Chain mail

[Wuber]

I started making chain mail years ago when i first join Dagorhir. Due to real life issues i had to leave for several years and i am just nowreturning. I made my chain out of the only wire i could find locally. which is http://www.redbrand.com/products/produc ... oductID=32

Its 14gauge galvanized electric fence wire. Im not sure what it is (steel or aluminum)and i have no clue what i was thinking when i bought it. Patience has never been my strong point. I made 1/2 inch rings. I found that during combat it would come apart if some pulled on it. So i decided to double the rings. Much nicer.Looks sweet. But i dont think its a legal material. I have decided to finish my project after all these years even if it wont pass. When and if i ever finish ill be sure to post a pic. The mail is already heavy as heck only half finished and is very strong now.

So my question is would you let someone wear this at your field or event.

[Brutus]

You used "standard" wire with the 14Gu (which is galvanized steel, as stated on their webpage, FYI) as many of us have. The standard interior ring diameter to use with this wire in a 4-in-1 pattern is 3/8", not 1/2". 3/8" is very sturdy, but as with nearly all maille, will require some periodic maintenance at stress points. I have seen a couple shirts that used 7/16" 4-in-1 and they were decent, but required a ton more maintenance than the 3/8".

I have never even made a single ring with 1/2" 14Gu, but I can imagine 14Gu 4-in-1 would indeed be super flimsy. Your 8-in-2 *might* be strong enough, and if I had to guess I would say it probably is, but its still just an educated guess.

Try this: Take a patch of your maille and grab it in both hands. Pull, tear, twist, etc. the HELL out of it. If the rings have stretched or deformed noticeably then there's a fair chance your armor will fail at check. If your suit is impervious to your manipulation then there's a fair chance it will pass at check. As always, remember that armor checking and the rules the govern it are very subjective. It is likely your armor could pass at local and regional events but fail at national events. That is the inherent risk that every one of us has felt at some point or another when we diverge from the mainstream.