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chainmail-msg – 1/8/08

 

Making chainmail. Mail armor.

 

NOTE: See also the files: merch-chainml-msg, chnmail-clean-msg, metals-msg, metalworking-msg, metal-sources-msg, chainmail-beg-art, merch-chainml-msg.

 

************************************************************************

NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

 

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

 

Thank you,

    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

                                          Stefan at florilegium.org

************************************************************************

 

From: wayner at otc.otca.oz (Wayne Robinson)

Date: 26 Jun 90 22:59:45 GMT

tracker at wpi.wpi.edu (The Renegade Ranger) says:

> I am once again seeking answers that I have not.  I am curious as to what

> reccomendations someone may make regarding the gauge of wire to make a sturdy

> suit of Chainmail.

For the final time guys, the real name is MAIL. Chainmail as a word is an

invention of Sir Walter Scott et al. Check any saga.

 

I'll give dimensions in millimeters as the gauges vary across the Pacific.

1.6mm gives good solid links in 6mm diameter suitable for coifs, gloves, etc.

This is the wire diameter of the Sutton Hoo suit, but the links were 9mm

internal in this case.

2mm wire works well on 12mm links for Celtic/Roman Hamata up to Saxon/Norman

period, although apart from the Celtic stuff, it won't be really authentic

unless you alternate punched and riveted rows.

For real solidity try six-link (each link passing through six others). My

wife is the first person in Australia to perfect ten-link. Sorry I can't

quote references, but I remember seeing a photo of a six-link glove

somewhere.

 

                        Wayne

                        Dryhtenfyrd (Look that up in your Anglo-Saxon

                                     reader!)

 

 

From: sinbad at watcsc.waterloo.edu (Michael Badali)

Date: 28 Jun 90 17:33:06 GMT

Organization: Computer Science Club, University of Waterloo

 

Peace be on the realto

                        Before I begin please don't think that I don't

value hand made things ,craftmanship,or the joy of doing it on your own,

the hard but fun way etc,but as one cannot learn everything or do everything

sometimes shortcuts outside your field are very valueable.

 

I have known for some time that there are two machines in north america

that are capable of making chainmail.Presently they are both used for makeing

butchers gloves($80/pair)they make them with welded links as well.

Shurely someone must be able to locate one and find out if they can make sheet

to order?

 

Second I have heard that an Italian company is making chain mail "cloth"

it is probably nickle plated copper but would be good for dress.

 

I have only found the shark resistant armour.It costs three thousand for

a full suit of titanium /aluminum welded link mail(nice if you've got the

bucks)custom fitted of course...

 

Also in this book on casting it shows you how to make a mold for casting

linear chain ,one day I'm going to try doing patches of chainmail...

Imagine producing a suit a day!

 

anyway if any one could inform me of the location of any premade mail

companies I would appreaciate it.

On the more conventional level work hardened alloys should be considered

aluminum weling rod work hardens considerably.1/8 dia. with 3/8 hole

is difficult,almost impossible to bend partly because it is so strong

and also because it is almost double 1/16 may not be strong enough to

fight in but for decoration its ok,can anyone find 3/32 aluminum welding rod?

 

Finally the romans punched half the links and rivited the other half

surly if someone made a die it would pay handsomely through all the orders

it would generate!

 

                                        lowly apprintice glassblower

                                        p.s. its not hand made its

                                        mouth blown

--

sinbad at watcsc.waterloo.edu                     Habib Hasan

Qualil...............

 

 

From: palmer at tallis.enet.dec.com (Colonel Mode)

Date: 29 Jun 90 19:07:31 GMT

Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

sinbad at watcsc.waterloo.edu (Michael Badali) writes...

>I have known for some time that there are two machines in north america

>that are capable of making chainmail.Presently they are both used for makeing

>butchers gloves($80/pair)they make them with welded links as well.

>Shurely someone must be able to locate one and find out if they can make

sheet

>to order?

>anyway if any one could inform me of the location of any premade mail

>companies I would appreaciate it.

 

I checked into this about a year ago. The company that makes bucher's

gauntlets, aprons, and shark suits is

 

Whiting and Davis

23 West Bacon St.

Plainville, Ma 02762

508-699-4411

 

Last I talked to them they absolutely refused to do any custom mesh, as they

call it. They do provide aluminum mail to hollywood for mail costumes, but

it's not suitable for SCA events and it tinkles, not chinks, as you walk because

it's too light. BTW, this comes in sheets, not ready-made garments. Also, the

marketing person I delt with had the brain of a brontosaurus and was

incredibly frustrating. So I consider them a dead-end/waste of time unless

you want the stainless steel butcher's gauntlets. They only sell them in quantity and they're about $150 *each*, not per pair, if I remember correctly, for the full-hand model.

*****

Chris Palmer

palmer at tallis.enet.dec.com

phone (508)486-6667 dtn 226-6667

 

 

From: kay at hjuxa.UUCP (KAY)

Date: 29 Jun 90 22:16:17 GMT

Organization: Digital Equipment Corp, Manalapan NJ

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

 

sinbad at watcsc.waterloo.edu (Michael Badali):

> Finally the romans punched half the links and rivited the other half

> surly if someone made a die it would pay handsomely through all the orders

> it would generate!

I have seen this suggestion twice in the last couple of days.  It occured to

me that a disk with a hole punched in it has a special name, it is called a

"washer" ;-).  Duke Dagan in the Middle had a coif about 10 years ago that

was alternating rows of rings and narrow anulus washers (I may have the

wrong term, the hole matched the rings and the steel part was not too

wide).  He claimed it was as supple and less maintanence compaired to a all

butted set.

 

Those who remember that coif may remember that it was black oxidized.  This

is a form of weather proofing that involves repeated heating and quenching

in oil until you get a fine black finish that does not come off. As I

recall he did it at the Pizza joint he managed (using olive oil!).

 

As to closed links, Master Knut is still making riveted mail.  I saw his

booth at Estrella in 1989 (I missed the merchants this year).  He also did

some welded mail (a bit less time consuming if you use a spot-welder).

 

> sinbad at watcsc.waterloo.edu                     Habib Hasan

Qualil...............

> No disclamer:I stand behind what I say         Michael Badali    

 

        Bart the Bewildered, Carillion, East

        (Paul Kay, Freehold, NJ, USA)

        (kay at unx.dec.com, bewildrd%bart at unx.dec.com)

 

 

From: ileaf!io!kopf!eisen at EDDIE.MIT.EDU (Carl West x4449)

Date: 28 Jun 90 18:56:03 GMT

Organization: Society for Creative Anachronism

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

 

Gwilym,

   Your idea about rivetted mail making using the retaining rings

is interesting, but it has a few flaws. You neglected to explain

how you plan to overlap the ends of these presumably heat-treated-

so-they-will-spring-back-to-their-original-shape retaining rings

so the rivets may be inserted.  The plan for making rivets is an

interesting one but it will (I have determined this empirically)

result in a block of steel with a piece of rivet stock permanently

imbedded in it. Lastly, your numbers are a bit off, the 3500 rings

will produce rather less than 6 square feet of mail, enough to,

perhaps do sleeves and the tops of your shoulders. The general

estimate of rings needed for a hawberk is 30,000 to 40,000.

 

This has been a bunch of nay-saying and it sounds awful, I just

hope that you haven't sent off your money to these people. I too

have been working on tools and techniques for rivetted mail with

some slight success. Even if I get it going as well as I hope to

I expect I would have to charge 50 cents a link to make as reasonable

wage as a mailer as I do as a type designer. Ain't high-tech great!

 

Frydherik Eysenkopf

Carolingia,East/Boston,Mass.

 

 

From: rvd at bunker.UUCP (Robert Del Favero Jr.)

Date: 3 Jul 90 13:20:45 GMT

Organization: ISC-Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company, Shelton, Ct

 

Steve Bloch (Joshua ibn-Eleazar ha-Shalib to us) writes:

>By the way, I noticed somebody's post about the difficulty of making

>wire in period.  Weren't the rings in most period mail ALL punched,

>with half of them then broken and riveted back together?

 

The journal Archaeologia published at least two articles some years

back containing metallurgical analyses of chainmail rings. The author

got some authentic chainmail rings and sectioned them for microscopic

analysis.  He also did compsitional analysis on the steel. Maestro

Roberto has spent a lot of time with the articles, and this is what

he told me about them.  (As best I remember it.) All of the

rings they looked at seem to have been made as follows:

 

1. Draw some wire with an elliptical cross section.

2. Wrap the wire around a circular rod.  The major axis of the ellipse

        is oriented radially to the rod.  Cut individual rings from this

        spring, with slightly overlapping ends.

3. While the ends of this wire loop are overlapping, punch a hole through

        both ends at once.  (How?  Good question.  When you figure it out,

        tell Maestro Roberto, Carl of the West, and everyone else who's

        been working on riveted mail.  Please.) The hole should be wider

        on the top than on the bottom.

4. Turn the ring over and put a short piece of smaller gauge wire in the

        hole.  The wire should stick up above the ring a little bit. Swat

        the end of the wire with a hammer.  This will peen up the wire rivet

        and upset it so that it swells to fit on the rivet this way.)

 

        A rough sketch:

 

                        Peen here

        -\----------------   --------------------

          ----\          |   |

               ----------/   \-------\______

                        /     \             \___

        ----------------       -----------------\-----

 

                        Punch hole from this side.

 

As I remember, the only rings that were punched as flat washers were

the brass ones that were stamped with the maker's mark on them.  I don't

remember any welded rings, either.  

 

I don't have the references for these articles here, but I can get them

for anybody who'd like.  But it would be faster and easier for anyone who's

really interested to look for Archaeologia in the local university library.

The journal has its own indices, so the chainmail articles shouldn't be too

hard to find.

 

        Vittorio del Fabbro

        Myrkfaelinn in Exile

        East Kingdom

----------------------------------------------------------

Robert V. Del Favero, Jr.            ISC-Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company

rvd at clunker.uucp                     Shelton, Connecticut, USA

OR clunker!rvd at oliveb.atc.olivetti.com

 

 

From:    Colin The Blackheart

To:      Rolfe Von_Duerer                         Msg #287, 10-Jul-90 12:19pm

Subject: Re: Armor

 

RV>Good gentle if it were possible for a mail link knitting

RV>machine to be made some one ine the SCA would have one.  Thy

RV>gauntlet hast been dropped, I challenge thee to find such a

It exists, and is patented even. Check out Best of Hammer #4.  Patented about

1930, no machinery exists for it.  But you've got PLENTY of technical drawings

to work from (grin).

Colin  

  

 

From: MTG at cornellc.cit.cornell.EDU (Mike Garcia)

Date: 15 Apr 91 18:44:29 GMT

Organization: The Internet

 

Greetings all!

 

William de Corbie wrote (in part):

>P.P.S. Butted chainmail: Someone on the net claimed this did not

>exist in the real middle ages.  But a friend of mine claims that one

>of the chainmail coifs from Visby is butted.  Is there anyone out

>there who has the books and can check on this?

 

First, a little history:

 

In July, 1361, a Danish army invaded Gotland and quickly defeated the

the army that opposed them.  The Danes them marched on Wisby.  The town

rasied a milita for defense.  In order to raise the troops the town had

to scrape the bottom of the manpower barrel quite vigerously.  A third

of the militia was young boys and old men.  Hunchbacks and cripples

also served.  The militia was ill equiped and virtually untrained.  The

results were predictable.  There were 1800-2000 militia dead.

 

I checked "Armour from the Battle of Wisby, 1361" by Bengt Thordenman,

Ph.D.  Here is what I found:

 

  - 185 coifs were recovered from the mass graves.

  - Coifs were composed of iron and bronze rings.  The bronze rings

    were on the edges of the coifs.

  - There was no mention of a coif made up of butted rings.

  - There was no mention of butted rings.

  - There was speculation that if the iron rings were not riveted, they

    were welded or stamped (solid disks).  Due to rust, it was not

    always possible to determine how the iron rings were closed.

  - All bronze rings were riveted.

 

Since most of the bodies had be striped of armor, it is safe to assume

that these pieces were the LEAST valuable ones.  This means that the

armor found in the mass graves at Wisby was the dreges of the dreges.

(The best armor was with the main army, leaving the dreges for the

militia.  The Danes kept best of what was on the dead. Only after the

bodies had lain in the summer sun for several days was armor buried

with the dead.)

 

There are at least two very good reasons to think that butted mail was

not used in period.  Butted mail weighs more that riveted mail and

butted mail will not stand up to arrows.

 

Here at Myrkfaelinn we have two mail shirts we ran some experiments on.

One was made of butted links by Ken Bender, the other was made of

welded links by Robert MacPherson.

 

Ken's shirt weighs 55 lb.  Mac's shirt weighs 18 lb.

 

We hung both shirts from a rod passed through the arms and then fired a

number of arrows at them from several bows.  The wimpiest bow was a

65lbf cross bow with an 9.5 inch draw (~310 lbf-in).  The most powerful

bow was a "50 lb" longbow that was overdrawn 6 inches, for a 25 inch

draw, to 70lbf in draw weight (~875 lbf-in).  (lbf = pound force = 4.45

Newtons, us Americans use good old fashion english units :-).)

 

Ken's shirt of butted mail was incapable of stopping any of the arrows.

After we had blown eight holes in his shirt, Ken refused to allow any

more shots.  Mac and I wanted to find out how many layers we could

penetrate.  Ken didn't want to fix any more holes.

 

Mac's shirt of welded mail was stopped every arrow.  One of the longbow

shots struck sparks from the iron rings, but did not penetrate.

 

Mike Garcia

Cornell Universuty

              ______

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  _________/        |   USNAIL  :  Room 321

  >                 |              Computing & Communications Ctr.

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|______________     |              Ithaca, New York   14853

               `_   |              USA

                 `__|   ICBMNET:   42 28 N 76 28 W Alt 995

 

 

From: trifid at agora.rain.com (Roadster Racewerks)

Date: 17 Apr 91 03:06:36 GMT

Organization: Open Communications Forum

 

I think it depends on your definition of period. According to Osprey Books (and

I know I've also read it elsewhere, but can't remember where at the moment) one

of the mail shirts in the Sutton Hoo trove was, upon radiogarphic examination,

found to be alternate rows of butted and rivetted rings.

 

Beowulf describes mail shirts that were light enough to swim in, and needed

repair after every battle. Although that's anecdotal evidence, it sounds pretty

convincing to me...

 

Elaine NicMaoilan

trifid at agora.rain.com

 

 

From: CKRUPP at UVMVM.BITNET (Christina Krupp)

Date: 18 Apr 91 15:05:24 GMT

Organization: The Internet

 

Greetings unto all from Countess Marieke! I have here the tome "The Sutton

Hoo Ship Burial" by Rupert Bruce-Mitford, published by British Museum

Publications in 1982. Volume 2 discusses the arms and armor. Chapter 4

discusses the mail coat, in great detail. This quote from pp. 236-7 may

be of interest in the current discussion:

   "It does, however, clearly show, contrary to previously published

statements, that the mail was made of alternate rows of welded or forged

links and of riveted links." He explains the "previously published statements"

in a footnote: "E.g. Sir James Mann, referring to riveting of mail as universal

in the west, says 'the only exception in Europe' is the mail shirt found at

Sutton Hoo. 'Minute examination has shown that in this case the ends of the

rings are merely butted together as in much mail of Oriental origin...'(Mann,

in Stenton, 1957, p.62). ... The idea that the Sutton Hoo mailcoat was composed

of links with butted joints had been formulated by the Research Laboratory as

a result of visual examination, and only recent radiography has disclosed the

true construction."

 

 

From: vnend at spot.Princeton.EDU (D. W. James)

Date: 23 Apr 91 00:39:24 GMT

Organization: Princeton University

 

trifid at agora.rain.com (Roadster Racewerks) writes:

)Beowulf describes mail shirts that were light enough to swim in, and needed

)repair after every battle. Although that's anecdotal evidence, it sounds pretty

)convincing to me...

)Elaine NicMaoilan

 

        There was recently a discussion of this very passage going on over

in the Anglo-Saxon mailing list (mostly scholars talking *way* over my

head.)  There is a significant body of thought that the word used there

and translated as 'swim' may mean 'sail' instead. Certainly, it seems,

the word has several meanings, among which are swim, sail and row, so

it seems that using this passage as documentation for light mail is suspect.

 

Kwellend-Njal

--

Vnend, Lottery winner #316                 Ignorance is the mother of adventure.  

vnend at princeton.edu, vnend at pucc.bitnet, or {backbone}!princeton!nudity!vnend        

 

 

From: tracker at wpi.WPI.EDU (The Renegade Ranger)

Date: 15 Oct 91 18:53:36 GMT

Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

 

  Just a few additions...

 

There are quite a few 'patterns' for mail, 5-ring, 4-ring, suicidal

groupings of 6 rings, etc... 4 ring is by far the easiest.

 

In the suit I've been making, I used 14gauge fence wire from Agway (A

farming store chain near me). This was suggested to me when I first

started my work by a gentle on this group, and the advice proved

valuable; 1/4 mile of wire was approximately $19. That will make about

3 small shirts, or 2 large ones.

 

I'd tried using a hacksaw in a vise, with little encouraging

success... I found that heavy-duty wire cutters do the job. If you

want cleaner rings, try the vise idea, but either use a motorized tool

with a fiberglass-reinforced cutting wheel (A mototool, a drill, a

cordless screwdriver... tho the latter would take forever..), or a

jewler's hand saw. (Shaped like a 'U' with a handle, very thin, small

blade.) These are a tad easier for those of us with less

coordination... tends to give you fewer mistakes through saw

misalignment.

 

One thing I do, which I haven't seen too many people do, is pad the

jaws of my pliers, to avoid scratching the rings. Use duct tape, or

scrap leather.. you have to change it once in a while, but it can

avoid some appearance defects later on...

 

        -Tracker

 

 

From: BERDANJ at YALEVM.BITNET (Alejandra)

Date: 16 Oct 91 21:23:39 GMT

Organization: The Internet

 

Alejandra greets you all....

 

Please, just "mail."  Not "Chainmail". Mail means chain.  Chainmail means

"chainchain."  Plate mail is a D&D-inspired silliness.

 

A suggestion to shorten the tedius process of ring-winding - go out and get a

supply of door-springs.  Spring steel is tough and springs (!) into a closed

ring fairly easily.

 

Jump rings in quantity are also very useful; try a jewelry findings supplier.

 

For tools - instead of padding the pliers, try filing a crescent-shaped groove

in the jaws, of the same dimensions of a section of your rings.  Avoids the

scritching problem, and gives you a LOT more control.

 

I'll carry on a discussion of mail-making on private e-mail, if anyone wishes

to....I've made a living making it for the past several months.

 

                                                 Alejandra

 

 

From: rvd at bunker.shel.isc-br.com (Robert Del Favero Jr.)

Date: 17 Oct 91 13:47:36 GMT

Organization: ISC-Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company, Shelton, Ct

 

If you're interested in making a mail garment like those of the middle

ages, you'll want to do two things that most SCA mailmakers don't do.

First, you'll want to rivet the ends of the rings together rather than

butt the cut ends together.  This means that you can use lighter wire,

and the resulting rings will be much stronger and more durable. This is

very hard to do, and I know of no one in the SCA who knows a good way to

do it.  The second thing you'll want to do is to fit your mail garment

to the wearer by increasing and decreasing the number of rings in a row

where appropriate. This makes the garment fit better and move better,

and saves some weight. Here are some articles that address these

questions, references provided by my master, Roberto di Milano, OL:

 

"The Mail-maker's Technique", E. Martin Burgess, The Antiquaries Journal,

        volume XXXIII, 1953, Oxford University Press, London.

        Speculative reconstruction of mail-making techniques based on

        observation of many examples of the real thing.

 

"Further Research into the Construction of Mail Garments", E. Martin Burgess,

        The Antiquaries Journal, volume XXXIII, 1953, Oxford University Press,

        London.

        Further speculation on the process and details of fitting.  Includes

        analyses of a hauberk and pair of chausses from the Wallace Collection,

        with pictures showing increases and decreases used to fit the garments.

 

"The Mail Shirt from Sinigaglia", E. Martin Burgess, The Antiquaries Journal,

        volume XXXVII, 1957, Oxford University Press, London.

        A detailed analysis of a 14th century italian mail shirt.

 

"A Mail Shirt from the Hearst Collection", E. Martin Burgess, The Antiquaries

        Journal, volume XXXVIII, 1958, Oxford University Press, London.

        Detailed analysis of another 14th century mail shirt.

 

"Methods of Making Chain Mail (14th to 18th Centuries): A Metallographic Note",

        Cyril Stanley Smith, Technology and Culture, vol. 1, no. 1,

        Winter 1959.

        A metallographic analysis that gives some insights into the way

        that chainmail rings were made and assembled.

 

"A Reply to Cyril Stanley Smith on Mail Making Methods", E. Martin Burgess,

        Technoloby and Culture, vol. 1, no. 2, Spring 1960.

        Burgess offers refinements on his theories since the 1953 articles.

 

"A Habergeon of Westwale", W. Reid and E. M. Burgess, The Antiquaries Journal,

        volume XL, 1960, Oxford University Press, London.

        History and analysis of a late-14th century mail shirt from Germany.

 

Permission is given to copy and distribute this list in SCA publications,

official and otherwise.

 

        Vittorio del Fabbro

        Myrkfaelinn in Exile

        Kingdom of the East

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert V. Del Favero, Jr.         Olivetti Advanced Financial Development Group

rvd at clunker.shel.isc-br.com                           Shelton, Connecticut, USA

 

 

From: bobwo at mot.com (DX531 Bob Woodhouse)

Date: 18 Nov 91 19:32:29 GMT

Organization: secure_comm

 

I understand that there are some mail related questions, and I thought I

might share some experiences.

 

I have had success with using 19 ga, half-hard stainless steel wire.  When

I make the rings, I cut them as one would normally cut them for butted mail,

and then I take a 'hex crimper' (used to terminate cables with F connectors)

and squeeze the rings from a few directions to make them overlap a bit.  A

common spot welder can then fuse this overlapping.  I prefer to then hammer

the weld flat a bit (especially when the metal is still hot).

 

Another thing I have tried is blackening mild steel wire in the forge after

the mail product is constructed.  This will slow down rust if a piece is not to

be handled too much (can't comment on the case where it is handled much).  I

do not know if black chain is all that fashionable anyway.

 

Don't ask why, but I once use copper power-line with soldered joint.  It

would be too expensive, but it's what I had at the time.

 

A good day to all,

Wolfram Eck

 

a.k.a. Bob Woodhouse

bobwo at mot.com

 

 

Lothar The Wanderer

Holmgren Lars

chainmail ring size

7 Feb 92

 

I do a bit of mailing, and what I use is either 17 gauge for “decoratory, or 14 gauge for the real stuff.  The 14 guage I turn on a “3/8" rod, and the 17 gauge I use everything from that same rod down “to, believe it or not, an old 8" disk drive head positioning rail!  I “think it is about 3/16" or so.  Take the time and experiment as the “ring size is based more upon your tastes and strength.  The 3/16" 14 “gauge might look good, but I don't have the wrist strength to do it “comfortably.  A ring of 1" in diameter would look hideous and would “have an easier potential to break because of the angle of the hanging “rings upon it.  Your best bet is to experiment.  I chose the gauges I “use because they are electric fence (livestock fence) barrier sizes “and my farm outfitter sells it to me for $20 per half mile of 17 and “$21 per 1/4 mile of 14 gauge, and yes, if you are going to chainmail a “lot, it will all be used up and more, I am on my 4th roll of 14 gauge.

Good Luck on your chaimailing insanity,

Lothar the Wanderer

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: tbarnes at silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes)

Subject: Re: Mailed feet (again...)

Organization: Indiana University

Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1993 00:27:07 GMT

 

vader at meryl.csd.uu.se (]ke Eldberg) writes:

>I just want to support the question here... the construction of

>feet / shoes for mail leggings is a mystery that I have long

>wanted to know about. My guess is that they either wore some

>kind of shoe inside the mail, or had a leather sole attached

>to the mail. But is there nobody who really knows?

>

>William de Corbie

 

The effigies I have seen of 13th C. English knights (in the Temple and

Westminster Abbey in London, the Musee de Cluny and the Cloisters) lead

me to believe that there was no armor on the bottom of the foot and the

whole mail chauss was made like a pair of footed hose or the mail was

worn over a pair of shoes and held on with points and/or straps passed

under the arch of the foot.

      The pair of SCA-made mail chausses I tried on several years ago

had several problems - notably their wieght, their lousy protection vs.

crushing blows, poor fit at the foot (due to bad design) and poor fit at

the back of the ankle (due to the need to make the mail wide enough to

pass over the foot). The problem of weight could be solved with

suspenders or points attached to a gambeson. The poor fit at the back of

the ankle could be fixed by leaving the chausse open at that point and

tying it closed with laces to get a better fit. The lack of protection

vs. a crushing blow seems to be an inherant weakness of mail.

 

Lothar \|/

        0

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: sclark at epas.utoronto.ca (Susan Clark)

Subject: Re: Mailed feet (again...)

Organization: University of Toronto - EPAS

Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1993 03:33:18 GMT

 

      OK, I'll bite.  I didn't see your original post, but I take it

you're looking for references to armoured footwear.  I'm not

an armourer, but I have seen a terrfic video called "How a Man

Schall be Armed"...it's put out though the Tower of London musuem,

but I got my copy at the Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York. I'm

sure you could order it through one of these museums. Anyway, there

are nifty close-up shots of a man putting on 16th century armour, including

sabotons.  BTW, there is a nother vido on the tape called "Masters

of Defence"  which describes the beginnings of fencing.

 

Hope this helps...

Nicolaa

 

 

From: tracker at bigwpi.WPI.EDU (The Renegade Ranger)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Mailed feet (again...)

Date: 3 Apr 1993 16:31:24 GMT

Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

 

sclark at epas.utoronto.ca (Susan Clark) writes:

>     OK, I'll bite.  I didn't see your original post, but I take it

>you're looking for references to armoured footwear.  I'm not

>an armourer, but I have seen a terrfic video called "How a Man

>Schall be Armed"...it's put out though the Tower of London musuem,

>but I got my copy at the Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York. I'm

>sure you could order it through one of these museums. Anyway, there

>are nifty close-up shots of a man putting on 16th century armour, including

>sabotons.  BTW, there is a nother vido on the tape called "Masters

>of Defence"  which describes the beginnings of fencing.

 

Just as a side note on the "How a man Schall be Armed" video..  the

guy that they're dressing up is Graeme Rimer, (whose name I think I

have just horribly mispelled) who is currently keeper of weapons at

the Royal Armouries. I've only seen the video twice, but as I remember

from a pair of sabatons at the museum, I think they would start with a

wide row that  ran the circumfrence, then do a limited contraction in

the front, much like a miniature coif. Put the contraction over a

shaped (well, maybe not shaped, but at least there...) leather piece,

so that it was the leather sole and the front piece that held it to

the front of the foot. The sole itself would most likely extend an

extra 1/2 inch on the sides, which the mail would overlap and fasten

to. There would be a strip of lether in the back at the heel location,

running up to almost the top of the heel.

 

Note that this is just rom what I remember and what I'd guess to fill

the voids from what I don't remember, so it's not accurate or

verified. However, from doing some boot work and playing with mail

coverings on them, I'd think that it would be a 3/4 leather moc with

the front toe and the overlapped sides comprising most of the leather

coverage.

 

If anyone knows of a better way, or can thinkl of corrections to

improve on my suggestion, please respond. I'd definitely like to find

out...

 

-Tracker

 

 

From: Longshot at f19.n291.z1.fidonet.org (Longshot)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Headdresses and Colors

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1993 16:53:33

 

00 Jan 00  04:04:00

From the cutting edge, Longshot heard Lisa J Shea say to All;

 

LJS> I am in the process of joining the SCA and, having received all

LJS> introductory literature, am curious about the exact requirements on

LJS> clothing.  I have done medieval clothing research for local Faires and

LJS> sewn a 1300s 3-level dress.  Unfortunately, I chose purple, which was

LJS> only used by nobles.  Also, I have a matching chain-metal headdress (to

LJS> the middle of my back) and handpiece.  Are these too ostentatious?

 

lo'

   A matter that I don't know if anyone has mentioned to you yet, but the use

of Chain mail (per say) is period.   It was done in Poland.

                                                               ~ Aindries

 

 

From: Longshot at f19.n291.z1.fidonet.org (Longshot)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Headdresses and Colors

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1993 17:01:36

 

00 Jan 01  01:07:00

From the cutting edge, Longshot heard Dorthy J Heydt say to Lisa J Shea;

 

-U> Also, I have a matching chain-metal headdress (to the

>middle of my back) and handpiece.  Are these too ostentatious?

 

-U> More to the point, they are a 20th-century hippie Ren Faire invention.

-U> Wear them if you like, but if you really want to look medieval, leave

-U> them home.   I would put aside the out-of-period chainmail.  Go

-U> back to your source books and see what the early 14th-century ladies

-U> are wearing.

 

Milady,

   I may recommend that you explore the Polish (12-1400 era, I think, but

apologize that I can not be more accurate) ornamentation. There are some very

clear examples of a chain mail style material being used as jewelry.

                                                              ~ Aindries

 

 

From: haslock at rust.zso.dec.com (Nigel Haslock)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmail

Date: 6 Apr 1993 21:25:04 GMT

Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation - DECwest Engineering

 

A serpentine chain can be imagined as two simple chains occupying the same

space.

 

Chain 1     +------+    +------+    +------+    +------+

      ======    ========   ========    ========     |

          +------+    +------+   +------+    +------+

 

Chain 2       +------+    +------+    +------+    +------+

      ========    ========   ========    ========     |

            +------+    +------+   +------+    +------+

 

 

Combined    +------+    +------+    +------+    +------+  

          | +------+  | +------+ | +------+  | +------+

      ======|   ========|   ========|   ========|    | |

        ======   |========   |========   |========   | |

          +------+ |  +------+ | +------+ |  +------+ |

            +------+    +------+   +------+    +------+

 

Notice the twist in the flat links? The edge on links need to

interlace in the same way.

 

If your links are large enough, you can superimpose a more chains. The

limitation is the ration of the diameter of the wire to the size of the

ring, i.e. how many links will fit in a ring.

 

To build the chain, anchor a ring. Add two rings to the start ring. Add a ring

that passes through both of the new rings. Add a ring that passes through the

last ring and one of the previous two rings. {Begin repeat} Add a ring that

passes through the last two rings. {End repeat}

 

            Fiacha

 

 

From: Stephen.Whitis at f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Stephen Whitis)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Help chain mail

Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1993 12:21:02

 

>Hello i am tring to make a chain mail choif (sp?) or hood. I ca not

>figure out how to get the round piece at the top. Please E-mail me      

>if you can help.                                                         

 

Start with a single ring, with 8 rings attached to it. Add another

row of rings, just as normal.  Now go back and add 4 rings to 4 of

the original 8.  These will not go through two links when you add

them, as normal, but will attach only to 1 ring each.  Now add

another row, as normal, using the 12 rings in your outmost circle

to attach to.  Then add some extra's (like we did with the 4

earlier).  Continue as needed.

 

In the early stages, you want the mail to lay pretty flat on a flat

surface.  Eventually, you'll quit adding links, add sides, etc.

___

* Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057 (1:124/4229)

 

 

From: WISH at uriacc.uri.EDU (Peter G. Rose)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: 'idiot's delight'

Date: 30 Aug 1993 13:48:54 -0400

 

I've found a simple way of making ornamental chains out of jump

rings, in a modern metalworking book.  The pattern is called

"Idiot's delight" in the text, and works as follows:

                                (1)           \ < < <     (2)

Hook 4 rings to 2, so that          __       v  \ __   ^

the middle pair connects the   ----/  \----  ----X  \

other two pair.                ----\__/----  ----X__/  v

                                             ^  /

Split the rightmost pair, and swing            / < < <

them back along either side of the leftmost

pair.                                          (3)

                                                  -||----

Split the middle pair along the right edge,    ----||-

and push the "rightmost"                     ----||-

pair up between them.                             -||----

                                                        ___      (4)

                                                       /   \

Hook another pair through the "righmost pair,     -||----  -|----

and through a fifth pair, to the right:        ====||= |   |

                                                  -||---- -|----

                                                       \___/

 

Repeat the process of splitting the rightmost pair, then the next-

rightmost pair, and hooking 2 more pair through the 2nd to the 1st,

until you feel like throwing up...

 

This gives you a nifty chain with a square cross-section.

 

2 questions:  Has anyone seen this particular pattern in period,

and           where ought I look, to FIND patterns for chains et. al.?

 

                 -- Azelin

 

 

From: silbrmnd at acf4.nyu.edu (silbrmnd)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: 'idiot's delight'

Date: 5 Sep 1993 09:06:41 GMT

 

Azelin causes some of us to lose whatever's left of our minds...

>I've found a simple way of making ornamental chains out of jump

>rings, in a modern metalworking book.  The pattern is called

>"Idiot's delight" in the text, and works as follows:

 

[pattern deleted]

 

>This gives you a nifty chain with a square cross-section.

 

Kew-ul!  I must be really overtired or something, tho.  I couldn't

_quite_ visualize the chain based on your instructions (although the

ASCII diagrams ended up being very helpful!), so I went over to the

other side of my room and dug out my mail pouch (god, I sound like a

postal worker, don't I?  ;) from under a pile of black t-shirts (I'm in

the middle of packing, I'm moving into the dorm tommorrow :) and tried

to figure it out.  Well, I almost 'mailed Azelin too soon to tell him it

wasn't working, but after taking apart my first attempt and trying over,

I got it to work.  I continued it for 5-ish reps, and it really does

look nice.  (The main problem, epecially since it's a small piece, is

that the ends keep trying to come undone...  I ended up sticking a screw

thru each end).  Sometime later, maybe when I'm more awake, I think I'm

gonna make up a few of these and try to figure out the most

"esthetically pleasing" way to connect these up for armoring purposes...

Get your designer mail shirts!  :)  (Actually, make one really

(_really_) long chain, turn it into a spiral, connect the "sides"...

Hmm, could work...  Anyone interested in an extra thick mail coif?  :)

 

>2 questions:  Has anyone seen this particular pattern in period,

>and           where ought I look, to FIND patterns for chains et. al.?

 

Ditto that.  (the second part, anyways...)  I'm interested especially in

*period* variations of the basic 4-in-1 pattern, as well as other

interesting designs that people have come up with (but if possible

please tell me if it was a "legitimate" period pattern, or just

something that looks cool).  And what about using thinner wire and

smaller rings for jewelery?  (Is this period?  What type/gauge wire is

generally used? (I use 14 gauge galvanized steel for armor-type things)

Also, what do people generally use for different colored rings?  (wire

hangers'll work for a silver/gold pattern, but a friend of mine noticed

that someone had a red mail shirt at Pennsic... (dunno if it was all

red, or just had some red rings in it, we figure paint is too

impractical (you'd have to repaint it way too often))

 

<Gak>  Definitely time to get to sleep, it's almost 5...

 

                  -GAbrielle the Clueless

---------------------------------|

DarkMage, the Clueless Wonder   |-----------------------------------

     silbrmnd at acf4.nyu.edu       | Gabrielle (Don't call me Gabby!)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

From: willey at ftp.com  (Richard E. Willey)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: rivetted chain

Date: Thu, 04 Nov 1993 17:47:54

Organization: FTP Software, North Andover, Massachusetts

 

With all due respect to Tracker, I'm not sure that you've ever tried making

rivetted mail.  You can not simply rivet all the open links together

in one large batch.  I'e been working on and off on some rivetted mail

for quite some time now, and it it virtually impossible to get the mail

to lie properly so that you can rivet more than one ring at once.  

I loose a large amount of time shifting mail around and changing tools.

I can close ad rivet about 1 run every 10 seconds, and this is a

significant gain over what i used to do.  Adding and closing open

rings is much slower.

 

                                        hrothgar

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: lbell at nyx.cs.du.edu (Larry Bell)

Subject: Re: Chain coifs...

Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 94 19:42:18 GMT

 

Pete Eidet <petee at icebox.iceonline.com> wrote:

>Well someone asked =)

>

>    The general 4 in 1 pattern is _slightly_ changed to start the top of the

>coif:

>

>     1. Start with a slightly bigger ring for the 'top' of the coif, then

>put 7 or so rings attached to it (as space allows) and set it down so that you

>can see the rings overlap in the "usual" way.

 

Actually, you can start with a regular sized central ring with seven attached

to it.  That's how I do most of my coifs.  The 'extra' rings added to increase

the diameter are sometimes called idle rings.  Then can also be used to

decrease the diameter, as in the waist of a hauberk.

 

Larry Bell - Sir William of Bellwood

lb5532 at swuts.sbc.com

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: petee at icebox.iceonline.com (Pete Eidet)

Subject: Chain coifs...

Organization: ICE Online

Date: Thu, 27 Jan 1994 11:18:15 GMT

 

Well someone asked =)

 

    The general 4 in 1 pattern is _slightly_ changed to start the top of the

coif:

 

      1. Start with a slightly bigger ring for the 'top' of the coif, then

put 7 or so rings attached to it (as space allows) and set it down so that you

can see the rings overlap in the "usual" way.

 

      2. Start the nnormal process of threading 1 link through 2 which are

already there (forget that they are attached in a circle)

 

      3. For every row which is done (remember the rows are now done in

CIRCLES) add 4 extra links to the outside (at present) row at even spaces

[i.e. one at "north" one at "south" one at "east" etc.]  so that the circle is

slowly expanding.

 

      4. When you have a large enough space to crown your head i.e. fits

like a 'baseball' cap (without the visor of course! =) stop adding the extra 4

links per row, and leave a space large enough for your face (well you do want

to see of course ;)

 

      5. When this "tube" part of the coif reaches your shoulders, connect

the front of the coif again at the bottem (adding in a sufficient number of

rows of course) and once again add the 4 extra links per row, so that it may

fit over your shoulders properly.

 

      6. Continue to the length you wish, and trim the bottem with any

pattern you desire (embattled, plain, whatever)

 

      7. Don't forget padding underneath if you like your hair/eyebrows/ears

 

                    Aleron Hauk DeMoion

 

 

From: design at MCS.COM (Ann Feeney)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmail beginner wants help!

Date: 11 Mar 1994 12:33:24 -0600

Organization: /usr/lib/news/organi[sz]ation

 

Jesse Ephraim <jpe at metronet.com> wrote:

>In article <CM8y5q.JnG at news.direct.net>,

>John Groseclose <caradoc at indirect.com> wrote:

>>Jesse Ephraim (jpe at metronet.com) wrote:

>>: I'm sure that you've all heard this a billion times, but I'd like to

>>: learn the basics of making chainmail.  Is there a FAQ or text file on

>>: the net that teaches this, or does anyone have any good, in-print book

>>: suggestions?

>>

>>: Thanks!

 

Note: I have never made chain mail from these directions.

 

Oppi Untracts Jewelry Concepts and Technology, has a good section on chain

mail.  Untract is a metalworking GOD (IMHO), and the directions and

patterns look superb.

Rio Grande Albuquerque/River Gems and Findings supposedly sells a

videotape.  They have an 800 number--call the 800 directory.  (I used to

have their number memorized, but forgot it just when I need it...)  They

sell good stuff.

 

Ann Feeney

Enid Wriggleworth

 

>Jesse Ephraim    | But what is truth?

>jpe at metronet.com | Is truth unchanging law?

 

Ann Feeney                      |Any similarity of opinions between

Ligature, Inc.                  |those expressed in this posting

(312)648-1233                   |and anybody else's, including

design at mcs.com                  |Ligature, Inc. is purely coincidental.

 

 

From: lyoness at panix.com (Jean Krevor)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmail beginner wants help!

Date: 14 Mar 1994 01:21:45 -0500

Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC

 

>>>Jesse Ephraim (jpe at metronet.com) wrote:

>>>: I'm sure that you've all heard this a billion times, but I'd like to

>>>: learn the basics of making chainmail.  Is there a FAQ or text file on

>>>: the net that teaches this, or does anyone have any good, in-print book

>>>: suggestions?

 

Ann Feeney <design at MCS.COM> replied:

>Rio Grande Albuquerque/River Gems and Findings supposedly sells a

>videotape.  They have an 800 number--call the 800 directory.  (I used to

>have their number memorized, but forgot it just when I need it...)  They

>sell good stuff.

 

Rio Grande Albuquerque/River Gems and Findings' number is 800-533-3299.

I haven't gotten a recent catalogue from them, so I don't know about a

chain mail video.  

 

<<disclaimer -- I have no financial interest in RGA/RGF, but considering

how many folks I've sent to get their catalogs, boy, do I *WISH* I did.>>

:-)

 

Slainte'--

Elizabeth/Jean

 

Jean Elizabeth Krevor        | Nothing is better than eternal happiness.

lyoness at panix.com            | And, a ham sandwich is better than nothing.

Associate member, SFLAaE/BS  | Therefore, a ham sandwich must be better

Lady Elizabeth Camerona      | than eternal happiness.

nicIan of Clan Mitchell      | I'll have a ham sandwich, please!

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: dwhite at atl.com (David White)

Subject: Re: chain mail

Organization: Advanced Technology Laboratories, Bothell, WA, USA

Date: Tue, 8 Mar 1994 12:26:54 GMT

 

> Not to nit-pick. . .

>

> . .but the terminology "Chain-mail" is incorrect, there is no such thing as

>Chain-Mail, that is a common misconception stemming from Dungeons and Dragons

>players.

>

>The correct terminology is just Mail. Also thought i'd mention that Plate

>Mail, therefore, is a contradiction in terms, the correct term is Plate

>armor. Gary Gygax may have been very creative, but his game is not a basis

>for historical observations.

>

>Eros

 

A Glossary Of The Construction, Decoration And Use Of Arms And Armor

In All Countries And In All Times

 

by George Cameron Stone

 

(an authoritative tome, frequently qouted)

has the following heading for mail....

 

MAIL, CHAIN MAIL.

 

He lists a large varieties of mail made with interlocking rings of

various paterns and small plates linked with rings.  The armour

using small plates seams to have been used mostly in Asia.

 

 

An Illustrated History of Arms and Armour

 

by Charles Henry Ashdown

 

tracts the evolution of armour as follows...

 

CHAIN MAIL PERIOD, 1180-1250

 

CHAIN MAIL REINFORCED, 1250-1325

 

THE CYCLAS PERIOD, 1325-1335

 

THE STUDDED AND SPLINTED ARMOUR PERIOD, 1335-1360

 

THE CAMAIL AND JUPON PERIOD, 1360-1410

 

THE SURCOATLESS PERIOD, 1410-1430

 

THE TABARD PERIOD, 1430-1500

 

THE TRANSITION PERIOD, 1500-1525

 

MAXIMILLIAN ARMOUR, 1525-1600

 

THE HALF-ARMOUR PERIOD AFTER 1600

 

I think Gary invented the term "plate mail" wich refers to chain mail

reinforced with rigid armour.  this apears in the 13th century and

is used in increasingly improved forms until 1400 or so when full

plate makes its appearence.

 

-David W

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: mikes at nickel.ucs.indiana.edu (michael squires)

Subject: Re: chain mail

Summary: Ashdown is not reliable

Organization: Indiana University

Date: Thu, 10 Mar 1994 03:58:26 GMT

 

(Michael H Cole) writes:

>jab2 at stl.stc.co.uk (Jennifer Ann Bray) writes...

>><SNIP>

>>>An Illustrated History of Arms and Armour

>>>

>>>by Charles Henry Ashdown

>>>

>>That doesn't necessarily affect any of the other stuff Charles Henry

>>Ashdown says, but he does seem to be wrong on the early cutoff of the

>>period during which linked metal rings were used as armour.

 

That's probably not the only error in Ashdown.  Run, do not walk, to find

Claud Blair's European Armour.  Ashdown is one of the sources notorious for

misinformation.

 

Michael L. Squires, Ph.D   Manager of Instructional Computing, Freshman Office,

Chemistry Department, IU Bloomington, IN 47405 812-855-0852 (o) 81-333-6564 (h)

mikes at indiana.edu, mikes at ucs.indiana.edu, or mikes at nickel.ucs.indiana.edu

 

 

From: tmyers at unlinfo.unl.edu (tim myers)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmail beginner wants help!

Date: 15 Mar 1994 16:18:15 GMT

Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln    

 

: learn the basics of making chainmail.  Is there a FAQ or text file on

: the net that teaches this, or does anyone have any good, in-print book

: suggestions?

 

Try "The Complete Metalsmith" , in print, ~$8-13

--

Tim Myers                                   Toli the Curious

University of Nebraska-Lincoln              Shire of Mag Mor

tmyers at unlinfo.unl.edu                      Kingdom of Calontir

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: Bill Hubbard <b.hubbard at aston.ac.uk>

Subject: (Chain)mail terms, Romans

Organization: Information Systems, Aston University

Date: Mon, 14 Mar 1994 17:58:42 GMT

 

This is in response to a number of postings about mail and about Romans.

The Romans used mail extensively, some of it very fine.  I have handled

excavated pieces with ring dimensions of about 7 mm.external diameter, 1

mm wire. I think there is evidence for far finer, although probably

ornamental rather than functional.  There is sculptural representation of

mail on Roman monuments and gravestones and a variety of conventions are

used to show it:  cross-hatching, zig-zags, dot-and-circles, dots, etc.

Roman sculpture was also painted and it seems likely that a lot of

otherwise blank tunic-like garments on sculptures were painted as mail.

These have been interpreted in the past as leather tunics.

 

It seems likely that mail was the most common form of armour in the Roman

army from the late Republic through to, well, whatever cut-off point you

want :-)  It was used by legionaries, auxiliaries - foot and cavalry -and

by officers and *NCOs*.

The use of the more famous *lorica segmentata* (the strips of iron around

the body and over the shoulder) was restricted in its period of use, the

type of user and geographical location.  As a type of armour, it was only

used for maybe two hundred and fifty years, does not seem to have been

used by the Auxiliaries (who made up roughly half the army), or to have

been popular in the East (where scale and lamellar armour co-existed with

mail).

 

The term *lorica hamata* was used for a mail *shirt*;  the term *lorica

squamata*, referred to a scale *shirt* and a third term *lorica plumata*

possibly referred to mail with tiny scales laced through neighbouring

links before riveting, producing a combined scale/mail garment.

 

In discussing various terms, I think its important to differentiate

between the armour itself as a garment and the material from which it is

made.  Thus, the only (medieval) period term I have seen for mail is mail

(or maille, etc).  The Saxons and Vikings seems to have had no special

word for the material itself, but called the *garments* hauberks and

byrnies etc (developing into the medieval term haubergeon, etc).  These

terms seem to imply mail construction in the way they are used

(poetically referred to as *Odin?s Web* or the *War Net*), but equally,

scale existed, so the terms may exceptionally cover garments made of

either construction.

 

As information about the term itself, the Romans seem to have picked up

mail from the Celts, possibly from Gaul, but their name for it is

unknown.  For the Romans, the material was called *macula*.  This is

derived from the Latin for *net*, which itself comes from the term for

*dots* - the idea being that a fishing net from a distance is most

visible as its knots.  It is this term *macula* which becomes *maglia* in

Italian and *mailles* in French and eventually *mail* in English, by the

thirteenth century.  The term *chain-mail* first appears in the late

eighteenth century.  The authority for this derivation is the respected

medieval arms expert Ewert Oakshott, albeit from one of his childrens

books, *Dark Age Warrior* (which is what was handy :-)).  

For further information on Roman kit, look at an excellent standard work,

H.Russell Robinson *Armour of Imperial Rome*.  (That one is a grown-ups

book, honestly!).

 

IMHO the point is *mail*, or *scales* ( - or *wool* - ) is what a garment

is made *from* and not really the name of the garment itself.  *Mail* is

not an exact synonym for *armour*, so I don?t really see how you can

qualify it, as with *plate-mail* or *scale-mail*.  

On the other hand, terms like ring-mail etc are now generally known to a

number of people from D&D or wherever and might be considered as modern

names for the stuff.  I don?t like the terms, I think they grate on the

ear, but that is just me :-).

I think it all depends if you see your kit being used in a hobby in the

modern world or in the recreation of a world.  Since I try and re-enact a

period, I will try and use period terms when I can.

 

I hope this was of interest.

Bill Hubbard

Non-SCA, but the same kind of thing (I think).

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: Bill Hubbard <b.hubbard at aston.ac.uk>

Subject: Re: Help wanted for a long-sleeved hauberk

Organization: Information Systems, Aston University

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 14:47:39 GMT

 

I would say make your sleeves so that the ring-row direction continues on

unbroken - the first of your alternatives.  I am not aware of any byrnies

which change construction halfway down the sleeve.  The *Shirt of St

Wenceslaus* in Prague, attributed to the thirteenth century, has sleeves

in this unbroken fashion if you need a firm, early, referent.

As for shaping the sleeve, take measurements around your gambeson so that

you get an idea of where and how quickly it should taper. Work out

roughly how many rows you will need and how many *columns* you will need

at arm-pit and wrist.  Then with the measurements you can easily work out

a plan of *drop one row every X columns above the elbow, one row every Y

columns below the elbow*

To taper it, the way it is done on period examples is to scatter

*dropped* rings into the mesh as you work down the arm. That is, do not

put all of the 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 discontinuities in one place, or in one

line etc.  If they are scattered throughout the arm, then the pattern is

maintained and the flexibility is not compromised.

The joining of the links under the arm is a bit awkward as you are

joining rows going at right angles to one another.  I would suggest to

try and maintain some semblance of the pattern for as long a possible,

and just bodge it in the very arm pit :-) For this reason don't make the

arm-hole too tight, or else it bunches up in your arm-pit.

I hope this helps - Good Luck!

 

Bill Hubbard

 

 

From: pyuaq at csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr G S Sutherland)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Help wanted for a long-sleeved hauberk

Date: 17 Mar 1994 13:16:11 -0000

Organization: University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

 

      I'm currently attempting to construct a chain (or whatever is the

correct term..:) ) hauberk with sleeves that reach the wrists, in the

manner of a twelfth century example.

 

      First: what is the best way of doing the sleeves, I have seen two

methords. One is where the sleeves are extended out from the body in the

normal manner, as below (where | is the direction of the rows in the mail.)

 

      ...........   ...........

      :|||||||||:...:|||||||||:

      '''''''':|||||||:''''''''

            :|||||||:

            :|||||||:

            :|||||||:

            '''''''''

 

      The second methord is to do what I've heard of is called a `mutton

chop' sleeve, where the mail on the arm is made in a different direction,

from about midway down the bicep. This is shown in the below `diagram'.

 

      ...........   ...........

      :=====:|||:...:|||:=====:

      '''''''':|||||||:''''''''

            :|||||||:

            :|||||||:

            :|||||||:

            '''''''''

 

      Secondly, how do you recommend shaping the sleeve? It's going to

require a taper at some point, and I was wondering where I should start it

at. One suggestion was about midway down the upper arm, and continuing it

until I reached just above the wrist.

 

            Graeme

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: Bill Hubbard <b.hubbard at aston.ac.uk>

Subject: Difference between Roman and Medieval mail

Organization: Information Systems, Aston University

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 14:40:13 GMT

 

This is a VERY minor point, but it may be of interest.

 

hagen at delta.hut.fi (T. Viljanen) wrote:

>Yes. It was called lorica hamata, and it was identical to medieval mail.

>Legionarii used it as their primary form of armor until ca. 50 AD, after

>that date mainly Auxiliarii and Equites used it.

 

Certainly it looks and functions the same, but there is a slight

constructional difference. From the examples that I have seen, Roman mail

was constructed of alternate rows of solid rings and riveted rings.  If

you have made the stuff you will know that you can make a byrnie two rows

at a time, using a closing ring to join on the solid ones. By the

medieval period, there was a change in construction to all riveted rings.

Can this be taken to imply that it was *easier* to make riveted rings

than solid ones?  This seems a logical, but surprising, assumption to me.

I find riveting the stuff incredibly fiddly and time-consuming.  I think

its interesting that period mail makers had their riveting procedure (of

overlapping, swaging, piercing, rivet making, rivet insertion and rivet

closure) so well refined that it was *easier* than overlapping and hammer

welding a ring.

A lot of books claim that the solid rings were punched out of plate using

two round punches.  In fact, although this seems reasonable, I think its

very tricky to do this (even allowing for the fact I am only a very

amateur metal worker :-)). The rings are so thin that you tend to get a

lot of distortion as the punch pushes through. Specialist armour curators

I have spoken to say that these solid rings all seem to be hammer welded.

Has anyone got any evidence for other (period) methods of manufacture?

 

This is, as I said, a very minor point:  the mail is virtually the same.

I don?t want to fuel the continuing postings about possible mail *types*:

this is a chronological, not contemporary, difference.

 

BTW, my impression is that the average ring size increased over time

(Roman to Medieval) as well: however, it is rare that detailed

information on average ring size and wire gauge is published, so this is

based on the limited amount of mail I have handled myself and seen *in

the flesh*.  Unfortunate choice of phrase. Should have worn that gambeson

:-)

 

Bill Hubbard

 

 

From: ajb at hms01.hms.uq.oz.au (Andrew Bennett)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Need help with chain mail.

Date: Thu, 21 Apr 1994 10:28:28

Organization: University of Queensland

 

meananti at cwis.isu.edu (MEANS_ANTIGONE_M) writes:

>From: meananti at cwis.isu.edu (MEANS_ANTIGONE_M)

>Subject: Need help with chain mail.

>Date: 12 Apr 1994 04:13:44 -0600

 

>Ok whats happened is I know how to make the Chain mail <I've done 3 full

>suits and about 15 shirts in the last 10 years> but I'm getting lazy in

>my old age and dont want to wrap the rings. Is there some where that

>sells just plain metal rings? <about the circumfrence of a dime> If so

>how much? I've found a few places here that sell what I'm looking for but

>they want $0.40 EACH for the rings. If you guys can't help I guess I'll

>just have to break down and wrap the wire. But I'm wanting to avoid that

>Thank you E-mail would be warmly greated as I don't get to read the

>newsreader that much

>Shiva

>meananti at cwis.isu.edu

 

This may or may not be of help to you good sir.

 

In addition to being in the SCA I am also in a metal weapons re-enactment

group specialising in the third crusade. Predominantly our group wears chain-

mail with some scale and a couple of ring-mail.

 

In one of our standard hauberks there is approximately 18000 rings of 12mm

diameter and naturally we (I especially) have no desire to wrap and cut that

many rings by hand.  The solution we came up with was unexpected but turned

out to be ridiculously cheap and quite viable.

 

What we came up with was this:  we approached a local spring-maker and after

looking at his machinery we found that it could be altered to suit our needs.

 

Most springs are wound onto a rod in a similar fashion to what you proposed

but the machine can be instructed to cut them after every revolution,

instead of after say 20 or 40. So the result is that you just place a big

tub beneath the end of the winding rod and the guillitine(sp?)  cuts off the

single rings into the tub.  The manufacturer we spoke to was happy to do

this for us, at whatever guage we required provided we order in lots of

50000 rings or more to make it economically viable for him too. It costs us

about $40 (Australian) for 10000 rings so thats really GREAT value.

 

Hope that this is of help to you.

 

Crispin D'Andreuse         (Andrew Bennett. Dept. HMS Uni of Qld)

Brother of the Temple.

Principality of Lochach,

West Kingdom.

 

 

From: fnklshtn at ACFcluster.nyu.edu

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chain mail armour

Date: 9 Sep 1994 15:47:17 GMT

Organization: New York University, New York, NY

 

bakerd2338 at cobra.uni.edu writ

   Description of chainmail manufacture - emphasis on uniformness.

>

>            Gospodin Ivan "the Trouncable" Kuzmovich Velikov

>

 

This called to mind a recent trip to London.

(if I forgot to thank anyone for sightseeing hints THANK YOU!!!)

 

THe "oriental" armour exhibit was down for some junk jewelry exhibit, but the

Armoury folks were real nice and let me look at stuff I expressly thought to

ask about (you gotta be a student and have a real reason you wanna look at the

stuff, the Law student thing wasn't very usefull but the armoury aprenticeship

was ).

Anyway, one thing I noticed as I lovingly fondled 16th century shirts of mail

was that uniformity of mail did not seem to be much of a value.

It was far less uniform then the butted mail we usually make.

On the other hand, I've since made a few riveted links and they wind up with

the same degree of variation as the originals (though I can't say for sure

unless I make a whole shirt - and I'm not about to do that unless somone pays

an awfull lot of money - Up front :-) Hey, are theree grants available for this

sort of thing?)

 

Peace!

Nahum haKuzar

 

 

From: tmyers at unlinfo.unl.edu (tim myers)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: mail sizes, period

Date: 19 Oct 1994 01:07:49 GMT

Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln    

 

Charles Lamb (clamb at pipeline.com) wrote:

: Does anyone know what size wire and rings were commonly used

: for period mail.  I've seen plenty of mail but the period stuff

: is usually secured behind glass where its very hard to measure.

 

Pardon the delay in responding to the question posed, re:

what size were the rings of mail in period.

 

First, obviously they differed. Generally rings in mail got smaller as

time went on and both metal and metalsmith got better. The following

data comes from articles written by E. Martin Burgess, a Fellow of the

Society of Antiquaries(England) and published in the Antiquaries Journal.

 

I quote from "The Mail Shirt From Sinigaglia"

 

This mail shirt, which is now in the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh and

was in the Meyrick and Noel Paton collections, dates from the fourteenth

century.

 

                           Description of the Rings

 

      Recorded Thickness of the Wire(in inches to the nearest thousandth)

 

Whole rings

                            Iron: 0.108,0.110,0.105,0.115,0.103

                                  Recorded variation: 0.012

                                  Average:           0.108

 

                            Brass: 0.1085,0.091,0.097,0.080,0.076

                                  Recorded variation: 0.021

                                  Average:           0.086

 

Riveted rings

                            Iron: 0.056,0.060,0.058,0.062,0.067

                                  Recorded variation: 0.011

                                  Average:           0.061

 

                            Brass: 0.063,0.061,0.062,0.065,0.064

                                  Recorded variation: 0.004

                                  Average:           0.063

 

             External Diameter of Rings(parallel to rivet joint)

 

Whole rings

                            Iron: 0.603,0.607,0.597,0.598,0.608

                                  Recorded variation: 0.011

                                  Average:           0.603

 

                            Brass: 0.649,0.648,0.660,0.651,0.645

                                  Recorded variation: 0.015

                                  Average:           0.651

Riveted rings

                            Iron: 0.538,0.539,0.539,0.542,0.543

                                  Recorded variation: 0.005

                                  Average:           0.540

 

                            Brass: 0.599,0.606,0.615,0.578,0.584

                                  Recorded variation: 0.037

                                  Average:           0.596

 

I quote from "A Habergeon of Westwale":

 

The date of the shirt cannot be fixed within very close limits from the

available information, but even to date a shirt of such distinctive style

within sixty years is of value and this one almost surely was made between

1390 and 1450.

 

                           Description of the Rings

 

      Recorded Thickness of the Wire(in inches to the nearest thousandth)

 

Iron rings on front centre chest

                                 0.046,0.053,0.052,0.053,0.060

                                  Recorded variation: 0.014

                                  Average:           0.053

Iron rings on centre back

                                  0.045,0.043,0.048,0.044,0.043

                                  Recorded variation: 0.005

                                  Average:           0.045

Iron rings in crotch flap  

                                 0.036,0.037,0.043,0.052,0.042

                                  Recorded variation: 0.016

                                  Average:           0.042

Iron rings in sleeve

                                 0.031,0.036,0.043,0.039,0.037

                                  Recorded variation: 0.012

                                  Average:           0.037

Brass rings in lower edge

                                 0.027,0.028,0.031,0.039,0.031

                                  Recorded variation: 0.012

                                  Average:           0.031

 

             External Diameter of Rings(parallel to rivet joint)

 

Iron rings on front centre chest

                                 0.538,0.505,0.540,0.478,0.554

                                  Recorded variation: 0.076

                                  Average:           0.523

Iron rings on centre back

                                 0.530,0.505,0.515,0.510,0.512

                                  Recorded variation: 0.025

                                  Average:           0.514

Iron rings in crotch flap  

                                 0.530,0.494,0.497,0.511,0.483

                                  Recorded variation: 0.047

                                  Average:           0.503

Iron rings in sleeve

                                 0.530,0.501,0.582,0.504,0.485

                                  Recorded variation: 0.094

                                  Average:           0.520

Brass rings in lower edge

                                  0.484,0.472,0.494,0.528,0.520

                                  Recorded variation: 0.056

                                  Average:           0.500

 

End quote.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tim Myers                                   Toli the Curious

University of Nebraska-Lincoln              Shire of Mag Mor

tmyers at unlinfo.unl.edu                      Kingdom of Calontir

 

 

From: caradoc at enet.net (John Groseclose)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: What to make chain mail out of

Date: 15 May 1995 08:08:35 GMT

 

sjernigen at aol.com (SJernigen) wrote:

>I agree with the use of stainless wire (308) it is good stuff! dont waist

>your time on

>galvanized wire it will rust up and look REAL period in the long run and

>the only way to bring back that "knightly shine" is to sand blast the

>mail( a whole lot of work) so IMHO and exp. making camails and coifs use

>tiny little rings and spend the extra cash for stainless.

 

Polishing your mail isn't that difficult... Throw your mail into a

5-gallon paint bucket with a recloseable lid, add several handfuls of fine

sand, a cup or so of vinegar, and roll it down a hill a few times. Add two

cups of baking soda or powdered lime, and roll it down the hill a few more

times.

 

The vinegar and sand will remove the rust, and the baking soda will

neutralize the vinegar. Then, add a few cups of crankcase oil, and roll it

around a little more.

 

Cleans it up very nicely, and there are references available showing

"rolling the mail in a barrel with some sand" as being a period practice

for cleaning the stuff.

 

John Groseclose <caradoc at enet.net>

 

 

From: Malcolm Grandis <Malcolm at celtic.demon.co.uk>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Tools of the Armourer

Date: 28 May 1995 00:58:38 +0100

 

blackdog at netcom.com (David E. White) writes:

> I am looking for any info. concerning Armourers tools, esp. those used in

> the production of ring mail.  Somewhere the original tools must exist.  

> Some Museum must have them someplace and published illustrations and

> descriptions.

 

The Tower of London Armoury in the UK.

One of the neat thigs I have seen is a punch and die set which with one blow

shapes the (red hot) wire into the correct not-quite circle and flattens the

ends whilst marking the centres for the rivet hole (original tool).

         _     _

Try Our /     /   Web Page http://ifu.net/html/culture/celts/thecelts.htm

        \_ELTI\_

 

 

From: nqf2312 at is2.nyu.edu (Norman J. Finkelshteyn)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: making chain mail. HELP!

Date: 11 Jul 1995 03:37:10 GMT

Organization: New York University

 

Chris Petersen (xris at halcyon.com) wrote:

: I have a specific question...  which way does the grain go?  I thought it

: should be up/down so that it stretches horizontally, but a friend thought

: he saw the grain going horizontally on some movie (then it stretches

: vertically and "opens" up the rings, and looks more like the way ring or

: scale mail is done)...  I'm beginning to think that this works either way,

: which is best?

: --- --- ---

: Chris Petersen                          xris at halcyon.com

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "grain".

Historically, most nations have worn mail in the following fashion:

 

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (

) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (

 

Romans wore it 90 degrees revolved -

^-^-^-^-^-^

^-^-^-^-^-^

^-^-^-^-^-^

^-^-^-^-^-^

^-^-^-^-^-^

i don't know if I've made a good job of illustrating (not much of an

ascii artist)

 

Greek artistic style makes it impossible to determine which way they did

it, without any information either way I will risk the assumption that

the roman way is a direct swipe from the Greek and therefore that they

wore it like romans.

 

For the fellow asking about sleeves -

to make it simple, make a pattern like for a T-Tunic, fold over then

connect at what in fabric will be the seam.

 

Peace,

Nahum

 

 

From: margritt at mindspring.com (Margritte)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: how do you fit mail sleevs?

Date: 6 Sep 1995 04:40:09 GMT

 

hoselton at crl.com (Loren Hoselton) wrote:

>         I am nearing the completion of a suit of mail. The only thing

> that needs to be added are the sleevs, and i have a good start on one

> already. My problem is this...

> On any ordinary shirt the sleevs are tapered, so that the shoulder is

> bigger in diameter then the cuff. does any one know how this would be

> done with mail? I couldnt seem to work it out so the links would stay in

> pattern. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Are you adding long sleeves or short sleeves?  If the only come down to

elbow length, you won't need to taper them at all.  The mail will collapse

to fit your arm just fine.  It will probably be ok for long sleeves too,

although I have not tried it.

 

If you are making long sleeves, you may want to consider leaving an

opening on the inside of the elbow so that you can bend your arm easily.

It also helps to leave a gap under the armpit.  I believe I have also seen

some people run a leather thong through the links at both the elbow and

wrist to secure the mail to the arm so that it doesn't flop when you move.

 

One last thing to consider:  attach the sleeves so their links are turned

90 degrees from the links on the shirt.  One of the advantages of mail is

that it lets sword blows "roll" off-- the links will actually turn when

hit.  This is much easier to show than to describe.  If you run your hand

down the front of your mail (while you are wearing it), the links will

roll under the pressure from your hand.  You want the same thing to occur

when you run your hand down your arm.

 

Good luck.

-Margritte

 

 

From: Chimenedes at aol.COM

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Riveted Mail

Date: 4 Oct 1995 14:27:14 -0400

 

Tristan wrote:

>       No, Ffolkes doesn't have the tool depicted. I don't know if there

>*are* any depictions, but one could hunt around, I guess...

 

There are illustrations of mail-making tools on pp 66-67 of: Reid, William.

_Arms through the Ages._  New York: Harper & Row, 1976.  Not much in the way

of documentation, but lots of pretty pictures.

 

Meistari Gerekr

Gerekr at aol.com

 

 

From: bofgvale at aol.com (BofGVale)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Riveted Mail

Date: 4 Oct 1995 17:39:53 -0400

 

The book "Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" by David Edge and John

Miles Paddok,  has drawings of what the tools might have looked like, and

a brief, yet informative explanation on how it was made on page 176.  It

also contains close up photos on construction details of many hinges and

latches, details of a guantlet, helm, gorgets, an arm harness and a breast

plate with tassets.

 

It explains that there may have been three tools for making mail (Four if

you count an Iron rod that the soft iron wire was wrapped around and then

chisseled off.)  The first is a tapered die and punch that would make the

rings overlap.  The second, a device that flattens the ends of the links.

It is made up of two peices that are hinged at one end, like a stapler,

and has a raised plate on the inside of the other ends, that contain a

channel cut in them to place the link into and you would, with a hammer I

presume, stamp the ends flat.  The third tool for punching the rivet holes

looks like a pair of pliers but with a pointed chisel on one side and a

'V' notch on the other side.  The rivets they show are triangular, cut

from thin 'bar stock'.  It also says that after the mail was completed,

the "soft iron wire" was case hardened, or quench hardened if it was made

of a mild steel.

 

I hope that this will help you out in your project.

Bernard

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: dbullard at ivory.trentu.ca

Subject: Re: Riveted Mail

Organization: Trent University, Peterborough

Date: Thu, 5 Oct 1995 13:31:01 GMT

 

bofgvale at aol.com (BofGVale) writes:

>The book "Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" by David Edge and John

>Miles Paddok,  has drawings of what the tools might have looked like, and

>a brief, yet informative explanation on how it was made on page 176.  It

>also contains close up photos on construction details of many hinges and

>latches, details of a guantlet, helm, gorgets, an arm harness and a breast

>plate with tassets.

>

>It explains that there may have been three tools for making mail (Four if

>you count an Iron rod that the soft iron wire was wrapped around and then

>chisseled off.)  The first is a tapered die and punch that would make the

>rings overlap.  The second, a device that flattens the ends of the links.

>It is made up of two peices that are hinged at one end, like a stapler,

>and has a raised plate on the inside of the other ends, that contain a

>channel cut in them to place the link into and you would, with a hammer I

>presume, stamp the ends flat.  The third tool for punching the rivet holes

>looks like a pair of pliers but with a pointed chisel on one side and a

>'V' notch on the other side.  The rivets they show are triangular, cut

>from thin 'bar stock'.  It also says that after the mail was completed,

>the "soft iron wire" was case hardened, or quench hardened if it was made

>of a mild steel.

>

>I hope that this will help you out in your project.

>

>Bernard

 

If I may add, in an old copy of of the hammer (vol 8) Polidor discusses

making rivetted mail.  He gives diagrams of the of the tapered hole block, the

swage (which was used to flatten the rings, and the punch to make ,the holes.

He notes that to punch the holes, he bought a Roper Whitney Junioir Number 5.

When the article was written, albeit 17 years ago, the address of the company

was Roper Whitney, Inc.

    2833 Huffman Blvd.

    Rockford Illonois, 61101

   (815) 962-3011.

It comes with dies ranging from 3/32 to 9/32".  He bought and used 1/16"

punches.  If you ,wish, I can photocopy and send via snail mail the relevant

pages.

Vladimir Blahuciak.

 

 

From: powers at cis.ohio-state.edu (william thomas powers)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chain Armour Question...

Date: 16 Oct 1995 21:28:54 -0400

Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science

 

>I've been making butted-link chain armour (mail) for quite some time

>now, and have but one question:  What methods are used (either modern

>or period) to weld links?  Oxy-acetylene?  Spot welders?  Soldering

>irons?  Any information, either here or by e-mail, would be

>appreciated.  Gramercy--

>                 -The Moore

>themoore at lava.net  (Morrigann Moore)

 

In period times the only method of welding was forge welding

using a blacksmith's forge to heat the wrought iron up to welding

temp and fairly gently tapping the overlapped scarfs together.

 

And, yes, examples of forge welded mail links do exist in museums!

 

(it helps using charcoal in the forge and real "wrought iron" for

the links.)

 

Note soldering irons are used to solder not weld.

 

wilelm the smith

 

 

From: v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN)

Newsgroups: soc.history.living,soc.history.medieval,rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Mail chausses

Date: 11 Jan 1996 19:55:12 GMT

Organization: University at Buffalo

 

Dunmail <D.J.Hodkinson at shef.ac.uk> writes:

>Does anyone have any information on what formed the soles of the feet on

>mail chausses?

 

>I have looked through quite a few books trying to find out, but noone is

>very informative.  Manuscript illustrations don't show the bottoms of the

>feet!

 

>Dunmail

 

      Mail footsies, of course! They were slit at the ankle so that you

could get your heel through, then laced up. Check Ffolkes, "The Armorer

and His Craft."

 

                  --Tristan

 

 

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

From: jfs4 at bton.ac.uk (J.F.Scott)

Subject: Re: Chain Mail

Organization: (University of Brighton)

Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 11:02:50 GMT

 

gm350 at aol.com (GM350) writes:

> I am not an SCA  member, though I would be interested if I can ever find

> the time.  However, I could use some in the matter of chain mail.  I have

> devised a proper method for making the links (3/8" dia.) and the wire (16

> gage), though I can't seem to figure out the proper pattern for weaving

> them together.

 

If you have WWW access, you can see instructions for both the 4-1 and

the 6-1 patterns at http://www.primenet.com/~johnj/HowtoChain.html

 

John (No persona yet)

J.F.Scott     University of Brighton      j.f.scott at bton.ac.uk

 

 

From: gdaub at mcis.messiah.EDU

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: chain mail leggings

Date: 14 Feb 1996 09:57:23 -0500

 

   I made my chausses (mail leggings) hang from a sturdy waist belt.  I

used a weight-lifters belt with padding sewn inside, so it also adds kidney

protection.  I think in period they also hung them from belts.  Also, make

sure to put ties just below your knees and just above the thickest part of

your calf.  You won't believe how something this simple will help so much.

It takes some of the weight from off of your hips and distributes it over

you leg.

         Greg

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

|  Gregory Daub                      |  Messiah College                  |

|  Administrative Programmer         |  Computing Services                |

|  Internet: gdaub at mcis.messiah.edu  |  Grantham, Pennsylvania 17027      |

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

From: v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Mail Leggings: How to Wear 'em

Date: 13 Feb 1996 18:41:18 GMT

Organization: University at Buffalo

 

      It's simple. Basically, they're knit metal pantyhose.

 

      You use a garter-belt type arrangement and hike 'em up

with a belt and leather or rope threaded through the top rings...

just like any other chausses.

 

                  --Tristan

 

(See Ffolkes for illustration)

 

 

From: lobel at is.nyu.edu (Sheldon Lobel)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Historical Mail Question, was Re: Mail Pieces

Date: 8 Jul 1996 23:25:24 GMT

Organization: New York University

 

Randy Shipp (rshipp at flash.net) wrote:

: Mike Dunajew <mikedun at tafe.sa.edu.au> wrote:

: Second, on a historical note, aren't there examples of mail hauberks

: made with flat links?  For one thing, I'd imagine that flat links

: would be more easily riveted than round wire links.  

 

Plenty of Flat (rectangular cross section) mail in period.

I don't know about Western European however.

 

In Russia mail of flat rings was distinguished from mail of round-wire.

The flat mail was called "Baidana" while the round was called "Kolchuga"

or "Panzir Kolchuzhnik" (depending on specifics of construction).

 

All the Persian and Turkish mail that the Tower Armoury curators showed me

was of alternating rows of flat rings (solid rings - no rivet) and

round-wire ringsa (riveted).

 

Nahum Kuzari

 

Silk Road Designs

Armoury

1802 Ocean Parkway, apt D16

Brooklyn NY 11223

 

 

From: elezar at mail.msen.com (Jeff Haas)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Need to buy chainmail rings

Date: 13 Sep 1996 14:41:43 GMT

Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, MI.

 

D. Swan (swan at fox.nstn.ca) wrote:

: I've had carpal tunnel syndrome for some years, now.  Here are two

: alternatives to buying rings that I have found to work for me:

:

: 1. use a fine toothed hacksaw; or

: 2. use a dremmel tool with a cutting head.

:

: Either way saves my hands from having to do that "grip grip grip" of

: shears.

 

Something that I'll be trying soon, and have friends already using:

a portable bandsaw for cutting the rings.

 

Malachi von Ulm

--

Jeffrey Haas       "Never underestimate the    -----------X--

elezar at pfrc.org      brilliance of idiots."       P F R C  |

 

 

From: onceler at brucehall20.anu.edu.au (Andrew Bishop (The onceler))

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Where can I find information on creating chain mail?

Date: 18 Sep 1996 21:46:47 GMT

Organization: The Australian National University

 

Anne M. Henderson (anneh at vnet.ibm.com) wrote:

[...]

: Could any of you kind souls out here in cyberspace help

: us out by pointing us to any "how to" manuals we could read to learn more

: about chain mail.  I'm specifically interested in the types of materials

: to use, where to get supplies, and how to properly weave the links.

 

I found myself in a similar situation to yours about a month ago. Having

decided to try my hand at making chain mail, but possessing no knowledge

of how to do this, I took a look around the 'web and found the following

link useful:

http://darkstar.swsc.k12.ar.us/~davidc/menu1.html

This page contains a list of links to other chain mail pages on the 'web,

some of which are better than others, but all of which are worth a look.

 

In addition, I especially recommend "The Apprentice Armorer's Illustrated

Handbook For Making Mail", which is the first link from the

above-mentioned page, and is found at:

http://www.primenet.com/~johnj/HowtoChain.html

This gives a good introduction to what to do (it's how I learnt).

 

For supplies, the ingredients for a home-made mail shirt are:

2 pairs of pliers (at least one needle-nose, and both with comfortable

handles - you'll be using them a lot)

1 pair compound wire-cutters (a.k.a. bolt-cutters)

wire (I use 1.6mm galvanised steel)

something to wind the links on (For me, this is a length of 9.5mm dowel,

with a hole drilled through at each end)

A lot of spare time

 

Everything except the spare time can be found at my local hardware

store.  Presumably your local hardware store is similarly stocked.

 

I have been going for just over a month now (I am also a full-time

student), and am halfway through a shirt.  Judging from what I've done so

far, a full shirt would take (me) 22,000 rings, which comes to ~750m of

wire, at a cost of ~$50 (for the wire only), and taking around 200-250

hours to complete (after I spent ~20 hours working out what to do). It

will come out weighing ~15kg. Tools cost a once-off $50 on top of that.

 

Andrew Bishop

(no non-mundane name yet -- I've just started)

 

 

From: jeffebear1 at aol.com (JeffEBear1)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Where can I find information on creating chain mail?

Date: 9 Oct 1996 03:31:10 -0400

 

"Anne M. Henderson" <anneh at vnet.ibm.com> writes:

>Could any of you kind souls out here in cyberspace help

>us out by pointing us to any "how to" manuals we could read to learn more

>about chain mail.

 

There is a book availible from DragonMarsh 3737 6th St. Riverside, Ca

92501 (909) 276-1116 DRAGONMARSH at aol.com called Practical Chainmail in The

Current Middle Ages that tells how to do it all. Apx $13.00.

 

Morigianna

 

 

From: caradoc at neta.com (John Groseclose)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Hauberk?

Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 21:31:12 -0700

 

HDXQ27A at prodigy.com (Terry Aucoin) wrote:

> I wanted to know how one connects sleeves on a Hauberk

 

If you look at it this way, where A and B are cylinders of mail, and C is

another, larger cylinder, then connected at the "corners," it's a bit

easier to see:

 

))))))))))))       E       ))))))))))))

((((((((((((               ((((((((((((

)))))A))))))       D       )))))B))))))

((((((((((((               ((((((((((((

))))))))))))               ))))))))))))

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           ))))))))C))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

 

Then, go fill in the area D, leaving E open for your neck:

 

))))))))))))))))   E   ))))))))))))))))

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

)))))A))))))))))))))))))))))))))B))))))

(((((((((((((((((((D(((((((((((((((((((

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           ))))))))C))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

           )))))))))))))))))

           (((((((((((((((((

 

This is only one method. It results in the 'grain' of the mail parallel to

the body, but the 'grain' on the arms is perpendicular to the arm. You can

also start at the neck, building an expanded circle to cover the

shoulders. This results in the 'grain' of the mail being parallel to the

body *and* arms as is seen in the better German mail shirts seen in

museums. It's also easier to put a 'built-in' coif on this shirt. The

'arms' follow like this:

 

---------------        ---------------

--------------/||||||||\--------------

-------------/||||||||||\-------------

------------/||||||||||||\------------

-----------/||||||||||||||\-----------

----------/||||||||||||||||\----------

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

          ||||||||||||||||||

 

I know, it's a poor representation in ASCII... Maybe I'll build two more

hauberks, taking pictures at each step, and make another web page.

Shyeah... Right. Maybe when I win the lottery and have more time to make

mail...

 

 

From: msaroff at moose.erie.net (Matthew Saroff)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Butcher costume

Date: 3 Dec 1996 15:30:09 GMT

Organization: ErieNet

 

Philip W. Troy (troy at asan.com) wrote:

: Christa Fulton <crealtor at ix.netcom.com> wrote:

: >         cromabu at aol.com wrote:

: > >Keep in mind that denim IS period & was used for things such as a butchers

: > >appron (which by the by looks very simular to that used in many parts of

: > >the world today). Denim was also used by many tradesmen who got extreamly

: > >dirty ie. butchers, sailors, dyers, vinters, carpinters, masons, etc. who

: > >wanted a strong, cheep, (cotton), eaisly cleaned, long lasting garment.

: > >Check your library's textile section for more info.

: > >                Hope this helps.

: > >                                           Lady Cate

: > >

: > The person I think was looking for mail.  I know the butchers gloves are

: nice small link mail.  (Can't accidently hack thier fingers off this way.)

: > Perhaps its the same with aprons.  A nice peace of mail to work with?

: >

: > Just an alternate Idea

: >

: > Labhrainn

 

: You're probably right about the mail. The butcher's apron's I've seen are

: made of an aluminum sort-of-mail, faced with little round, fluted plates.

: You see them used for armor in the film, "Ladyhawke". There are stainless

: steel ring mail gloves available, used more by commercial fishermen than

: butchers, but they are, I believe, prohibitively expensive as a

: body-covering material.

 

        They do actually make mail suit for scuba divers, but the price

list that I have in front of me lists the cost of a 6-1/2" x 36" bolt of

welded #5 welded stainless steel mail (looks to ba about 3/16" ring) costs

$69.30, so its VERY pricy.

        The only commerical source that I know for the stuff is Whiting &

Davis, 200 John Dietsch Boulevard, Attleboro Falls, MA 02763,

(508)699-4411.  Someone might want to set up a factory tour if they can

(it's apparrently in the Worcester area), they have a machine that "knits"

mail.

--  Matthew Saroff aka

Sfi Mordehai ben Yosef Yitzhak

neat "Whipped Cream and Python" .sig on other account

 

 

From: mmaurer at northland.lib.mi.us (M. L. Maurer / Ludwig von Eisengrim)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Chain Mail---> A How-To guide for Beginners!

Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 17:35:20 GMT

 

For those interested in learning the very basics of making Chain Mail,

you can access Ludwig's Chain Mail Guide for Beginners, a page linked

to:

 

http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/2588

 

This is the home page for the I. Shire of Aquilon! Hope you find it

helpful, and if you have any questions or comments, write to us!

 

Ludwig von Eisengrim

Seneschal,

I. Shire of Aquilon,

Alpena, Michigan!!

 

 

From: powers at woodstock.cis.ohio-state.edu (william thomas powers)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: mail gauge/inner diameter

Date: 25 Feb 1997 23:09:43 -0500

Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science

 

Catalog of the wallace collection:

 

A1 mail shirt german late 14th or early 15th:

dia rings.435",

thickness of wire 0.03

 

 

A2 mail shirt german second quarter 15th:

dia rings.405",

thickness of wire 0.039

 

A3 mail shirt german first half 15th:

dia rings.436",

thickness of wire 0.041

 

A4 mail shirt ?? first half 15th:

dia rings.39"

thickness of wire : front0.052; back 0.034

 

A6 mail shirt ?? late 15th:

dia rings.421",

thickness of wire 0.041, 0.048, 0.039

 

A7 mail shirt german 16th:

dia rings.199",

thickness of wire 0.029

 

A8 mail cap ?? 15th:

dia rings.242",

thickness of wire 0.033

 

more to come

wilelm the smith

 

 

From: tjustus at sprynet.com (Tom Justus)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: mail gauge/inner diameter

Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 05:02:13 GMT

 

>Can someone tell me where I can find a

>mail dimensions chart that is documented?  Any help would be much

>appreciated.

 

The armoury at the Castle Churburg in northern Italy has a number of

fine examples of medieval mail. It is well documented in_The Armoury

Of The Castle Of Churburg_ by Oswald Graff Trapp printed in 1928.

This book is RARE but might be obtained through inter-library loan at

a college or university. Some example measurements are as follows:

Hauberk #1- Ring outer diameter 11mm. Ring inner diameter 8mm.

Hauberk#2- Ring outer diameter 10mm. Ring inner diameter 6mm.

Sleeve of hauberk #3- Ring outer diameter 10mm. Ring inner diameter

7.5mm.

Hauberk #4- Ring outer diameter 10mm. Ring inner diameter 8mm

Hauberk #5 Ring outer diameter 11mm. Ring inner diameter 7.5mm.

Hauberk#6 Welded iron rings, outer diameter 13mm, inner diameter 9mm.

                Riveted iron rings, outer diameter 10.5mm, inner 8.5mm

                Brass rings, outer diameter 10mm, inner diameter 8mm

Skirt of mail #7 Ring outer diameter 11mm Ring inner dianeter 8mm

There are more examples but data entry is not my strong suit. The book

also contains size dimensions and weights. The examples I gave you are

from the 14th and 15th centuries. If you have no luck obtaining the

book you may e-mail me at tjustus at sprynet.com  GOOD LUCK.

 

 

From: Bruno Nicoletti <bruno at thefoundry.co.uk>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: mail gauge/inner diameter

Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 22:02:22 +0000

 

Tom Justus wrote:

>  Can someone tell me where I can find a

> >mail dimensions chart that is documented?  Any help would be much

> >appreciated.

> >

> The armoury at the Castle Churburg in northern Italy has a number of

> fine examples of medieval mail. It is well documented in_The Armoury

> Of The Castle Of Churburg_ by Oswald Graff Trapp printed in 1928.

> This book is RARE but might be obtained through inter-library loan at

> a college or university. Some example measurements are as follows:

> Hauberk #1- Ring outer diameter 11mm. Ring inner diameter 8mm.

> Hauberk#2- Ring outer diameter 10mm. Ring inner diameter 6mm.

> Sleeve of hauberk #3- Ring outer

 

The catalogue of the Wallace Collection is currently available, they

have a web page at http://www.demon.co.uk/heritage/wallace/ if you want

to contact them. The catalogue lists the stats on all their mail shirts

(and armour & weapons), including weight, size etc... From memory (my

copy is at home) their mail shirts have rings about the same size as the

Churburg rings. ie: 9-11mm ring outer diameter, wire around 2mm by 0.9mm

section.

 

Bruno

--

   Bruno Nicoletti            bruno at thefoundry.co.uk

     The Foundry           http://www.havoc.demon.co.uk

  66 Old Compton St           tel (+44) 171 434 0449

London W1V 5PA England        fax (+44) 171 434 1550

 

 

From: we4 at widomaker.com

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: mail gauge/inner diameter

Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 06:37:29 GMT

 

ashleigh at earthlink.net (Kevin Deal) wrote:

>I recently "listened" in on a discusion about wire gauge and

>inner diameter of medieval mail.  One of the participants

>claimed 14ga. wire with a 5/16th" inner diameter was about as

>large as mail was ever made.  

 

>I checked the Rialto Archive and found reference to only 2 mail

>hauberk's dimensions.  Can someone tell me where I can find a

>mail dimensions chart that is documented?  Any help would be much

>appreciated.

 

>Eirik

>Eirik at juno.com

 

The catalogue of the collection in the castle of Churburg has several.

_The Armory of the Castle of Churburg_ by Oswald Graff Trapp, trans.

by James Gow Mann. It was a limited edition, some 400 copies,

published in 1929 in London.  You can get it thru interlibrary loan

and photocopy it if you like (300+ pages)

 

Here are what it lists:

#1:  Iron and brass rings 11.5mm od, 8mm id

        Flattened rings on collar 11.5mm od, 8.5mm id.

 

#2:  Iron links 10mm od, 6mm id.

        Brass links 10mm od, 7mm id.

 

#3:  Iron rings 10mm od, 7.5mm id.

        Brass rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

 

#4:  Iron rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

        Brass rings 9mm od, 7mm id.

 

#5:  Iron rings 11mm od, 7.5mm id.

        Iron rings down front opening 12mm od, 7mm id.

        Brass rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

 

#6:  Welded iron rings 13mm od, 9mm id.

        Riveted iron rings 10.5mm od, 8.5mm id.

        Brass rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

 

#7:  Rings 11mm od, 8mm id.

 

#8:  Iron rings 9.5mm od, 8mm id.

        Brass rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

 

#9:  Riveted rings 11.5mm od, 9mm id.

        Punched rings 12mm od, 9mm id.

 

#10: Rings of cape 9mm od, 7mm id.

        Jazerine-mesh-iron rings 4.5mm od, 2.5mm id.

        Jazerine-mesh-brass rings 5mm od, 3.5mm id.

        Outermost row (brass) rings 2.5mm od, 1.5mm id.

        (1530's bishops mantle)

 

#11: Riveted rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

        Punched rings 9mm od, 7mm id.

 

#15: Iron rings 11mm od, 9mm id.

        Brass rings 10mm od, 8mm id.

        (Aventail)

 

#19: Rings 7mm od, 5.5mm id

         (Skirt with full plate)

 

#20: Mail rings 7.5mm od, 6mm id.

        (Sabatons of mail)

 

Most of these are riveted rings. Some of the brass are butted.

Some are of round section but others are flattened to an oval.

Hope this helps you out.

 

Yours in these Current Middle Ages

Mikhail the Armorer

 

 

Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 01:59:58 -0500

From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com>

To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Leather Braiding

 

 

Just as a note, the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio has aSpanish shirt of chain mail which is fitted with an upright leather collar

(think clerical collar here) so that the leather extends under the neckline

to protect the wearer;s throat from the rings.  The edge of the collar all

the way around is finished in what appears to be four strand Spanish braid.

 

This makes such excellent sense for normal wear.  I'll bet that leather

collars on chain were frequently used throughout period, but probably were

either detached when the mail was cleaned, or have rotted and been lost

over the years.  Does anybody know whether this is so?

 

Gunnora Hallakarva

Herskerinde

 

Date: 19 Aug 1997 08:34:33 -0700

From: "Marisa Herzog" <marisa_herzog at macmail.ucsc.edu>

To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: Leather Braiding

 

<snip>

This makes such excellent sense for normal wear.  I'll bet that leather

collars on chain were frequently used throughout period, but probably were

either detached when the mail was cleaned, or have rotted and been lost over

the years.  Does anybody know

 

<snip>

 

Roman and Celtic chainmail/lorica also shows signs (in sculpture and other

rendering) of having been edged with something (possibly leather), on all the

edges.

 

 

Subject: BG - Link

Date: Wed, 10 Dec 97 20:41:51 MST

From: Kathi <britearrow at geocities.com>

To: bryn-gwlad at Ansteorra.ORG

 

Here's a link the fighters may find of interest.  It has an animated

guide to making chainmail: http://members.aol.com/sblades/maile.html

 

Caitlinn Ingen Brigt/Kat

 

 

Subject: RE: ANST - Chainmail Trousers???

Date: Wed, 18 Feb 98 12:51:57 MST

From: Russell Fleming <rfleming at aisdns.amarillo.isd.tenet.edu>

To: "'ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG'" <ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG>

 

From:   Joe Bramblett [SMTP:joeb at waymark.net]

>On a related note, has anyone tried brazing/welding links shut?

>Any hints/suggestions on how best to do this, or what metals take the

>heating best in the small sizes used for links?

>JB

 

Try going to this site, http://goddess.coe.missouri.edu/~sara/chainmail/

it has a link to almost any chainmail info on the Web. You could probably find out anything you need to know.

 

Wilkin

 

 

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:06:22 -0500

From: Bryan S McDaniel <kestrel at hawk.org>

Subject: (Fwd) [TY] chainmail links

To: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>

 

Here's some more addresses to add to your collection.

 

Kestrel of Wales

 

------- Forwarded message follows -------

>From:               "Steven E. Sheldon" <stevensheldon at mindspring.com>

To:                  <TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu>

Subject:             [TY] chainmail links

Date sent:           Wed, 24 Nov 1999 17:32:53 -0500

 

Hamish:

 

You will likely find that the coiling part is the easiest step of all. I'd

forsake cutting for winding any day.  If you build your jig right, you can

have a crank handle on one end (for demos and things) but leave the other

end "plain".  You can then chuck up an electric drill onto the plain end and

wind like crazy!  Just be careful - if you wind yourself up onto the mandrel

it hurts at least, and can break fingers at worst!

 

A winding jig can be built out of a single 2x6, a 3/8" metal rod, and some

nails.  All are available at Home Depot and the like.  Of course, a 3/8" rod

will wind rings with a 3/8" ID.  You may use whatever size you fancy.  It

will help (but is not completely necessary) to have a blowtorch handy. You

have to bend the metal rod into a Z shape at one end (to make a crank

handle) and I find it handy to heat the bend zone red hot so that it bends

more easily.

 

The Palmer House Brewery & Smithy site was one of the first on the WWW to

explain mail.  It is what I used to learn.  You can find the plans I used to

base my winder off of at:

 

http://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/HowtoChain.html

 

I would highly recommend Sara Trice's Chainmail Connection.  It is simply

*the* mail resource on the web:

 

http://www.chainmailconnection.com/

 

You might also consider buying your links from a spring manufacturer. Once

you start ordering in quantities of around 50,000 or so, you can get the

price down to around $.01 a ring - preoverlapped for riveted mail.  I bought

my pre-overlapped rings from Newcomb Spring (they have locations all over,

including one here in Atlanta).  You can find them on the web at:

 

http://www.kando.com/

 

If you are interested in doing riveted mail, you can check out my

mini-tutorial at:

 

http://armourarchive.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001192.html

 

Stephen of Forth Castle

 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: mcnutt at pobox.com [mailto:mcnutt at pobox.com]On Behalf Of Hamish TMD

> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 1999 4:00 AM

> To: TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu

> Subject: [TY] chainmail links

>

> Thanks for the help...

>   I would also say that Im not against cutting the links...I guess I just

> dont want to mess with making the contraptions fot coiling the wire...if

> anyone aleady coils their own wire, and wants to sell the coils,

> that would

> be good too...just email me....

>   Hamish TMD

------- End of forwarded message -------

Bryan S. McDaniel      SCA aka Kestrel of Wales

 

 

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 14:25:52 -0500

From: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>

To: "- sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>

Subject: Medieval Women's Belts - Winder take two.

 

dwilson wrote:

>   I make a lot of jump rings as I make annular brooches and lots of other

> things with them.  So I like to do a few hundred at a time.

>   I use bronze welding rod as a basic material. clamp it and a mandrill

> (Round rod)  in a vice then wrap the bronze rod around the mandrill.  Be

> careful as the rods are not annealed and are springy. Wear gloves and eye

> protection.   Then saw the rings apart.  I use a jewellers saw as it is

> more precise and you will have less clean up to do. I now file the

> edges so they line up flat with each other.

 

When I made a winder for chainmail rings years ago (someone stole it)

I made a much safer way of winding the heavy rings to go along with

it.

 

I made a handle for the wire to run through on the way to the mandrel

(piece of round steel rod). The handle was about 8" long, with a V

slot

in the end where the mandrel lay against it. A hole passed from the

bottom of the vee out through the top of the handle.

 

It gave increased leverage. The wire wound more smoothly.

It reduced the strain on one's hands.

It straightened the wire as it went through.

It protected the hand if the wire fed to the end and all of a sudden

uncoiled. Still suggest wearing gloves.

 

              <== 8" ===>      hole for wire feed.

_________________ _\ _____________|_______

|                  \               \\     /

|                                   \\   /  angles more acute.

|                                    \\ /

|                                     \/ 90 degree included angle

|                                      \          

|   Handle portion rounded.             \  mouth portion squared.

|________________ _\ ____________________\  

                  \

To cut the chain rings we ground down one jaw of a small bolt cutter,

but that is not up to jewelry standards. Mine cuts several rings at a

time.

 

Incidentally:

 

Rome Specialty Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 109, Rome, New York 13442-0109

www.roscoinc.com  (800) 794-8357  rosco at borg.com

(address is a couple years old)

 

Sells stainless steel wire rings in a number of sizes and wire gauges

precut. As I recall minimum order is 5000.

 

Magnus

 

 

Subject: Re: BG - Chainmail

Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 14:49:02 MST

From: "Rhavyn's Keep" <rhavynskeep at chainmailledesign.com>

To: bryn-gwlad at ansteorra.org

 

>Does anyone know a good source of patterns for chainmail.

>Looking specifically for Persian Designs.(i.e. half persian, one and a

>half persian, double persian, etc.), but any help would be greatly

>appreciated.

>TIA

 

Sara's Chainmail Connection.  http://www.chainmailconnection.com

 

 

From: "NimLore" <nimlore at direct.ca>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Making mail?

Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 16:39:49 -0600

 

I have been using end cutters for my springs, but recently have invested in

the jump ringer from a jeweller company (it is a sizable investment) and as

far as I know so far it will make the closest to || that you can get without

ordering professional, but hey maybe that is what them pros are using

anyway.   I recall someone putting a post on this subject here a bit of time

ago... that is what helped me to decide to make the investment, and when I

spoke with the rep at the jewellers company she said that the person who

uses the most blades makes mail clothing (her words exactly) hehe  she also

stated that he was cutting an abundance of stainless steal rings.

  When I get the full kit together and have tried it out,  I will post my

experience.

 

        Blessings in prosperity to all them with good intentions in there

hearts.

 

Nim

 

 

From: "NimLore" <nimlore at direct.ca>

To: "Stefan li Rous" <stefan at texas.net>

Subject: Re: Making mail?

Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 10:47:22 -0600

 

Getting email from others is great,  so thanks for the message.

 

  I purchased mine from a jeweler supplier in Edmonton, Alberta Canada

called Bedrock... but you will be able to aquire this through a US outlet..

You can find out more about one jeweler company at www.gesswein.com/

  The machine is called 'Jump Ringer'. you can also call there (800)

263-6106

I believe that they will send free catalogues on request.

 

         Nim

 

 

From: owly at hem.utfors.se

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Constructiong mail - any suggestions for a beginner?

Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2000 19:42:44 GMT

 

On Fri, 1 Sep 2000 15:46:14 -0400, "Josh" <thelair at zoomnet.net> wrote:

>   I'm considering on learning to make mail amor, and I need a suggestion or

>two on what type of wire to start out with. I'd planned on going with

>galvanized steel, but I'm not sure what gauge/size is best for beginners...

>also, what would be a good link size to begin with? My thanks in advance.

 

THE place to go is Sarah's Chainmail Connection at

http://www.chainmailconnection.com/

 

Anna de Byxe

 

 

From: Theuns Verwoerd <twv14 at student.canterbury.ac.nz>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmaille Question

Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2000 11:34:02 +1200

Organization: University of Canterbury

 

JofAntioch wrote:

> Does anyone have instructions/advice on how to do the chainmaille pattern I

> will attempt to describe.

>

> It appears to be a 2:1 or 3:1 patter that when laid out lays almost ftat.  It

> looks great but I am having trouble getting it to work right. Also, when laid

> flat it almost looks like a sequence of arrows facing in the same direction.

 

Are you referring to the 'persian' pattern (see

http://www3.sympatico.ca/c_mcleod/weaves.htm )?

 

If so, I've found the best way to get it going is to start off by making a full

persian (basically a box chain that you shift the outer link side inwards),

then taking off half of some of it to get a half persian.  At that point you

can start building onto this (I find it much easier to build on top of a

chain than to start from scratch).  (You can build the half persian

directly, but that's more difficult and tricky to explain 8) ).

 

Hope that's a little help - otherwise email me directly.

 

Michael/Theuns

KRN

 

 

From: Wajdi <wajdi at home.com>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chainmaille Tutorial for Beginners

Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 15:18:35 GMT

 

Interesting tutorial type website on chainmaille at:

                http://www.crosswinds.net/~mailleman

 

 

wajdi

 

 

From: Mark Sebree <sebree at fortwayne.infi.net>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: newcomer seeks site on making mail

Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 10:10:18 -0500

Organization: Raytheon Company

 

Adam Dobrinin wrote:

> I know it's probably easy to make chain mail. but I haven't been able to

> find any web sites to show me how. I would like illustrations to see how

> it's done.

 

An excellent site that I have found with illustrated, step-by-step

instruction on making and assembling maille is ChainFire.

http://members.aol.com/K17Qdna/index.htm

 

Another good site which sells chain links by the pound (weight) and also

has descriptions of some of the metals used is Vistar's Custom Maille.

http://www.concentric.net/~vistar/maille.html

 

If you go to a decent search engine and do a search on "chainmail" or

"maille", you should get several potentially useful sites.

 

Antonio Tagliaferro

 

 

From: wtp at nds10758.cb.lucent.com (Powers)

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cutting links?

Date: 19 Oct 2000 15:08:36 GMT

Organization: Lucent Technologies, Columbus Ohio

 

>I was wondering, has anyne tried cutting chain mail links with a

>Dremel saw? How does it work and which blade should you use?

 

I didn't use a saw blade but I used the little cutoff wheels.

 

You have to make a jig to hold the links, (I used part of a broken electric

epee blade), and develop a steady but supple hand.  When things worked well

I could get about 50 links per wheel; when things were bad the wheel would

break at any moment.  The smell, dust and whine was unpleasent, the joints

were *perfect*. Go to the jeweler's supply places to buy the cutoffs; *MUCH*

cheaper than the dremel blister packs.

 

I had some hardened steel wire that put dents in my bolt cutters that cut

quite well with the dremel.

 

Thomas

--

W.Thomas Powers

 

 

From: ihess at my-deja.com

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cutting links?

Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 19:12:46 GMT

 

owly at hem.utfors.se wrote:

> I was wondering, has anyne tried cutting chain mail links with a

> Dremel saw? How does it work and which blade should you use?

>

> Anna de Byxe

 

I and some of my friends have used a dremel, but only for the jewelry

grade "obsession" mail.  By this I refer to anything 20 gauge or

lighter (for galvanized steel), and some moderate weight aluminum

tubing, although I suppose it _might_ work for 18gauge mild steel.  We

have been using a shoebox with a paper towel in it to catch the rings

as they come flying off the dremel.  My friend and I are still working

on a good jig for both containing the wire spool, and guiding the

dremel in a parallel slot.

 

For heavier mail, I used to cut rings with a pair of modified linesman

dikes.  I found these at a garage sale, and used a grinder to take the

hook off of the front of the dikes so that they would fit inside of the

wire spools I was working on.

 

Recently, I have been using a vertical bandsaw (or so it was introduced

to me).  With the help of an armorer friend, I was able to set up a

steel bar in line with the cutting blade, which means that I can now

cut about 50 rings at a time with nice butted ends.  I'm not sure how

small rings could be made with this method before the saw blade would

remove too much material for the rings to retain a circular shape.

 

Good luck,

Ian

 

 

From: Ed Smith <edsmith at my-deja.com>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cutting links?

Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2000 12:15:28 GMT

 

edsmith at my-deja.com wrote:

> owly at hem.utfors.se wrote:

> : I was wondering, has anyne tried cutting chain mail links with a

> : Dremel saw? How does it work and which blade should you use?

>

> This guy has a nice page comparing different types of cutting devices

> and the resulting rings.  IIRC he uses a jewelers saw with a very thin

> blade/disc to produce his rings...

> (I've got some rings on order from him so we'll see how they turn out)

 

That's odd... somehow the link vanished...

Here it is again...

http://members.home.net/ironband/ringcomp.html

 

 

From: Daniel Butler-Ehle <dwbutler at mtu.edu>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cutting links?

Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2000 01:07:55 -0000

 

: I used to use a hacksaw by clamping the coil lengthwise in the jaws of a

: Workmate workbench, then sawing.  It worked pretty good--it wasn't

: nearly as hard on the hands as cutting with wire cutters.  But it was

: best done on a hard floor--the rings would get flung out all over the

: place.

 

The method I used fifteen or so years back was to

1) polish the wire

2) wrap it on the dowels

3) wrap masking tape around the coil

4) let it set overnight for the coil to relax a little

5) saw away with a hack saw or jeweller's saw

6) trim back the tape and dowel as necessary (dowel gets

    destroyed in the process)

7) use needle files to remove any burrs

8) use pliers with nylon jaw inserts to knit the mail

 

Ulfin of Wyrmgeard

Mistig Waetru

Northshield

Middle

 

 

From: ironband at home.com

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: cutting links?

Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 16:28:07 GMT

 

Dremels (and other multitools) work ok and do give a nice cut, but there

are two problems:

 

1.  The kerf which is taken out (0.020" for light wheels, more for heavy

ones) can distort smaller rings

 

2.  The cutoff wheels are pretty brittle, and only last 50 links or so,

more or less depending on how steady a cut is made.

 

As for myself, I use a jeweler's slotting saw mounted in a rig I had

custom built.  The blade is 0.010" thick and very similar to the blades

used in jump ringers (sold by Rio Grande and require a flex shaft). As

a side note, jump ringers are great for non-ferrous materials (brass,

copper, sterling silver, etc.) but run too fast for steel.  I then use a

vibratory tumbler with steel shot to remove any burrs. Followed by

another cycle in the tumbler with crushed walnut to clean the links.

 

Unfortunately, such a setup is a *bit* expensive.  I recommend a good

pair of hand cutters (aviation shears, erdi snips, felco c-7 cable

cutters, etc.) for the cleanest cut possible without using the saw.

 

!!!SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!!!

Of course, I do sell my saw-cut links for anyone who is interested...

!!!End Shameless Plug!!!

 

Andre "Ironband" Miron

Miron's Mail Manufactory

http://members.home.net/ironband

Saw-cut loose links as well as chainmail armor, jewelry, and

accessories.

 

 

Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2000 08:37:16 -0600

From: David Hughes <davidjhughes.tx at netzero.net>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Chain maille supplies

 

Joe Tynan wrote:

> If you have the time, and want to save some cash, you can make your

> own.  I use a mandrel, and regular galvanized steel baling wire that I

> got at the local hardware store. Wrap the wire around your mandrel

> shaft, and then you take that spring and use some strong wire shears

> to cut the rings.  With practice you can join the ends of the

> individual rings well enough  that they will join smoothly.  That's

> how I made my first shirt. I'm currently in the process of going to

> college, and trying to find time to re-tool my mandrel to let me make

> 1/8" rings w/ 20ga. wire for a full hauberk.  Unfortunately, I can't

> figure out for the life of me how to  drill a hole crosswise into a

> 10ga steel rod....

>

> Joe

 

Two methods:

 

1)  Get a fender washer that's just a little too small for the rod.

Drill the center hole to fit the rod tightly.  At the same time, drill 4

holes sized fot the intended wire at the guadrants.  Braze the fender

washer to the rod at a convenirnt location for your setup. Start

winding.

 

2) More advanced version.  Get a 1' to 2" peice of 1/2" to 1" rod stock

and 2 set screws, about 1/4" by #8.  Center drill it so that the winding

rod slips through cleanly.  Drill and tap holes for the set screws, so

they can lock the rod in place.  Drill an ofset hole for the  wire.  (

Or just buy a locking collar for 1/8" rod, and drill the offset hole

<G>)

 

David Gallowglass

 

 

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 20:17:52 -0800

From: Michael Horgan <lughaid at earthlink.net>

To: EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: why enamel chain mail?

 

> Anyone here tried titanium or niobium for mail?  Ti links can be

> flash-wlded. :)

 

Yup, Some years back, Master Knut  of the Mid Realm was out here in Caid,

He showed me some of the work he was doing at that time with welded

links.  One of the Hauberks he had with him was made from a huge spool of

titanium wire he picked u at a Boeing Surplus sale. From hood to knees, it

weighed less than a pound.  Great protection against a real blade, but

useless in SCA combat. No Mass.

 

Michael D. Horgan , lughaid at earthlink.net

http://members.aol.com/lughaid/

posting from

   A BRAZEN ORGERY

Blacksmithing and Metalwork

Claremont, Ca.

 

 

From: "Jerry Frost" <frosty at customcpu.com>

To: <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 12:30 AM

Subject: Re: [EKMetalsmiths] Chain mail armor

 

Two points.

 

First, don't use galvy. Forgetting about the period police who will be scandalized, handling that much galvy wire while you go ring happy will chap your hands till they bleed. You'll also end up breathing the fumes if you actually attempt the following technique.

 

Two, you don't rivet the links. Spread one end of the link and punch it.

Draw the other end into a tennon, bend it 90*, pass it through the hole and

pein it over.

 

If on the other hand you actually want riveted links just make them from

soft iron wire.

 

Say goodbye to your free time. <grin>

 

Frosty

------------------------

The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

 

 

To: <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 8:19 AM

Subject: Re: [EKMetalsmiths] Chain mail armor- long response.

 

  The stock answers:

 

#1) Don't use galvy if you don't have to, period or not. Galvanized fence wire is for fences, that won't spend any time leaching strange oxides into your clothes and skin. Read the warnings on some zinc-oxide sunblock, and realize that you'd be using about 15 times the concentration....

 

You can get some really nice(no laquer,galv or much else,that is evenly annealed) in 16, 14 or 12 ga in 1/5/10 lb rolls(i.e.small enough to work with without stock-holder engineering) from Funke's Trapping supply (it's easy to find on line and they're fast, and reasonably cheap) They also carry "trap-wax" which is descented beeswax and parafin with a black dye in two-pound blocks(get a couple, I'll explain later, and if you're ordering wire, the wax will seem like free shipping)

 

#2) Annealed wire-your friend(or at least a non-beligerant aquaintance) it won't have half the spring-back of non-annealed(a definite plus) and is easier to cut. I use the "mini-boltcutters" and grind the outside of one jaw down so that it fits in the coil better. If you use the method with an overlap before flattening(it works for some people...) you'll want to grind a small "blank spot" in the jaws so that you can "reach over" the first wire and cut at the second(like the really chintzy split-rings they give you when you buy a padlock)

 

#3) if you want to go with what(to me) is an easier route...make your coils bigger that finish size, flatten the ends and then overlap. If you have access to a welder you can make a cheap punch for the rings with a bearing needle (like the ones you spill all over the shop floor when changing a u-joint...let a garage near you know that you want some)or a broken small drill bit(where do you find *those*?<G>...) and a pair of largish pliers(with a threaded pivot) or buy two pairs of the mini bolt-cutters and build up the jaws....On a grinder(insert all the safety warnings where appropriate) square-off one end of a needle(might as well do

several, while you're at it) and then smooth off the teeth on the

pliers. Drill (heat-treating may be in order) a hole that's a tight slip-fit for the needle straight through both jaws. "Place" the needle through one hole and about 1 1/4 diameters into the other hole. One solid spot of weld should hold it just fine. When you need to change the needle, simply grind off that spot of weld and repeat.

 

This should keep you busy in a useful direction, for a little  while, at least<G>

 

-Ekk

 

I forget which issues,but you can't beat the "Best of The Hammer" series for really good ideas,for *lots* of stuff...

 

 

From: "Chris Salter" <chris.salter at materials.ox.ac.uk>

To: <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 4:15 AM

Subject: Re: [EKMetalsmiths] chain mail

 

Dan Scheid wrote:

<<< Oh that is too funny if it was welded correctly it would be stronger then riveted. But because the expectation of the time was riveted mail then they had to fake it. >>>

 

Where's the evidence for this statement?

 

The Coppergate mail attached to the helmet had a combination of welded and riveted links, using the minimum number of riveted possible. This was quite normal from the roman period, but later in the medieval  period there seems to be a drop in standard to all riveted, or may be that was an improvement in standards?

 

In theory a weld should be better than a rivet, but it is difficult to make a perfect hammer-weld every time, in fact the in AS pattern welded swords I am currently sectioning, the welds were pretty poor. This was not unusual for the period. I have seen some knives with large voids at the welds.  Welding small rings must have been more difficult but unfortunately I have not managed to get hold of enough archaeological samples of mail in sufficiently good condition to get a handle on how good these welds  were.

 

<<< The question is what kind of chain mail you want to make? Riveted or welded? Recently a museum found that their coat of mail wasn't riveted but welded. Each link was welded and swaged to look like it had rivet heads. Can we say medieval product fraud. :-))) >>>

 

Or a modern repair / fake?

 

Incidentally, with reference to an earlier comment mail would not have

been made of wrought iron but bloomery iron, the work quite differently.

Wrought iron has a much higher slag inclusion density and in general a

much lower carbon content. Wrought iron came in with the introduction of

the indirect process (the blast furnace), whereas bloomery iron was made

directly from the ore without a separate liquid stage.

 

PS It is strictly mail, not chain mail, (chain mail is a tautology). In

the historical records they are coats of mail.

 

Talking to one of the smiths at the Royal Armouries he said that 3

months full time work to complete a coat, he said never again.

--

Chris Salter,

Oxford Materials Characterisation Service, &

Electron Microscopy Research Support Group, &

Material Science-based Archaeology Group,

Oxford University Begbroke Science Park,

Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF

Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608

 

 

From: "Andrew Vida" <osan at netlabs.net>

To: <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:05 AM

Subject: Re: [EKMetalsmiths] chain mail

 

Chris Salter wrote:

> Welding small rings must have been more difficult but unfortunately I

> have not managed to get hold of enough archaeological samples of mail in

> sufficiently good condition to get a handle on how good these welds were.

 

I would tend to disagree with this.  I've done a fair amount of welding

over the past 25 years and can say without equivocation that smaller

welds are definitely faster and easier to do than larger ones in a

regular coal forge.  OTOH, trying to forge weld a small ring that is

woven into a 50# suit, I am sure, presents its own unique challenges.

In that context, you may be correct.

 

> Incidentally, with reference to an earlier comment mail would not have

> been made of wrought iron but bloomery iron, the work quite

> differently.

 

Eh?  This seems a bit confusing.  In direct reduction processes, the

bloom is a pasty ball of iron with a high percentage of slag, which is

then beaten with hammers... hence the term "wrought iron".  It is beaten

with the aim of reducing the proportion of silicate (iron glass) in the

iron.  Your use of "bloomery iron" must be different from my

understanding of the term.  Perhaps you could elaborate on this a bit

for clarity's sake?

 

> Wrought iron has a much higher slag inclusion density and in general a

> much lower carbon content. Wrought iron came in with the introduction of

> the indirect process (the blast furnace), whereas bloomery iron was made

> directly from the ore without a separate liquid stage.

 

That was still wrought iron.  As far as I recall, the intentional

addition of slag was done because pure iron was far too soft to be of

any real use, expecially in tools and weapons.  Inclusion of slag

actually stiffens iron up considerably and was the method used before

people figured out how to reintroduce carbon into the iron to form

blister steel.  I forge quite a bit of wroguht iron that I recover from

old industrial sites.  Several years ago I also had several hundred

pounds of pure iron that I used.  The pure iron, while vastly superior

to the wrought iron in terms of workability, was markedly inferior in

strength, pound for pound.  The analyses of the materials were basically

identical for carbon at about 0.004%, so C was not the differentiating

factor.

 

> PS It is strictly mail, not chain mail, (chain mail is a tautology). In

> the historical records they are coats of mail.

 

But we all work at the Department of Redundancy Department.

 

> Talking to one of the smiths at the Royal Armouries he said that 3

> months full time work to complete a coat, he said never again.

 

Yeah, that kind of work gets very old, which is probably why the master

smiths had the apprentices do all the jackassing.  OTOH, there are those that like this sort of work.  My mom is a consummate lunatic in this way.  She is the quiltress from hell.  She pieces and quilts everything by hand only.  No machine work at all.  A large quilt may take her a year to complete, but she just sits on the floor in the evenings and sews away in bliss.  I think I'd burn the house down in under three minutes, doing that.  It's good that there are people like that in the world.

 

 

From: "Chris Salter" <chris.salter at materials.ox.ac.uk>

To: <EKMetalsmiths at yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:55 AM

Subject: Re: [EKMetalsmiths] chain mail

 

Andrew,

 

>   Eh?  This seems a bit confusing.  In direct reduction processes, the

> bloom is a pasty ball of iron with a high percentage of slag, which is

> then beaten with hammers... hence the term "wrought iron".

 

NO, it was just called iron as all iron and steel was forged (wrought).

The term wrought iron did not appear until the fining of cast iron.

 

> It is beaten

> with the aim of reducing the proportion of silicate (iron glass) in

> the iron.

 

There was a bloom forging stage, but the actual quantity of slag in the

metal seems to have been much less than previously thought, most of this

stage was to weld together the separate pieces, and cracks in the bloom.

 

> Your use of "bloomery iron" must be different from my

> understanding of the term.  Perhaps you could elaborate on this a bit

> for clarity's sake?

 

This may be a US / European thing, but bloomery iron is any iron

produced by the direct or bloomery process.

 

>> Wrought iron has a much higher slag inclusion density and in general a

>> much lower carbon content. Wrought iron came in with the introduction of

>> the indirect process (the blast furnace), whereas bloomery iron was made

>> directly from the ore without a separate liquid stage.

 

>       That was still wrought iron.

 

>   As far as I recall, the intentional

> addition of slag was done because pure iron was far too soft to be of

> any real use, expecially in tools and weapons.

 

The additional of slag was not intentional - where does that idea come

from?

 

> Inclusion of slag

> actually stiffens iron up considerably and was the method used before

> people figured out how to reintroduce carbon into the iron to form

> blister steel.

 

??? There was plenty of steel around well before the 17th century!

 

There were a series of papers on bloomery steel at the recent British

Museum conference on Metallurgy - A touchstone for cross-cultrual

interaction.

 

The other way that iron was strength was the use of phosphoric iron

rather than a low carbon iron. This had a long tradition from the Iron

Age through to the 18th century.

 

>   I forge quite a bit of wroguht iron that I recover from

> old industrial sites.  Several years ago I also had several hundred

> pounds of pure iron that I used.  The pure iron, while vastly superior

> to the wrought iron in terms of workability, was markedly inferior in

> strength, pound for pound.  The analyses of the materials were basically

> identical for carbon at about 0.004%, so C was not the differentiating

> factor.

 

I would expect pure iron to be more easily worked, but in terms of

mechanical properties the slag inclusions are nothing but trouble, not

matter what seem old text books say. Jennifer Hopper produced a good

thesis giving a variety of wrought irons the full series of modern

mechanical tests and the results were that the slag act as built in

cracks and nothing else. What was the phosphorus content of the wrought

iron that has a considerable effect on the properties?

 

>> Talking to one of the smiths at the Royal Armouries he said that 3

>> months full time work to complete a coat, he said never again.

>

>  Yeah, that kind of work gets very old, which is probably why the master

> smiths had the apprentices do all the jackassing.  OTOH, there are those

> that like this sort of work.  My mom is a consummate lunatic in this

> way.  She is the quiltress from hell.  She pieces and quilts everything

> by hand only.  No machine work at all.  A large quilt may take her a

> year to complete, but she just sits on the floor in the evenings and

> sews away in bliss.  I think I'd burn the house down in under three

> minutes, doing that.  It's good that there are people like that in the

> world.

 

I know I have a tendency to make over complex silver and copper-alloy

jewellery with lots of fiddly parts - my tutor keeps saying do you

really want to make that. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't as

jewellery but I do finish them eventually.

--

Chris Salter,

Oxford Materials Characterisation Service,&

Electron Microscopy Research Support Group,&

Material Science-based Archaeology Group,

Oxford University Begbroke Science Park,

Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF

Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608

 

 

From: Jeremiah Sullivan <info at neptunic.com>

Date: October 3, 2006 10:41:15 PM CDT

To: stefan at florilegium.org

Subject: Sharksuits

 

Hello  Stefan,

 

This is an accuracy update for your site.

The first steel mesh shark suits were created by marine biologist Jeremiah Sullivan in 1978.  The product is actually called the Neptunic Sharksuit

I asked Whiting and Davis(two or three owners back) to fabricate a prototype of my earliest design. After seeing the success of my well known tests,

and suspecting that I probably would not take them to court they decided to claim my work as their own.

 

At this point nearly thirty years later and after some forty five television and film projects that we have been involved with there are very few people that

still associate them with the products that our company invented and manufactures.  We would be delighted to add your site to those that have chosen to provide the public with accurate information.

 

For more information please visit www.neptunic.com.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jeremiah Sullivan

Neptunic Sharksuits

San Diego, Ca.

619 236 0711

www.neptunic.com

 

<the end>



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