if your just wearing it for show, you would have to do some research on that.
But it is out there thou I do not know where or how much.

 

[closet geek]

I cut mine with aviation snips (they might be called something different in the UK,) after hand winding the coils on a jig that looks much like the one here:
M.A.I.L. - Maille Artisans International League - Stephen's coil winder - Submitted by Stephen

Personally, 12 gauge seems really thick, especially for non-combat, unless the diameter was pretty wide. I started with 14, then eventually moved to 16 with an inside diameter of .25 inches. Not great for combat I suppose, but looks good for anything else. Of course, in this sort of thing, there's no "right" size, just what works best for you personally.

That how I felt, I went with the 14gaug for mine and it was tuff enough in combat that I only had to fix it once and awhile. The 12 was so hard to cut then you had to use two pair of pliers to bend in to place. The aviation snips are what I used also got mine thru the sears catalog, don’t remember what it cost. Also you will save time and fingers if you use a bolt with course threads instead of a plain rod. What this does is to spread out the rings when you cut them. Which will save you opining them then loop them and reconnect them. I now this seems like a small step but when you are talking between 10,000 and 25,000 ring it adds up quick. And SmilingOtter is right in the end it is about what you think is cool especially with fantasy it can be whatever you want it to. One thing I have learned over the years from making stuff, no matter how perfect you make it there will one jerk, who will bad mouth it, so make it how you want and enjoy. I tend to make up weird stories about the stuff I make when some jerk bad mouths it, you know Lie, Lie, Lie, then giggle like a school girl to myself when they stand there with a dumfounded look on their face. :confused

 

[closet geek]

sorry about that

 

[SmilingOtter]

As a reminder to everyone, links to live auctions is a no-no...

 

[NintendoLiam]

I think I will go through with buying one,
Its much simpler for me at this moment,
and would not so hinder revision etc
Many thanks for all the advice and help its been amazingly insightful!

 

[closet geek]

As a reminder to everyone, links to live auctions is a no-no...

Thanks. I must of mised that. I have removed them. Will not happen agin:$

 

[NintendoLiam]

removed mine too #^.^#
thanks again closet for all the help!
appreciated muchly

 

[Engineer]

Here is a good link for anyone interested in chain maille, including fabricating your own rings. I did it to make the chain maille for a Cersei belt (Game of Thrones).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUrY7uwcYsI