When I first started out I thought mail was the way to go - I was intrigued by the process of making it, and the result had the same functional beauty of any object uncompromisingly designed for a specific purpose. Having made a couple of hauberks (short-sleeved shirts), and a coif for myself I began to understand the impracticalities.
A mail shirt made to an authentic design, using a similar ring size to an original will use 40,000 to 50,000 rings. My work rate is around 250-300 rings/hour, giving a build time of around 150-200 hours. There's just not enough hours in the day!
Making mail is straightforward - at its simplest you need a bag of washers and two pairs of pliers. And a lot of time. Have a go, it's a rewarding if time-consuming experience, and you'll end up with a beautiful object.
I'm very pleased I've actually made myself some mail shirts but I doubt if I'll be making many more commercially. I am still making mail weave jewellery and smaller pieces though, and I'm interested in using the machine made micro-weaves as a fabric - it has an amazing drape and flow - watch this space.
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AuthorDave Gullen, leather craftsman, writer, and grower of tree ferns. Archives
November 2008
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