Genuine chainmaille from pop tabs

Constructing a genuine European 4 in 1 chainmaille weave using only pop tabs.

Turns out this is very easy and makes a really great looking piece of maille, and as an added bonus you don't have to worry about having a quarter mile of wire on hand to attach them together.

Step 1 Assemble your supplies

OK, you are going to need lots and lots of pop tabs. Don't give yourself renal failure trying to drink them all yourself. Spread it out or enlist the help of your family, friends, workmates, or maybe even the local recycling center. Here is what you will need:

Cutters
Staple remover
Old key
Non-mangled pop tabs (however many you need, 1000 is a good start)

Comments

[timothymh]

 I really need to make this wider; it keeps folding in on itself as I work. Takes five minutes to straighten out like in the photo below.

[frenzy]

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[jedijaxson]

Just break the rivet collars off by bending them back and forth. Works for me!

[Kianon]

heh, to me it looks like a combination of chainmail and scalemail.

[GDfense26]

are there any other methods that will bend them just as consistantly without using a staple remover?

[NinjaGuy000]

I've been using a normal pair of Needle nose pliers.

[Gelfling6]

It's worth a shot.. When I've been making standard ring maille, I use a pair of 'Duck-Bill' long-reach pliers from Sears.. (Item# 00945087000 | Model# 45087 ).. they have a wider width jaw than needle-nose pliers, about 5/16" width.. they might be about the right width to grab each tab, and use the other (or even a pair of lineman's pliers) to make the bend. I will say, from someone who's made chain maille for close to 28 years, I am impressed by this! Yes, it would take a L-O-N-G time to make an entire suit of these.. the present suit I wear to ren faires, is 14-guage FyShock aluminum electric fence wire. (well past 4000 rings!) it takes lots of patience, and persistence to complete.

[Delo97]

Ok, but it takes FOREVER to put in precisely

[bdunni88]

I use an adjustable wrench, make it just wide enough to slip a tab inand out and duct tape the worm gear at that position.  I got prettygood at it.  If you want to see the finished shirt you can checkout my instructable

[darknessfalls]

same here

[ironsmiter]

I've made a small jg out of a 2x4(2 pieces) and a door hinge.
I line 3 up side-by-side in the groove   I cut.
then pull down on the "handle" and insta-bent tabs.

[hintss]

right angle edge of needle nose pliers

[Coliflower]

Yes. What I do is I hold one end on a table with the palm of my hand, and have the other half off of the table. then, I just push down with my thumb. But, if you do this, cut after bending.

[Neko-Otaku]

wow, I was recently thinking of making something like this, but I guess you beat me to it :)

[Dusk Shadows]

this must have taken ages

[themoose64]

how heavy is it?

[cajundood]

AWESOME AWESOME. I ENJOY GOING TO RENAISSANCE FESTIVALS AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CHAIN MAIL. (oops caps) but the venders usually want a fortune for them. But I do understand the time & effort it takes to create one of these, so i will begin collecting the tabs and hopefully there will be some patterns that i can go by to make my own chainmail. once again....KUDOS to you!!!

[Shadow Ranger]

This is impressive...I would have never thought of using pop tops for chain mail! You must have drank a lot of soft drinks to get all those! :) 

[Grinch227]

I'm going to use this technique to make a hacky sack or footbag, thanks for the idea!

[Zetainex]

Really thank you, I'm building my own armor with your method, when i have it I'm going to try to post a photo of it. Greetings from Spain!

[MusicMaid]

i think im doing this wrong... ive got like a diamond shape but its curving upwards and whatever i do it wont stop curving upwards..

[quixotiCfluX]

It sounds like you might be making the connections from the wrong side of the work. Can you post a pic?

[th30be]

I found that this way of making chain mail is very annoying because it gets tangled so easily but I found a good solution to it. I use duct tape and stick the tabs I am working on and then when I am done remove the tab. This way you don't spend 10 min untangling them.

[th30be]

I mean remove the tape.

[Delo97]

I'm going to use this for airsoft battles

[LuciferJr]

it probably wont work well seeing that there are a lot of holes in it

[Delo97]

Ok, but I think I'll use two sheets for them to have one to cover the other

[ilpug]

Huge amount of work for something that is structurally weak and a tactical nightmare. If you need armor, wear a jacket. If you need more, wear two jackets. If you need still more, then play Nerf instead. This mail is awesome, but it really won't help on the field. Maybe as a little decorative patch on the back of a glove or something, but that is about it.

[Delo97]

Well, I just want something for non-professional, friendly battles. I am currently using cardboard.

[ilpug]

I just use a pair of needle nosed pliers with wire snips in them from my multitool.

Probably not as standardized and accurate as your method, but it works for my needs.

[jgerardy]

i have been working for about a month and i have made a tuxedo from this pop tab chain mail.

[therealgroovemachine]

excellent i'll start creating my "tazer proof shirt" immediately, see you at the protest rally. LOL ;-)

[seabananers]

if i were you i would were a rubber shirt

[king kolton9]

yea rubber because doesn't metal increase the shock (look im 11 i knew it i spaced out a min ago and i forgot (question rubber absorbs? the shock???))

[dczupik]

duh, he was making a joke, lol, oh, and it doesnt increase the the shock, it just lets the electricity travel, since its conductive

[king kolton9]

god ^%$#&* it was conducts

[hintss]

tazers use neadles, it won't work

[singhjr96]

not all tazer some use fish hooks besides if use use this the stop a tazer shock it won't work. aluminum coducts electricity and you just catch on fire or get minor burn wounds, plus the damage will be more widespred so theres a posobility that your heart will stop or u will have some damage to nerves. the nerve part i likely due to surface area of the shock but the heart part  a super small chance

[king kolton9]

the heat part is possible if their pressing the button for like 30 seconds just like frozen (lol imagin if a police officer spaced out tazing you)

[hintss]

they auto stop after 5 seconds, then they have to release the button and push it again