Is there an easy way to make chain mail armor?

Answer 1

The best way to make chainmail would depend on your weave.

I use European 4-in-1 (which is probably the easiest), and i use various techniques.

You can purchase wiring at Home Depot where the concrete items are held ($5).

You can make a rig, which consists of a metal rod, some wood, and a drill (Google it)

(I personally made a rig out of a fireplace broom with a hole drilled through.)

Then, wrap the wire around like a spring on the rig.

Take off

Cut the individual rings (i cut in the same space to get even rings)

Then, comes the important part. The weaving.

There are several methods to weave.

(I call them):

Strip technique

Add-on technique

The hanging technique

Before the techniques: learn how 4-in-1 works. (I Googled for several days before i started.)

Strip Technique

Make a 4-in-1, add on with the 2-in-1, and repeat until you've aquired desired length. (If you are making a shirt, measure your body's width and go by that.)

Then, make another strip the same length.

Repeat until you have desired height.

Now, look at your strips, you have to line up the patterns.

((((((((((((((

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(((((((((((((( This is what you're looking for.

What you will do, is attach two similar strips with individual rings.

How this is done is by this: 4-in-1 theory: FOR EVERY 4 RINGS, THERE IS 1 IN THE MIDDLE.

((((((((((((((

))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((

))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((

))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((

Hard to show over text, but here is the idea.

Then, from that, connect sheets of chainmail in the same way.

Add On Technique

Remember when i mentioned adding 2-in-1's? That's it...

A tip when doing this is studying the direction of rings

(((( (

)))) )

(((( If you have this, ( add this like this.

Again, hard to show like this...

Hanging technique

(What i use)

Take a strip of chainmail and lie it down.

Take a string or a small sturdy pole and stick it through the very top row.

____(((((((_____

)))))))

((((((( Like this.

Then, take the individual rings, and add then to two rings.

(((((((((

)^ those two.

On some rows, you'll have two add one to one ring to keep it even, or it will start getting narrow like a triangle.

Tip, when weaving, look at the direction of rings.

(((((((((

If like this: start on this side > and weave to the left.

Well, there you go.

Hope it helped. If not, YouTube this. Youtube has very good examples.

Also Google chainmail techniques, and you'll find good ways.

I will actually make my own tutorial on my site, and will post it once it's done.

haronah.webs.com