Quickest way to make Chain Mail
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- čas přidán 28. 02. 2013
- A DIY tutorial on making cosplay butted mail.
I've had these Knipex mini bolt cutters for 8 years now &recommend them more than ever!
www.amazon.com/Knipex-7101200...
WiredByFlynn - Jak na to + styl
I would like to thank everyone for the amount of feedback and suggestions on this video! I am starting to make videos again, and will make some additional chain mail videos including all this advice. I like to put out quality videos that are nicely edited so you get the most out of your time watching. If you are interested in helping me, please check out www.patreon.com/Flynntastic
You've probably heard this a million times by now, but it's SO much quicker (in my experience) to start out by joining 4 closed rings in one open ring each. Then thread those sets of five into a string, and join multiple strings into a sheet.
That's really cool thanks for sharing with us
That is the weakest type of chainmail "real chainmail" has closing pins
Look at the video of shadiverity
I will do it to protect me against knife attack!...
I had a neighbor who taught me to make chain mail I guaranty you probably know more than me but one piece of advice I took from him is that if you kind of stretch the spring coil you only have to close them not open and close
As for functional armor, this butted version is useless. Riveted mail is where it’s at.
@@whitewolf3051 true. But when are we going to fight in it anyway? Some people simply enjoy the crafting itself and don't have the possibility to produce the bolted rings themselves.
@@whitewolf3051 with modern technology, if you have the tools, I would opt for links that are welded closed instead.
@@andrewschort724 you could definitely tig weld these but you would need to wear a good respirator and have away to extract the fumes because galvanized metal is bad stuff.
@@ethanelectric1024 If you're going to weld rings closed, I'd have to say screw the potential problems with galvanized and just go stainless.
bonus hint, before you start cutting the links off the spring, grab either end of the spring and pull, to stretch it out. This creates the gap required to fit the links together and saves time later on.
That's a smart move
I wouldn't stretch it very much though, or you'll just distort the rings and they will end up misshapen or differing in size. Better to just open them as you need them, so they stay uniform. I found out the hard way.
@@paulhorrex1814 Yeah, good advice, only stretch it out enough to create the gap (about the width of the wire).
I used to do this, but ive stopped because they end up getting all tangled in storage and it becomes such a pain to get them untangled
@@mrmediocre1532 Yeah I had that problem too, but I started storing them on small plastic rods and stuff, and made a rack out of it by cutting some notches into some plywood strips.
It is a good thing to note, that the pattern used here is commonly called the "European 4-in-1" pattern. It is an excellent pattern for learning how to make chain maille and also looks great in finished pieces. It is very common pattern and is one of the easier patterns to pick up and master, and does make for fairly strong weaves of maille. There are stronger and cooler looking patterns, but of course they become more and more complex and complicated the more you add to them.
Fantastic tutorial! :-)
Any suggestions for different types of DIY material?
@@theterminaldaveSaw a worker at a Renaissance festival who had made his chain link shirt out of lock washers which were probably a little larger than a half inch. I'm guessing that he heated them up to take the temper out of them so that he could bend them to close, otherwise that would have been a lot of work.
When I made my shirt I went with a tight ring pattern because I thought it would be more period accurate, but mine might have been a bit tighter than was necessary. The lock washer chainmail shirt didn't look like it offered a lot of protection against arrows or thin blades, but it had a cool visual style.
@@theterminaldaveGalvenized electric fence wire is what I used 30 years ago
@@BradiKal61 i do this at work with 6mm or 8mm spring washers when I'm a bit bored.. you don't really need to take the temper out of the rings, you just have to bend them a little past closed because they spring back a bit..
I made a chainmail shirt back in the mid 1990's, and there was not really a useful internet back then so I developed the process for myself .
i bought a lot of 16 gauge galvanized fence wire and instead of a wooden dowel i used a 1/4" metal rod with a hole drilled in it. I built a cradle for my drill gun out of plywood so i could conteol the trigger with one hand and guide the wire as it wrapped around the rod.
For anyone who is going to make rings like this I agree with your suggestion to buy good clippers. Another thing that developed over the hours and hours of cutting the rings was a sore pinky finger from using my finger to manually open the clippers, because the first set I used was not spring loaded to open up ,which I consider essential. I also bought a pair of mini pliers to do my ring bending. I did not build my chainmail on a rod, i just held it.
Early on it was exciting to see how fast the piece of chainmail grew, but over time each link adds a smaller and smaller percentage to the sheet, And you need patience to keep going until you're finished.
To this day I don't know how I got the armpits as good as I did on my chainmail shirt. One side looks better than the other but I can't day how that happened.
I tried the shirt on for the first time in over a dozen years and I find that for some reason it seems to have shrunk and is now tight. Just one of those miracles of nature that we're not meant to understand
IT's that damned galvanized fence wire. I've used tons of it for fencing in the horses over the years and I think it shrinks and snaps once in awhile. I know the horses couldn't be doing it. They'd never do anything like stretch their heads and necks out under it so hard that it'd stretch and snap as they they tried getting at that 'greener' grass on the other side of the fence. Naw. It has to be some kind of flaw in the steel wire.
My kilt did the same thing. Weird how inanimate object take on a life of their own.🇺🇸⚔️🇬🇪
This is the best hard-core kniting tutorial. ❤
You make it look easy. Love that rod idea. Just wanted to mention that if you stretch your spring before you cut the jump rings, you end up with open jump rings so you don't have to open all those rings.
I have absolutely zero interest in ever making a chain mail, but I still enjoyed this video from beginning to end. Great upload!
You enjoy the making of useless except at LARP armor? If this person showed how to rivet mail into armor for historic re-enactments, it would’ve been better.
Pro tip!
Weave elastic Paracord through the parts you want tight. Making sure to give it some slack.
That way it always fits and doesn't bunch up and pinch
I'll have to give that a try!
You're the first person, other than me, I've seen do it this way. I think it is the fastest way compared to what I've seen others do. I used the same wire and fought in the SCA wearing this armor. Butted links do come apart, so I had to occasionally replace some. Not as many as you would think. I also used 6 to 1, and 8 to 1 patterns for other parts of my armor. I never had any trouble with loosing these rings. When I joined the ends of the links together, I would usually give a couple extra twist back and forth. This seemed to make the rings flatter, and also gave a little bit of hardening to the mettle.
Thanks for the advice!
Oh, boy! Now I can go die to a Norseman's axe in Hastings wearing my very own chainmail!
I am brand new at making chainmail, and this is one of the most helpful tutorials I've seen so far.
I used to do chainmail key chains on sale.
One optimisation I found pretty quickly:
1) bend a peace of wire 150% of diameter of the wire to L shape.
2) put one end of the L inside the "spring"
3) start screwing the other side of the L through the coils of the "spring"
4) then cut the rings
The L creates the gaps in the rings - big enough to easily join the rings together. You'll save much time on that - no need to bend the rings twice (1st to create a gap, 2nd to bind the ends together).
Good luck!
man, the little helping hand guy needs a raise
I have been doing chain mail for years and fought with it on the table. The rod is a fantastic idea that I cannot wait to try. Hopefully it works just as well with smaller rings. Thank you so much.
Wow. Someone that makes chainmail the way I do. I usually use a hanger rather than a rod to work on. The flexing seems to make things easier. I have gotten to the point that I use those pliers like a second pair of hands. My hands never release the grips. Pick up a link with one plier, and with the help of a finger from the other hand, slide the ring into place. Over time you learn to do this quite fast. This method is especially best if you plan to do 6 or even 8 to 1 mail.
All you need is a rod to wrap the wire around, a cutter, and 2 pairs of pliers. The drill makes winding the wire allot faster.
One ring to rule them all...
or 50,000 rings...
and in the darkness binds them
One ring to find them
One ring to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them
Thousands of rings to rule them all
😂
Instructions unclear. Shaft stuck in drill
LMAO,
if this happens to anyone else use a adjustable pliers to release.
wood shaft sometimes gets compressed in drill teeth/mouth and is akward to let go of bit or in this case the wooden shaft.
use metal rod in place of wood if available
@@DrunkenDarkSoul I think it was a dick joke
@@DrunkenDarkSoul it's a play on the joke "Instructions unclear, dick stuck it ceiling fan."
Wrong shaft dude. ;-P
That's how she likes it
A mail shirt is perfect for those rides on NYC transit!
Thanks mate, this is a life saver in Britain from frequent chav attacks.
You rock! I was wanting to make some chain mail for a few cosplays and this pattern you are using seems the most beginner friendly, and you explained it very well. Very concise and to the point so things don't get too confusing. thanks! 🖤
I’m working on a punk jacket currently, and my biggest fear is getting shanked at a concert. This tutorial definitely helps since I’ve been wanting to stab-proof my jacket for a while!
You will need to rivet or weld your links closed if you want it to function as armor.
Using a rod to hold the rings took this from a hobby I was struggling to getting going and let me turn out a fully fabricated piece in half an hour! Just a small piece, but it's a very encouraging start. Thanks for sharing this, it's a game-changer
I remember finding this video around 10 years ago after seeing some chainmail my friend had made. Ended up making myself a shirt and started on a headpiece. Maybe I'll finish it one day
Thank you. I have been stuck on several other tutorials. I'm trying to make chainmail shoulders for my boyfriends cosplay. I have much smaller rings then you, but the technique is the same. I kept getting mixed up. They are now on a tiny wooden skewer and that helps. I found it hard to start on the third row, but once going it can be so fast :D So thx :)
I'm glad it worked for you!
Nice tutorial! I do a similar process but with sterling silver for jewelry. Making it from a hanging starter row works so well.
Thanks for sharing. I really appreciate the effort you put forth to describe how Chainmail goes together.
Thank you! My gosh do people overcomplicate chainmail tutorials, but not this one. Very much appreciated.
Thank you!
Really great video showing how to make chainmail, thank you for sharing! It would take quite a while to make a full piece but definitely would be cool to have!!
Its amazing that in medieval times that they could even make steel wire.
Actual mail was made of pretty much small metal riveted shut not butted wire
Well metals are ductile (can be spun into wire) and wire is pretty easy to make so they probably wouldn't have had much trouble
@@bignick2488 I agree
You can also cast rods but that's hard
Your level of patience is admirable for sure. Nice work
You make it look soooo easy! This is a really helpful video, thank you!
I enjoyed this video as it helped me understand how to make a chain maille scrubber for my cast iron pots and pans. Thank you for sharing this info!
After many failed attempts from other video's and instructions, this is the first one I found that made it easy! THANKS!
I used 3/8" mild steel stock - small hole to hold the wire on one end and ground some flats on the drill end. No problems with the dowel crushing or getting pinched by the wire. A 3 ft piece of stock is like 4 bucks. Totally worth it if you want to do this.
Why don't scientists invent an automatic chainmail knitting machine?
Because guns
cuz it'd be a really complicated and precise machine for making something with not many modern uses
First off, sciencetis wouldn't design a machine, an engineer would. Secondly making mail (chain mail isn't an historical thing) is a bit more complex than making a cloth garment. Sure it needs to be tailored but combining each ring into a specific pattern and then riveting them together. (proper mail is rivited or solid rings and rivited rings are used) the mail in the video isn't rivited or solid. That mail is only good for larping and nothing else. That mail will never stand up to any combat or training use.
There was a patent for a mail making machine. Around the 1920. Used about 4 rolls of wire to feed the machine. I have not been able to find the patent number.
Thanks pal. I just KNEW it!
This is the best guide for getting started weaving chain mail - in my opinion
Very impress, how you have made chain male something I could try doing.
I use to be left hander and I can't no longer use my left arm properly.
The tools you use have given me ideas.
Thank you very much.
I'm a collector of antique arms and armour.
So I love this .🏴
A simple and cleanly done tutorial, just what I was looking for. Planning on making a chainmail vest for cosplay but I'm gonna use keyrings as the links instead, can buy bulk bags online so I just needed a method of assembling them and here I am! Thanks again-
omg I love this idea
I'm in a frenzy right now looking for gold colored ones that won't let a 3/8" rod fit through, because larp rules so hype so hype
@@MyCommentsRMaturelol as of right now my project is about 90% finished, I had to order more rings to add some additional length but the basic idea worked great!
Isn't cosplay like the only thing BUTTED mail is good for? If you want reliable functionality you need RIVETED mail, don't you?
@@michaelmccoy1794butted mail isn't that protective against stabbing, as weapons will just push the ends of the link away from each other, but against slashes, the difference would be barely noticeable unless you are planing to saw away at a single spot or bash at it repeatedly.
Why is this so satisfying 😂
the best and easiest video i ever watch about this topic. thank you so much
Wow, you saved me a ton of time! I was doing things a lot slower. And I noticed the end result is still a 4-in-1 weave. Thanks!
Why wear chainmail when you can use your dex or con modifier to have more ac?
because some of use want to bust action surge out with with 4 attacks per turn, and battlemaster manuvers on top of that
@@jamesm783 yap plaus stonecold saidso
I just cast shield and I'm ok
Came here looking for that comment
Maybe that's expensive?
all I can afford is that plies.
I don't know how much for the metal wire
DO NOT USE A WOODEN ROD!!!! it shrinks! for less than 5$ you can get a steel rod or alluminum rod that actually works consistently!
I was worried more about the fucking galvanized wire. Soon as you anneal that shit you're going to have burning fucking lungs and if you're unlucky end up dead.
From what I see here, this is purely aesthetic armor, in other words, you shouldn't attempt to anneal/harden it/temper it because it's not meant for use, and likely isn't made of the proper steel either.
Where did you find these magical metals that are immune to wear!?
@@Antiganos Yeah, if the end of the rings aren't closed it's purely aesthetic and won't offer much protection. Historical chain mail had riveted rings so they won't open up from a thrust. A mail like the one in the video is only good if you want to die stylishly.
Though a cheaply made mail like this might be a decent supplement for gambeson to further improve on protection against slices. Though you would always wear a chain mail with gambeson anyways.
bashpr0mpt why would you anneal it? That would just soften it and ruin the zinc coating. It is getting work hardening with the cold working. Though as it is only show mail it doesn’t matter. And Zinc oxide is dangerous but you just need ventilation or a respirator.
AHHH finally an intelligent way of linking those rings! thank you so much!
Props for using Knipex pliers. Quality stuff.
Nerds: *Heavy breathing*
lol
silverstacker999 medieval reenactors that is botted mail
**inhales**
*B O I*
silverstacker999 alright calm down Ogre
Not really. It's just butted mail he's making, which is garbage for anything other than appearances. It doesn't have a great deal of strength.
Nice, neat job, though.
Lovely....some stuff to do in these days :D Thanks for the video.
Absolutely gorgeous! I made some fairly convincing mail, using rings, cut from small diameter PVC pipe, about one eighth of an inch thick, and used "The Chopper" (a plastic model builder's tool) to make a straight cut through each link, and wove them together, into mail, exactly as shown here. The result was pretty nice, good enough for me, but NOT as convincing as THIS! I made MY mail, to represent mail on a video game character's costume. THIS mail looks exactly like the REAL THING! I'd love to find the time (and a good reason) to make THIS type of mail. GREAT job!! Absolutely spot on !!!
That made so kuch more sense then some I've watched. thank you for posting such a simplified video!!!!
Its not super important for mail armor, but the gaps in the rings can get caught on clothes and hair fairly easily, so I would either saw the rings, as opposed to clipping, or bend them shut, especially for jewelry.
Used to do this when I was a kid. This is actually just show mail. Real mail has an overlapping portion that is flattened, pierced and fastened with a small river. But I’m sure you know.
I hope the smiths who had to make this stuff were compensated handsomely
The "think smarter not harder" gene is working at 200% with this one.
That's so nice!
Gangs need it cuz it is anti stabbing !
This is a very efficient way of making butted mail but it should be noted that butted mail would make garbage armor that can be torn apart bare-handed. If you're looking to make quality mail you have to rivet each link closed, which takes considerably more time and skill.
What kind of bare hands do you have?
Just to think how many hours those types of processes took back when there was no home depot or Walmart.. Makes you thankful for all we have today..
"I place my shaft into the drill"
That's going to hurt😅
Haha I'm sorry but "Place my shaft in my drill and tight it down" haha sounds painful
Whatever floats your boat lol
I was about to comment that and then I saw yours hahaha
It's good training ;)
Simple things amuse simple people I guess.
@@spaaggetii wow. You must be super refined if youre posting on CZcams that people are simple for finding something funny.
If you grip the ring to be added with the pliers, before you thread it through the two links, you will save a lot of time and fumbling. :)
hello from 2023 - thanks for this video it helped me. I've only made a small patch of chainmail so far and it took forever but it's really satisfying.
I love this video and I am glad to see someone explain it from the start.
Just do /give fire and then put it in the crafting bench.
Lol
Well if you started the world with alloe cheats off just go to lan settings hit allow cheats on and then start lan world lol
Wait i insert my shaft on the drill?
This aged so well lol
You make it very easy to follow. Very excited to get started
Its really the perfect way to make an easy chain mail
I giggled like a jackass when he said he placed his shaft into a drill.
Christ, I'm fucking 12
DaedalusProps im 13 believe me it gets worse
Watch your language, young man! 😉
@@benjaminrapp7418 UR NOT MY REAL DAD >8C
@@DaedalusProps And? Lol
Your doing more work than you need. You are closing every row. If you add pre-closed links as you go, you only need to weave every other row. That is you have closed links on row one (on your rod) then as you add a link across the first two rings starting row 2, also add two more closed rings as the start of row three. Then with each link, you link the two links on top ro, the one link from row 3, and add one more closed ring. That way, every link you are closing is closing in all 4 of its final rings. You method is only closing in 2 rings at a time so you are closing twice as many rings. (Of course, you still are closing the rings initially, just not as you are working on a sheet.
This actually is the best guide I've seen for this.
Alright, but how do i enchant it.
You coat with the milkings of an ancient Chinese chirapsia house?
Minecraft be lying to us
When you add an open ring, add a closed aswell. Makes it go faster when making full suits of armour.
Great tip!
I've got a whole spool of electric fence wire leftover from a project. Awesome use!
Has anyone in the comments already mentioned about this mail been more decorative, then defending?
Владимир Баскаков that's probably because mail is no longer effective in combat, so it's probably for costumes.
Владимир Баскаков it't butted not rivited
Berend Dovakhiin and Nova I was talking particulalry about butted mail, since this is the type of mail shown on this video.
True, butted mail falls apart easily when hit with a weapon. It's best to use riveted mail for reenactment.
Nova It wouldn't be good back then either, its costume armour butted maille
I don't think I'd want to place my shaft into an electric drill... But that's just me. ;-) Thanks for the tutorial, though. Great job.
+Hannibal Lechter You should at least slide some links onto your rod though.
Real mature...
Reminds me a lot of knitting... especially the whole "several hours to get a few inches" part! XD Anything worth doin is worth doin right, though.
This is so awesome, i am going to use this for a LOTR fountain guard armour, thanks a lot for this video
can this stop rounds from a plasma rifle in the 40 watt range?
40 watts is not nearly enough to make plasma
a black powder musket will make a nice hole in it , no need for high tech lol
"Hey just what you see pal"
@@denisl2760 it's a movie reference but clearly you didn't watch the terminator
Mail is actually really good at redirecting electricity safely around your body so if you were in a full suit with no skin not covered you'd be able to stand lightning
Is aluminum stab proof ?! I hope someone test that ..
This mail in particular it's not.
@@Hadras7094 ok but I mean aluminum sheet .. for example 2mm
@@user-nl5hw8vp8b I don't know then. Sorry.
The rod is an interesting idea, but when I did mine about 20 years ago, I started first with a lot of closed rings, and then I put 4 closed rings onto open one and I closed it. Made a lot of these quadruple/quintuplets (I guess they can be called both ways) which I then interconnected into the chainmail.
I did the stretching of the "spring" like was recommended below, but I used sheet metal cutter (did one big armor - separate coif, long sleeves, down under as long as knees, about 45000 rings and the cutter held). It made much cleaner (flatter) cut. Quite a lot of the pre-stretched rings gained some tension and if the ends of the ring were cut in such a way that they basically aligned when closed, the gap became almost invisible with the ring ends slightly tensioned against each other.
This is prolly the simplest way to I've ever seen, to make mail. Great vid bubby!
It's really funny all the "experts" in the comments, telling us what we already know about butted and riveted mail. Guys, I don't think anyone watching this video planned on going to war in this. 😂
you mean where not a war with france?....dam :p
Whe Have to take Jerusalem
Dude I was thinking about pillaging churches in England :D
incorrect! i WAS!
I could go for some pillaging.
Great guide I would have made the rings smaller tho, i know it is only for show not to fight real battle lol but still if the rings are to big the tip of a pointed sword can get in to those rings and then you are pretty much fucked.
Nope. Even tinny, tinny overlapping rings with this technique would be ineffective against sword, spear, arrow or even peasant fork. On impact some of the force would "push" forward, but some would spread sideways trying to break the ring. If ends of the ring aren't "tied" together, and impact will break those rings. So sword, spear, arrow, fork would "make" holes on impact.
It's that ineffective as a armor. That's also why mail used in Europe for over a 1000 years was riveted or otherwise tied.
Bows predate swords and armour. Trust me they used bows. In fact the earliest types of armour were specifically designed to protect against arrows almost exclusively. If you meant mounted Knights didn't use bows in battle then you're correct. They were fired on by archers constantly though, which is why in the age of mail shields were still very important. However good tight riveted mail, combined with a thick gambeson is still pretty effective at making arrows far less lethal should they squeek past your shield defence. Or course not effective enough, hence the development of plate armours. Bows and crossbows were mandatory battlefield equipment until the age of gun powder really took off.
Toyja Kelley LMAO pls tell me you're not trying to be serious XD
King Wacky that's why the real thing was riveted and not just pushed together.
thanks so much for this video tutorial. I was trying to find a simple and to the point tutorial to make chain mail for a bracelet I'm starting. The "extra hands" you used was helpful. I modified it to a skewer with binder clips just so I could hold it in place since I am not doing anything large it worked out well. :)
"put in one ring", nice try Sauron!
You get a cleaner cut when you saw the links and a half inch is too big a ring. I use 16 gage wire and wind it over a steel mandrel 3/8" in diameter. Bend the mandrel so there's a crank. You have to make a jig to hold and turn it. Don't use a power drill to wind because you're bound to injure yourself. I tried it and injured myself. After I saw the rings free of the 'spring' I close a bunch then take a bunch and open them. I put 4 closed rings into one and close it. I like needle nose pliers for this. You never touch the rings with your fingers when you weave them together. I also like a flat board to weave the shirt on. I think you can control it easier.
jpavlvs quick Google to see what 3/8 inch is in mm, use mm in England. is 9.5mm (3/8) quite big ring size?
I was going to use 8mm (5/16) or even 6mm (15/64 - 1/4) inner diameter. with 16 guage wire.
I've made two whole vests worth of rings winding them with a drill and I've never injured myself. I wear leather work gloves and use controlled drill speeds and it has never felt like they were going to get caught. Though I used a steel bar rather than dowel. I used 12 gage wire even.
I have made a few suits of mail , one halburk and 5 byrnies and 5 coifs . all my rings have been hand rolled on a steel rod bent into crank. i have cut them with a saw and bolt cutters , bolt cutters are quicker but a saw is cleaner edge cut. i agree make daisy's, then into daisy chains and then patches etc. this method flynn uses is alright for small bits but not needed for large mail construction. Riveted mail is great for Hysterical fanatics but for most re en-actors it is fine to use butted mail . there are many methods of making rings , find one that your happy with enough said.
jpavlvs The problem with sawing rings is the kerf increases when you decrease your ring ID. Smaller rings end up distorted and this creates warp in the weave. Sawing links can also be very time consuming as compared to using nippers. However, the finished product certainly looks much cleaner as long as the ID:kerf ratio is correct.
although you did it in the old fashion way. I must salute you for your way of explaining and your camera work with your understandable video. Thank you so very much looking forward to see more of your work
I wanted to make a chaimail armor... and looked on youtube to find out how to start.
This video popped up, and it was the start for me.
Nice and simple. 👍
Thank you!
4 in 1 method faster i think.
not really faster, I am working on a pice right now. After a month I got somethiong like 4000-4500 rings done, it is starting to look like and armour. But a 4 in 1 or 6 in 1 piece is much more dense and doesn`t look like you could tear it apart with you bare hands. Anyway, it might by that I work slower because of school and can only work on the piece maybe 10-15 h a week weekends included.
This _is_ 4 in 1, isn't it?
I think what he means is that this guy is starting with one row of closed links and then he just keeps adding open links. Instead of doing it that way, you can add another row of closed links while you are adding a row if open links.
Or maybe what he actually means is to make little squares by connecting four closed links with one open link and then connecting those squares together with open links. I think the way I described doing it is even better than that though. I start with one "4 in 1" square and keep adding two closed links with one open link to make a strip as wide as I want. then I start a row underneath connecting two closed with one open and continue on after by connecting one closed with open down the whole strip to the end, connecting them all in the "4 in 1" pattern. Kind of like knitting.
Used to do this in my free time in HS before youtube even existed. Made a winder with metal dowel rods of different diameters, a drill. Dikes, 2 needle nose. Pro tip, dont use wood as it compresses and the rings can be SLIGHTLY different diameter after 20 or so coils. Making the mail is easy as fuck, it just takes forever. Recommend starting with 4 in 1 or 6 in 1 european. Any retard can figure it out. Hard parts when you get to seems or the under side of arm holes. Also make sure when you hold the ring to bend it with the pliers you have 1 covering one HALF and the other covering the other HALF. This prevents warp and ensures every ring is perfectly flat. This separates noob mail from quality. Having every single ring exactly uniform is actually important. Then heat treat the whole thing or if you wanna go full retard contact weld each ring. Fence wire is great to practice with but it makes absolute garbage product even if heat treated. Its butter steal. Stainless is hard to work with and expensive but makes crazy nice weave. Aluminium if your a larptard, as most are weak and will appriciate the extreme weight reduction. But if you want bad ass, titanium wire. Costs a lot, is a bitch to wind, cut, and bend. But with some skill and patience makes top tier results. Light, strong, easy to heat color, and corrosion resistant.
thanks for the input! a solid rod is better, I only had the wood dowel when I made the video.
Wait this is so much less complicated than I thought. I’ve got to try this
tin snips work surprisingly well for cutting through the wire
not riveted not armour.
good for cheap costumes but thats about it
OskoreiMick For what its worth, butted mail was used by a few places historicall. Japan for example was well known for making common use of butted mail. Amusingly enough, japan if i recall actually had more "styles" and patterns of mail than the rest of the world. Combined. Though theres probably a reason for this.
SidewaysGts there have been some finds of butted mail used in Japan, but even they used riveted most of the time. Even welded was used more then butted. off all the finds we have of real mail butted is a very small percentage of it. the reason is that butted falls apart to quickly. due to being an open ring is lacks strength.
due to this you have to use a heavier gauge of wire to make the rings which then makes the mail heavier.
my 1st set of mail was made with butted rings and weighted 22.5kgs. i then upgraded to a riveted set and it weights a bit under 10kgs. and it is much stronger due to the links being riveted together
and yes they did use other "styles" and patterns then the standard 4-in-1. such as the chains used in the Kote, Haidate and suneate.
OskoreiMick "there have been some finds of butted mail used in Japan, but even they used riveted most of the time."
*Some* finds? Im sorry. But im going to have to disagree, strongly. Japan did indeed make some use of riveted mail, but saying they used riveted mail "most" of the time is a bit dubious to the best of my knowledge- And i would absolutely LOVE some of your sources that drew you to this.
To my knowledge, japan was one of the few culutures in the world to make *wide* use of butted mail. There links were commonly butted, or twisted. Sometiems the end of the link would be twisted closed- Sometimes the links were multiple loops (each link was actually a couple of spirals). Etc.
i831.photobucket.com/albums/zz238/estcrh/samurai%20chainmail%20and%20armor%20samples/100_3328.jpg
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e1/ba/be/e1babe767b31ac32be85d5720ff0002a.jpg
en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/75/Kusari_examples.JPG
en.academic.ru/pictures/enwiki/75/Kusari_tabi.JPG
media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/45/67/8e/45678e956b90bb9d2be958527b096e05.jpg
media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/1c/91/53/1c91536aa55039da727435084f26326b.jpg
media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/45/85/a6/4585a6448ed787d72d55de91d28c5842.jpg
These three are all from the same piece, showing their construction a bit more clearly as they continue:
www.sarworter.achim-und-kai.de/MA_JMRP/10-03-25_kote_027.JPG
www.sarworter.achim-und-kai.de/MA_JMRP/10-03-25_kote_014.JPG
www.sarworter.achim-und-kai.de/MA_JMRP/10-03-25_kote_030a.JPG
(Showing how they used different styles of links)
Somewere even quite decorative, with external links made of brass
media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/23/18/cc/2318cc786106761254822056e1e78ce9.jpg
Another good example here:
s831.photobucket.com/user/estcrh/media/samurai%20chainmail%20and%20armor%20samples/100_6954.jpg.html
This gentleman actually has a LOT of japanese mail armors cataloged, and his gallery alone is worth a look.
I can do this for days. These are hardly "cherry picked". Armors of these types were *very* common throughout japan, for a lot of its history.
"the reason is that butted falls apart to quickly. due to being an open ring is lacks strength."
Yes and no. its worth pointing out japan was quite tricky in how they constructed their butted mail. Their mail was notoriously butted, but beause of its construction, even in europe, it was known to be quite strong:
*A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: In All Countries and in All Times: George Cameron Stone*
Page 424:
"(On japanese mail) made of uniriveted links, but the wire is very hard and highly tempered so that the mail is as strong as the riveted. The links are frequently made of coils of two or three turns, giving the effect of two or three links side by side... Such mail is quite as strong as any riveted"
The author also goes on to talk about the commonality of butted mail in japan, and continues to compare it briefly to european mail.
But you get the idea. I readily admit that I may be wrong- It may simply be a coincidence that the vast majority of historical examples I have seen, either in pictures, or from galleries in museums around the world, or what i have had the pleasure of seeing first hand at exhibits, and what ive primarily read about, have largely been butted. But I hope youll excuse my skepticism to claims on the contrary. I could care less about being "right" and would love to know the truth- But I hope you dont mind if I ask for a source so that the next time this topic comes up I have a reasonable reference (or references) instead of "some guy on youtube said...".
Cheers and thanks :)
You want cheap costuming, use the method they did on the Lord of the Rings films. Slice up a plastic tube
+OskoreiMick Why do people say this? Do you plan on getting into bladed combat any time soon? What a fucking pointless statement.
Seems tedious, having to manually open all those individual links at the beginning of your process. Why don't you wind TWO wires around the dowel (alongside each other) as you are making the initial coil? You might need to cut them as you're in the process of sliding them off the dowel... or maybe you'll be able to pull them both off, and handle the two interwoven coils as easily as you handled one...(?)
I've never tried it, but it does seem viable; and if it works, each link would (by definition) be open exactly the width of one wire as you cut it off its respective coil. That should save a ton of annoyingly tedious prep time.
Would love to know whether this works for you!
I thought the same thing! Unfortunately the wire I was using is too hard to wrap 2 strands at the same time. I've learned allot since I made this video and will have a new and improved one out in a few weeks! Thank you!
clever! if small vary in AR doesn't matter, then that would be fine. coiling to strands at the same time means you'll have twice the resistance in coiling. not a big deal unless you are coiling tempered stainless steel which I use a lot of... just made a 28lb 16ga 3/8"ID HP3in1 sheet 6 shirt! i just pulled the spring apart a bit more the width of gauge before cutting to pre open half the rings.
One method I saw used was that after the coil is made pull it out of shape a bit. Takes longer to cut the links because you'll be able to only cut like one at a time. But I think opening every link would take much longer.
lol just one of the suits i made had 22000 rings in it.
That's the man. Men always have tools. Thank you.
Awesome guide man! Love the idea of slipping them on a rod.
It is more a toy than a chain armor. This armor would stop maybe plastic blade
i've test mine.... she got a kitchen knife slash and defend it
HighLander LK
Yes, it was an exaggeration on my part :D Now take a sharp sword or ax and try again. You can not, try resistance armor with a kitchen knife
Steckin0 I took my katana 1060 high carbon steel blade against it and my mail (original name) was victorious so don't doubt it kid this stuff is a real great armor to have because it can stop most weapons like that so better luck next time kid
Michael Kimmel
Nobody here but do not talk about slashing sword, but the sword stabbing boy
In addition, the katana sword is sharp but not heavy. If you slash the chain armor, sword weight is critical
Michael Kimmel kings maille? I'm assuming you're talking about 8 in 2. That's needlessly time consuming, just reduce you're AR to around 3.2 and run with e4-1 you'll be good to go. 14g 3/8ID works pretty well.
It give almost no protection tho. You need to use riveted mail. You can tear these butted mails with your hands with ease.
I don't think he plans on getting stabbed
These rings seem to have nice cut. The ends of rings connect quite well. If it was made from thicker wire, it would be fine. But at least 2 times heavier than equivalent riveted mail.
Butted mail is fine for costume work and lighter protection. In order to provide heavier protection riveted or welded links would be better. Although you don't want to use galvanized steel for welded links.
Very much diupt he's gonna go to war with this
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WOW def the best to show the concept... will try this for other variations and seehow it works