Chain Mail

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I have bean asked to thin of a way of making chain mail for Mini Me Cross play events. None the wiser what they are or what goes on but hay ho pip and dandy.

I have looed into ring tabs but even I do not drink that amount of beer.

Does any one have a simple easy and light weight way of making chain mail,, some thing my self Mini Me and friends can quickly make.

 

[mpats]

friend of mine made himself chainmail at uni, instead of studying. He used split washers, opened them up, linked them together and made a decent chainmail shirt. It was bloody heavy though.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@The_Yellow_Ardvark Can you knit?

 

[RonA]

I have bean asked to thin of a way of making chain mail for Mini Me Cross play events. None the wiser what they are or what goes on but hay ho pip and dandy.

I have looed into ring tabs but even I do not drink that amount of beer.

Does any one have a simple easy and light weight way of making chain mail,, some thing my self Mini Me and friends can quickly make.

What about those split spring clips used to hold keys onto a fob.
RonA

 

[Wozzaaah]

Cosplay not cross play...you don't want to be encouraging that!

 

[pcwizme]

So from a prop-maker vantage point you have 4 real options

1. Armchair armoury kits of rings, the easiest way if you want to make the armour your self

2. A mix of metal rings (made or bought) mixed with neoprene rings or o-rings (massively reduces the weight)

3. String knitted and sprayed

4. using lathe and a suitable former (say a piece of bar with a hole drilled thru) make your own rings with the lathe turning and the wire being fed in under tension, very similar to making a spring, then cut in to rings.


Of course there is always option 5.... Buy it in.


(whats it for? what costume? could it be done with small panels)

How big is TYA Jr? as real chainmaile is really heavy (my chest piece with leather sides) weighs in at about 15 kg

My chest piece has about 5000 rings in it, so just be warned it takes a while (I took option 5 in this case)

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

The Chain mail has to be light, I know real chain mail is heavy.

I have seen so many versions of Fake chain mail I am not sure which rout to go down.

 

[pcwizme]

depending on the size of the part it needs to cover I would go with ali-rings
http://www.armchair-armoury.co.uk/sq_rings.htm

 

[pedrobedro]

Dishcloth cotton, big needles made of thick dowel and silver spray paint my missus says.

 

[gaz1]

https://metalsmithing.wonderhowto.com/how-to/make-chain-mail-armor-from-start-finish-0118499/

stainless steel wire is lighter still than steel

 

[gavcarter]

Hog rings are cheap by the 1000s. Can get pliers with auto feed packs of them so you can just crimp away at a decent speed.
Usually used in upholstery.

 

[Migmac]

I think our chain mail aprons are made from ali washer like things. I use it but don’t pay attention to it, my chain mail glove is proper chain mail and weighs a ton and not cheap- £60 a pop

 

[Shox Dr]

String vest sprayed Silver/grey

Double them up to look more convincing

 

[bump]

The Chain mail has to be light, I know real chain mail is heavy.

I have seen so many versions of Fake chain mail I am not sure which rout to go down.

The "Chain Mail" in Monty Python and the Holy Grail was knitted. You can get a grey yarn with a metallic strip in it.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Knitted string was what the Norman invaders used. I know, because I was there at Hastings when they landed in 1966. As a mere English peasant, I wasn’t provided with armour, but some of the Normans (my fellow students) complained after wading ashore, and said string soaked in salt water was not at all comfortable to wear when charging up the beach.

 

[Windy Miller]

Near me at Rochester Castle, they sometimes do the Norman re-enactment thing - sleeping in massive animal skin tents and making wooden spoons on treadle lathes and stuff. Their chain mail suits were made from spring washers - about 10mm or slightly smaller. VERY heavy indeed and very time consuming to make.

 

[PhillipM]

I've seen people 3d-printing sections of it then simply patching it together with split rings to join it.

 

[pcwizme]

oooh I hadnt even considered 3d printing

 

[WorkshopChris]

What about option 4 with ali tig rods.

4. using lathe and a suitable former (say a piece of bar with a hole drilled thru) make your own rings with the lathe turning and the wire being fed in under tension, very similar to making a spring, then cut in to rings.

once cut and closed together set the power nice and high quick push of the trigger to spot weld shut with the tig, should take some weight then.

 

[Farside]

Knitted string was what the Norman invaders used. I know, because I was there at Hastings when they landed in 1966. As a mere English peasant, I wasn’t provided with armour, but some of the Normans (my fellow students) complained after wading ashore, and said string soaked in salt water was not at all comfortable to wear when charging up the beach.

That sounds like a lot of cuir boile to me.

To the OP, have the lad roll in glue then metal lathe shavings.