Chainmail Tips & Tricks
There are dozen of sites on how to make chainmail, most of which can be accessed through
Sara's link page. Rather than duplicate what
can be found elsewhere I've decided to just include those tricks or lessons I've learned that
will make chainmail construction easier. If you have your own tips or tricks drop me a line
and let me know. I'm always looking for better ways to do things.
- Making Wire - Make a rack to hang the supply spool from. Wind the wire straight from the spool to the take-up
rod. If you just sit a spool on the floor the wire will want to tangle after a while. I don't understand the
physics of it, I just know it's a pain to untangle wire when it kinks.
- Cutting Links - Your best bet is a bolt cutter or a wire cutter. I know many people who have tried
a variety of cutting techniques from dremels to sabre saws. All of these methods burn through blades
at an exhorbitant cost. Please learn from our mistakes.
- Cutting Links - Recruit others to help cut links. I host a weekly A&S workshop at my house. If I leave a spring,
a can of cut links, and pliers on the table somebody will pick it up and start cutting links. The first time
this happened it was by accident. I didn't even ask. Now I keep the table stocked whenever I need more links.
There's something about a mindless repetitive task that people like to do it while they sit and gossip.
- Pliers - The combination that works bext for me is a fine needle nose in one hand and a small regular nose
plier in the other hand. The needle nose is small enough to reach in between links but isn't strong enough
to bend 14 gauge steel. I use it to hold the link while the heavier plier bends it.
- Pliers - Don't grind the teeth on the pliers if you're making armor grade chainmail. One site I read suggested
this. The lady who recommended it was doing costume jewelry with fine wire. Bending galvanize steel without
teeth on the pliers is extremely frustrating and unproductive.
- Sewing - Make rows then sew the rows together. I make the standard 4/1 sets until I run out of closed links.
Then I merge two to make 4 link chains, then again to make 8 link chains, etc. I then sew the rows together
into large blocks. Then I sew the blocks together. Sixteen chains that are sixteen links long makes
a nice size block for me. (Note: I'm making suits of mail, not fine stuff.)
- Sewing - Always keep the pliers in your hands as you work. Even when picking up links or moving chains I keep
hold of the pliers. It may not seem like much to keep putting down and picking up the pliers as you work but
when you consider you could have 20,000 links in a piece all those repetitive motions add up.
- Sewing - Work close to the table. Chain is heavy and will pull in funny ways under it's own weight. Sometimes
I work at a table and other times I keep a cutting board in my lap. Either way I'm always working about 3-4
inches from the supporting surface.
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