Hello, /k/, I am interested in making a chain mail, as well as

>>31644855
If you are making functional armor you'd be good with titanium or steel. Steel's heavier and takes more maintenance, but it's lighter.

There's a slight problem with this: Real armor needs to be riveted or welded closed, rather then just bending the rings closed. This means closing 5 to 20 thousand rings.

It's a hell of a investment of time and effort. Easier is butted mail, made by simply bending rings closed.

>>31644997
Steel's cheaper, not lighter.

>>31644855
It's been years since I've done it, but I made several vests back in college. Unless you are going for extreme authenticity, use the larger rings. They look better, and it will go much faster.
Buy rings that are pre-cut, and get two identical duckbill pliers, with springs. Don't fuck around in the plier department, because the risk for RSI is real.

My favorite piece was 6-on-1, which was heavy as fuck but looked badass. It doesn't stretch, so it looks better but is impractical for combat.

I think I used 8-on-2, which is 4-on-1 with everything doubled, as shoulder pads once but I may be imagining.

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>>31645028
Dug the 6-on-1 out of the closet. The rings are 1/2" diameter and 1/16" thick.

The most efficient way to proceed is to close a whole bunch of rings at once, open some at once, and then make a bunch of separate 4-on-1s. Then connect them into one huge continuous chain, I'm talking 30 feet long. Then simply keep adding vertical strips around the circumference. You will notice any mistakes right away, and you can zone out until you reach the hem and just disconnect the chain.

>>31645028
whats RSI?

>>31645193
Repetitive Stress Injury. You can fuck your shit up bigtime doing the same motion over and over. If your hands start to hurt, you need to stop, rest, and find a more ergonomic way to do what you are doing.

>>31644855
4 to 1
And nigguh they better all be riveted

>>31646357
Mah niggah.
But really, only half, more or less, needs to be riveted. Seen some originals and metalographies of them, several of them had just punched-out "washers" to which the riveted ones were linked.

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Have a look over at http://www.armourarchive.org/, the forums in particular. While there's a lot of SCA stuff there, they also do historical.

And if you for some reason actually worry about performance, then not only will you want to rivet things, the quality of the riveting will also be of great importance.

>>31644997
>Steel's heavier and takes more maintenance, but it's lighter.
???????????

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>>31644855
Start with thin rimmed spring lock washers. 6-8 mm of inner diameter. This will be easy, but rather time consuming. You'll end up with something akin to Roman style Lorica, fully functional. Hardware store washers are also almost always covered with zinc, cadmium or nickel, so they are fully rust-proof.

If you are willing to drop some cash on this project, consider pic related.

>>31646376
AFIK what you are describing is typical of medieval style chain-mail. Having solid, never opened rings weaved in chain greatly increases resistance to being cut and reduces weight (no added material in form of rivets and rivet sockets on ~50% of rings). But I would not recommend trying to manufacture this as a first chain-mail attempt for OP. Having to add non-opened ring complicates things a bit and also makes later adjustments or maintenance harder.

Find out if your local SCA shire/barony has an armor night. They're usually friendly folks

>>31651526
this. SCA tends to attract people with lodsofmone who end up building blacksmith forges

>>31644855

M.A.I.L. is a good place to learn patterns and get inspiration for projects. Start small, with a bracelet or belt, then make a coif, then try a shirt.
http://www.mailleartisans.org/

The Ring Lord is vendor who specializes in supplying mail makers with wire, rings and tools

http://theringlord.com/cart/

if you have more time than money, buy wire and make rings yourself. Your risk of repetitive stress injury will be increased, especially if you do this by hand.

If you have more money than time, buy rings. Pro tier: Buy half open rings, and half solid. With a 4-in-1 weave this will halve your closeres, save time and stress on your wrists.

>>31644855
Steel wire in whatever gauge you want
Threaded rod in whatever diameter you want
Hand drill
Wood block with hole for rod
Wrap wire around rod in threads
Put rod in drill
Run drill and feed wire
Remove "spring" from rod
Clip individual rings
Use rings
Repeat

I use to make chain mail in the SCA.