chain mail

[Keeghan_M]

Hiya

I am interested in starting to make some chain mail for my gloves, and thought i might do it at taupo. Just wondering what supplies will i need? and where i could get them before taupo, or if anyone will have stuff for sale at taupo that i can buy to make chain mail. I only want chain mail on one glove, and its a medium sized glove, how much metal would i need and how expensive would it be?

thanks
Keeghan

[merrynsmoor]

I can bring my pliers and wire cutters if you'd like to borrow them?

I use spring steel links, but I don't reckon you'll be able to find any before Taupo... maybe just grab some 16 gauge galvanised wire from mitre10 or something, I think they come in 50m rolls, but it's been a while.. it's more than you'll need for a glove.. but not too ezxpensive I don't think..

Apart from that, get an 8mm diameter metal rod for winding the metal onto to make your links. Should cost you more than $15-20 all up

I can show you how at camp if you get the metal and rod

[Keeghan_M]

Hiya krystal

That would be awesome if you could bring them along and show me how. Mums going out very soon, shes gonna go to mitre10 and look for the rod and wire. Thanks.

[merrynsmoor]

No problemo

[Frosty]

hey dude
i have a piece of maile that im not using
would be more than happy to trade.
stretched out it measures..16 cm long - 9cm along the top then its got a 3cm step down with an extension for the opinky and 17 cm along the bottom and it includes a piece for the thumb. heres a photo

[Keeghan_M]

heya frosty

id really like to make my own stuff, good experience and should be fun but if my tries dont work than i might take you up on the offer.

[Frosty]

you can have it
i was just looking at something else and i dont mind giving it away

[Keeghan_M]

really? thatd be cool thanks frosty. Might use that for my other glove, or if my attempts dont work ill just use that on the one glove.

Also, mum bought a 30 metre roll of 16 gauge wire but the only bars that there was were 10mm instead of 8mm so she didnt buy it, just wondering whether 10mm would be ok?

[merrynsmoor]

Hey Keeghan,

10mm is okay, it's just that the links are a bit bigger - so they don't absorb as much of the blow... I would try to get an 8mm one.. I'll look at home and see if I can find my one, and ask around.. but if not then just go for what you can get.

[Keeghan_M]

ok, will keep looking for an 8mm, didnt end up going to mitre10, went to bunnings and placemakers instead. But will check mitre10 on the way to taupo tomorrow

[merrynsmoor]

Sweet, hopefully I'll be able to find my one.. I remember it being tricky to find when I got it too - ended up getting one with thread on it - so I had to unwind the chain to get it off

If anyone else has one lying around that we could borrow at Taupo, would be greatly appreciated

[Frosty]

i have some 8mm rod at home.
ill bring a piece for you
ill even drill a hole into it for the wire to make it easier to roll up

the piece i have is 6mm links (inside diameter)
i suppose 10mm would be alright although the rings are getting a bit large for a glove...

[Thaner]

good luck with your chain mailing efforts, I have just completed my first exercise in mail, a coif, and mantle, many many fun lunch hours at work were taken up pliers in hand, blisters on blisters

seriously though, its a piece of cake and easy to do when you get the hang of it, gloves are easy as too, just invest in some quality linen thread or thin leather thread to secure it to ya glove every 2 or three links

[Keeghan_M]

Thanks heaps frosty, thatd be awesome. blisters on blisters, i like that. Hopefully its easy looking forward to it and the rest of taupo. Thanks everyone

[Frosty]

no probs haha