Ye Olde Chain Maille Rings

Step 4 Usage

Having described the construction of the chainmaille winder, I will now describe how to use this tool and stand to create perfect coils of wire.

A quick note: These pictures were taken a few years after I stopped doing chainmaille very much, so my 3/8" winding rod had gone missing. I substituted with a smaller winding rod. Also, I couldn't find all of my washers, so I only have one washer in the pictures. Normally, you'll want to have a few more washers than pictured, although a single washer will work. Also, I couldn't find the brass winding tool anymore. The next few steps will describe how to wind wire coils without the winding tool.

First, start out by cutting a length of wire from the spool. Try to straighten the wire, as it will be all coiled up from the spool.

You can see in the pictures that I am wearing heavy leather work gloves. This is a really good idea, as fast-moving wire can cut your fingers, and the sharp ends of the cut wire will cut your skin if it rubs you the wrong way.

Feed the wire through the little hole, and leave some wire hanging out the other side, at least 1/2" worth. In this picture, I've left about 2" hanging out, but you don't need to leave quite that much.

Comments

[aelwero]

That brass winding tool is absolute Genius! I'm goin to the store today ;) I usually feed and crank by hand because i've been working 8GA steel tension wire lately (which a friend of mine is convinced would stop a bullet, but is VERY heavy. My wife had me knit her a purse and it ended up weighing about 15 pounds...) coil by hand and straight cut with an angle grinder. heavy duty stuff but it's really hard on your hands.

[Roflolommo]

thats rediculous man i use 14 gauge galvy i cant imagine using 8 gauge

[bluerose]

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but no matter how strong you chainmail is IT WILL NOT STOP A BULLET !

[R1Ch0]

yeah but it looks cooler than a bullet proof vest.

[thepelton]

Bullets were the main reason that men first went from chainmail to platemail, then went to hiding behind rocks and trees until the gunfire stopped before proceeding on. It also will not stop a long thin stabbing instrument like a stilletto or an icepick. R1Ch0 has a point, however. Bullet proof vests make you look like a guy being dragged to court for murder these days.

[thoraxe]

this chainmail would also not stop a powerful arrow of sword stab, the rings would just open up. that's why riveted chain mail was invented

[thepelton]

Nor can they stop a stilleto. They work the best against slashing attacks or axes.

[Jim C Diver]

Butted mail was virtually non-existent in Europe precisely because it was almost useless as armor. It wonl't even stop a decent hacking cut or a good draw cut with a sharp sword. Mail was ether round, wdge riveted or welded iron (not steel). It was highly effective with proper padding under it against stabs and arrows simply because the rings just didn't open up. You had to break the rings to get though the stuff. There are dozens of historical references of this as well as a number of modern tests. Riveted mail wasn't impervious but it damn good, evidenced by its span of life on the field of war. Transitional plate armours started to showed up almost exactly as more industrialization happened with water powered trip hammers (12th century) and steal plate becoming readily available and cheaper. Coincide this with a plague (14th century) whipping out most of your cheap labor. Suddenly plate was available in quantity and cheaper to make than mail. Guns actually made plate armour more valuable with some examples of thick steal chest plates being used into WW1. Even today a modern combat armour has steel and ceramic plates in it.

[geodez]

actually, maces were invented to crush chainmaille, swords were ineffectve against modern day chainmaille.

[red-king]

 how would you know? did anyone try it? i think we should test it on you for using caps in inappropriate places. =P

[Oorspronklikheid]

so you are saying that not even two layers of maille made by 2 cm thick iron rings will stop bullets , there is absolutely no limit to how thick the material can be of which the ring are made. yeah i know most chain mailes will not stop a bullet bue that does not in any way mean that one person with access to the right tools can't make bullet proof maille

[bluestone52]

i decided to try this: very tightly woven 12 gauge will easily stop a small caliber bullet

[brandon borick]

ill get my .22 s&w and we can try it out you where it LOL