chainmail armor - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

warhawk02 · 05-19-2005, 06:55 PM

I'm currently working on making my own chainmail. Just working on the shirt first, not the full haubrek with the coif, mantle and gloves. Making the links isn't hard but weaving the pattern correctly is tricky at first. It takes a little patience to get all the links lined up right and make sure the pattern is right.

Has anyone else here made their own armor or have any experiences with making chainmail/plate armor?

kinsaj · 05-19-2005, 10:57 PM

I did a tiny bit of weaving... did not exactly finish... though i think it would be cool to
best of luck to you

Fire · 05-20-2005, 08:40 AM

I work the ren faire circuit in the midwest, so I see a lot of diy maile- and let me tell you, for every one who finishes, about a dozen don't- so good luck.....its rewarding if you can see it through.....

liquidlight · 05-20-2005, 08:44 AM

I'm curious which weave you're using? Are you going a standard 4-in-1? I've done some weaving, but not a lot, I have a friend though that's done it professionally and made some gorgeous pieces.

Ambient1 · 05-20-2005, 09:04 AM

This sounds interesteing... But I wonder how it is done?

How do you make the rings? Is there a special tool that will take a piece of wire and curl it into rings?

Or are you just wrapping wire around a cylindrical object and cutting?

warhawk02 · 05-20-2005, 11:20 AM

I'm using a 4 in 1 pattern right now. 6 in 1 looked cool but I figured I'd try 4 in 1 first to get used to working with the links and getting the patterns right

Here's the device I use to make links: http://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/HowtoChain.html

It looks kind of like the device they made about half way down the page. It works. I use small bolt cutters to cut the wire, it seems to be the easiest. A dremmel might work well but I haven't tried that yet.

cuervo · 05-20-2005, 12:26 PM

sort of on topic:
http://www.chainmail.com/

some areas NSFW, opening page is okay.

Lebell · 05-20-2005, 12:34 PM

I wove abit when I worked Ren Fest. Nothing massive as I didn't have the time/patience.

So good luck

Ambient1 · 05-20-2005, 12:40 PM

Wow.. that's a lot of work.

I was hoping that they had some typ of specialized tool (picture a complex rivet gun) that would take wire right off the spool and form and cut the rings. I guess I'm dreaming...

warhawk02 · 05-20-2005, 02:33 PM

I can make a spool of rings in a short period of time. Its just weaving the pattern takes the most time for me. I'm don't have much experience with weaving metal in patterns so its taking some getting used to.

Lebell · 05-26-2005, 07:16 AM

Making rings really isn't that hard.

One maker at the Fest told me that the easy way is to take welder's wire, a pipe/rod of appropriate diameter, a vise and a pair of pliers.

You put the rod in the vice and start wrapping the wire around the rod, using the pliers as necessary.

Then you take a dremel with a cut off wheel and just go down the spiral.

Viola! Rings!

krazykemist · 06-16-2005, 08:11 PM

I used to make chainmail a lot. I would do it during lecture classes and also at
work. I would take my setup to work(graveyard tech support by my lonesome for
an ISP) at night and make all the coils and cut the rings. Then when I was in
class I would sit in the back and weave all the rings together. I got some weird
looks at first as I sat there with my Crown Royal bag filled with rings and my two
pair of pliers going to town heh.

This is the jig that I use(made from shop scraps

The following are a few pics of the armor I made for LARP.
http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor1.jpg
http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor3.jpg
http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor4.jpg
(The shield was for a Viking Myth. project. No way I would carry that heavy bastard for field battles

)

As far as ring production, that jig will make a coil of ~225 rings in a few
minutes. To cut the rings I use a pair of Wiss Aviation cutters, they allow me
to cut 3 rings at a time on the larger diameter rings and 2 on the smaller. It
then normally takes me ~10-12 minutes to cut the coil into rings. So I can
usually average about 1000 rings an hour. For the sake of my hands though
I usually alternate it up a bit with cutting, closing some rings, and weaving,
just so I'm able to do it for longer periods of time and the blisters seemed to
take longer to develop when I first started, no more blisters now thanks to
caloused hands

I'm waiting till I head to grad school in a few months before getting
everything out and picking it back up again.

Astrocloud · 06-17-2005, 11:13 AM

My thoughts on chainmail. (Nice stuff Krazy).How hard would it be to make titanium chainmail? If it were backed by kevlar plates -would there be any extra protection for someone?

Lebell · 06-18-2005, 06:51 AM

Nice stuff, Krazy! (I'm LARPing today).

If you are going for REAL protection, I think you want to stay away from chain. Any material that has breaks (in the links) and holes (between the links) will have less protection that a single or more closely woven piece.

Hence Plate is better than chain.

But as was discovered, it then becomes an arms race between strength of armor and ability to penetrate, with the limiting factor being what you can carry under your own power.

05-19-2005, 06:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
warhawk02 Upright	chainmail armor I'm currently working on making my own chainmail. Just working on the shirt first, not the full haubrek with the coif, mantle and gloves. Making the links isn't hard but weaving the pattern correctly is tricky at first. It takes a little patience to get all the links lined up right and make sure the pattern is right. Has anyone else here made their own armor or have any experiences with making chainmail/plate armor?

05-19-2005, 10:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	I did a tiny bit of weaving... did not exactly finish... though i think it would be cool to best of luck to you __________________ boom

05-20-2005, 08:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
Fire Warrior Smith Location: missouri	I work the ren faire circuit in the midwest, so I see a lot of diy maile- and let me tell you, for every one who finishes, about a dozen don't- so good luck.....its rewarding if you can see it through..... __________________ Thought the harder, Heart the bolder, Mood the more as our might lessens

05-20-2005, 08:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
liquidlight AHH! Custom Title!! Location: The twisted warpings of my brain.	I'm curious which weave you're using? Are you going a standard 4-in-1? I've done some weaving, but not a lot, I have a friend though that's done it professionally and made some gorgeous pieces. __________________ Halfway to hell and picking up speed.

05-20-2005, 12:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	I wove abit when I worked Ren Fest. Nothing massive as I didn't have the time/patience. So good luck __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!

05-20-2005, 09:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ambient1 Tilted Location: The Hammer	This sounds interesteing... But I wonder how it is done? How do you make the rings? Is there a special tool that will take a piece of wire and curl it into rings? Or are you just wrapping wire around a cylindrical object and cutting?

05-20-2005, 11:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
warhawk02 Upright	I'm using a 4 in 1 pattern right now. 6 in 1 looked cool but I figured I'd try 4 in 1 first to get used to working with the links and getting the patterns right Here's the device I use to make links: http://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/HowtoChain.html It looks kind of like the device they made about half way down the page. It works. I use small bolt cutters to cut the wire, it seems to be the easiest. A dremmel might work well but I haven't tried that yet.

05-20-2005, 12:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
cuervo Tilted Location: NC	sort of on topic: http://www.chainmail.com/ some areas NSFW, opening page is okay.

05-20-2005, 12:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ambient1 Tilted Location: The Hammer	Wow.. that's a lot of work. I was hoping that they had some typ of specialized tool (picture a complex rivet gun) that would take wire right off the spool and form and cut the rings. I guess I'm dreaming...

05-20-2005, 02:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
warhawk02 Upright	I can make a spool of rings in a short period of time. Its just weaving the pattern takes the most time for me. I'm don't have much experience with weaving metal in patterns so its taking some getting used to.

05-26-2005, 07:16 AM	#11 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	Making rings really isn't that hard. One maker at the Fest told me that the easy way is to take welder's wire, a pipe/rod of appropriate diameter, a vise and a pair of pliers. You put the rod in the vice and start wrapping the wire around the rod, using the pliers as necessary. Then you take a dremel with a cut off wheel and just go down the spiral. Viola! Rings! __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!

06-16-2005, 08:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
krazykemist Psycho Location: New Orleans	I used to make chainmail a lot. I would do it during lecture classes and also at work. I would take my setup to work(graveyard tech support by my lonesome for an ISP) at night and make all the coils and cut the rings. Then when I was in class I would sit in the back and weave all the rings together. I got some weird looks at first as I sat there with my Crown Royal bag filled with rings and my two pair of pliers going to town heh. This is the jig that I use(made from shop scraps The following are a few pics of the armor I made for LARP. http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor1.jpg http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor3.jpg http://exit3.i-55.com/~default/armor4.jpg (The shield was for a Viking Myth. project. No way I would carry that heavy bastard for field battles ) As far as ring production, that jig will make a coil of ~225 rings in a few minutes. To cut the rings I use a pair of Wiss Aviation cutters, they allow me to cut 3 rings at a time on the larger diameter rings and 2 on the smaller. It then normally takes me ~10-12 minutes to cut the coil into rings. So I can usually average about 1000 rings an hour. For the sake of my hands though I usually alternate it up a bit with cutting, closing some rings, and weaving, just so I'm able to do it for longer periods of time and the blisters seemed to take longer to develop when I first started, no more blisters now thanks to caloused hands I'm waiting till I head to grad school in a few months before getting everything out and picking it back up again. __________________ "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." -- Tolstoy

06-17-2005, 11:13 AM	#13 (permalink)
Astrocloud Apocalypse Nerd	My thoughts on chainmail. (Nice stuff Krazy).How hard would it be to make titanium chainmail? If it were backed by kevlar plates -would there be any extra protection for someone?

06-18-2005, 06:51 AM	#14 (permalink)
Lebell Cracking the Whip Location: Sexymama's arms...	Nice stuff, Krazy! (I'm LARPing today). If you are going for REAL protection, I think you want to stay away from chain. Any material that has breaks (in the links) and holes (between the links) will have less protection that a single or more closely woven piece. Hence Plate is better than chain. But as was discovered, it then becomes an arms race between strength of armor and ability to penetrate, with the limiting factor being what you can carry under your own power. __________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis The ONLY sponsors we have are YOU! Please Donate!