Maille vendor questions

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R.D.Metcalf
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Maille vendor questions

Post by R.D.Metcalf »

Does anyone know of any vendors selling riveted mail kits, ie, rings and wedge rivets? I would like to do a traditional alternating row solid and riveted ring hauberk. I also want if possible to go with the best preferably flattened rings available. Is anyone doing this?

I'm looking at this as a long term "Whenever I feel like it" project. My ideal hauberk would be roughly 40" long with half sleeves and riding slits, probably lined with thin leather.

To day I gave forge welding some rings a shot...frankly its fairly easy but forge welding probably 2000 + rings would get old in a hurry :lol:

Any help would be appreciated.
The frontier moves with the sun and pushes the Red Man of these wilderness forests in front of it... until one day there will be nowhere left. Then our race will be no more, or be not us.

My Sword Is my Troth.

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Eric C
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Eric C »

What about the Ring Lord? I thought I saw some riveted rings there last time I was on the site. I'm pretty sure I also saw solid rings too. Could be wrong though.
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Eledhwen
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Eledhwen »

The only commercially available riveted rings I know of are rounded, not flat, and use tiny rivets. I have loads of them. Schmittenhammer (sp?) Armory has them, or did, and Wholesalearmoury. com as well. They sell them in lots of 10,000 with rivets. 16g steel at 5/16 I.D.

Don't know of anyone selling punched rings, or flattened rings with wedge rivets. I just flattened my own with a flatter and my hammer. You might try asking some of the Roman Reenactor armorers where they get their punched rings and flat rings from.

Siani
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R.D.Metcalf
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by R.D.Metcalf »

Many thanks for the replies.
The frontier moves with the sun and pushes the Red Man of these wilderness forests in front of it... until one day there will be nowhere left. Then our race will be no more, or be not us.

My Sword Is my Troth.

~Iron Wolf Forge~
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mcapanelli
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by mcapanelli »

Eric C wrote:What about the Ring Lord? I thought I saw some riveted rings there last time I was on the site. I'm pretty sure I also saw solid rings too. Could be wrong though.
I was just about to suggest that. They should have it. Even if it's not listed you can drop them an email and I'm sure they could get it.
Winter is coming
R.D.Metcalf
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by R.D.Metcalf »

This is the response I got from the Ringlord, I sent an e-mail to IceFalcon armoury to see if he would sell solid and pre-punched flat rings and rivets....We'll see.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Greetings - we have limited supplies for riveted projects. The only rings we
have are listed here
http://theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplay ... hed%2C+Sol
id+%26+Split+Rings
and here
http://theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplay ... iveting+Ri
ngs
both of these categories likely do not have what you are looking for.
The pic of riveted rings are Indian made ones we stopped carrying. We
stopped because they were low quality alloys of steel.

Bernice Daniels

Discuss chainmail at The Forum

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We have lots of info about products and policies in our Customer Service
area.

http://theringlord.com/StoreHelp.shtml


P

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The frontier moves with the sun and pushes the Red Man of these wilderness forests in front of it... until one day there will be nowhere left. Then our race will be no more, or be not us.

My Sword Is my Troth.

~Iron Wolf Forge~
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Eledhwen
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Eledhwen »

That's why I didn't recommend the Ring Lord.

I'd go with Adrian Wink's Armamentarium, at least to start finding out where to get the rings. He's in the UK and a major Roman Reenactor and seller of required kit.

I don't know anything about Falcon so can't help with that one.

Siani
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R.D.Metcalf
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by R.D.Metcalf »

Siani,

Thank you very much for your help
The frontier moves with the sun and pushes the Red Man of these wilderness forests in front of it... until one day there will be nowhere left. Then our race will be no more, or be not us.

My Sword Is my Troth.

~Iron Wolf Forge~
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Beornmann
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Beornmann »

Historic Enterprise

Or Ice Falcon, (already mentioned)

I'll find more from my spies, oops, uh I mean my friends.
Near is the hour when the Lost should come forth, And the Grey Company ride from the North.
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Beornmann
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Beornmann »

One friend reports:
http://www.theringlord.com. I have never had a problem delaing with them, and have been doing so for a number of years.

Another:
casiberia. I am a wholesaler with these guy. But I have never had any of their maille
Near is the hour when the Lost should come forth, And the Grey Company ride from the North.
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Eledhwen
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Eledhwen »

I deal with the Ring Lord regularly. I have scales from them (outstanding these are!) and have gotten tools from them too. They are an outstanding business and good people. I've recommended them to friends for butted maile often. Even maile kits. Their stuff is outstanding and they work hard to please. No question.

I didn't recommend them here because I already knew about the stamped and riveted rings situation with them.

Ice Falcon's stuff is good quality, he ships very fast. It is on the pricey side, but the quality is as I say, very good. Excellent. I don't know about any maile from him.

Windrose Armoury is another place I have done business with for years. Reliable, good prices, swift shipment. Dunno about maile with them as I never asked; shield blanks, helmets, and sword hardware are what I get from them.

For punched rings and flattened riveted rings one either has to track down the suppliers to the folks who sell the latest and most historically accurate Roman maile or make it oneself, as far as I know. I have yet to run across anyone who sells these items and I have looked on and off for some time. If anyone finds someone who does, let me know!

That is why I settled for round wire ready to rivet rings in bulk; at least I have riveted maile. Smacking the rings on an anvil with a flatter does make them sort of flat, just not like real punched rings. One can look for washers to adapt, I've seen that done. Welding and filing can simulate punched rings..but that's seriously tedious work; we've done a bit of welding on annealed 18 gauge quarter inch ID rings and it works nicely..but it takes a LOT of time.

As I say, if you find someone who sells punched rings and flat wedge rivet ready rings in bulk, let me know!

Siani
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R.D.Metcalf
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by R.D.Metcalf »

The ringlord is a good vendor by all acounts I didnt post the response to belittle them in any way, they just didnt have what I need.

Let me explain myself a bit here. I'm not necescarily shooting for a LOTR impression with my kit, Tolkienesque?...perhaps, but not totally.
I'm basically doing or attempting to do an impression based on my own interpetations of an Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian cheiftains mode of dress and arms, on some levels this can be a bit fanciful on other levels, however, only the best historical interpetation I can possibly come up with will do.

Its very hard to articulate as I would like and honestly its a very personal journey, with its own ends which I will not weary your ears with here. But its part of a story, which in due time I will blog about on shirespace for those interested enough to read.

I thank everyone for their help. The doom lots are cast, fate will go as she shall 8)


Ice Falcon does sell flattened rings and rivets, and this is where I will most likely get them to start my hauberk, Twin roses will making my gambeson. My helm will be made by me. there is much to do but the end is in sight for this stage of the saga.
The frontier moves with the sun and pushes the Red Man of these wilderness forests in front of it... until one day there will be nowhere left. Then our race will be no more, or be not us.

My Sword Is my Troth.

~Iron Wolf Forge~
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Eledhwen
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Re: Maille vendor questions

Post by Eledhwen »

Thanks for the maile info on Ice Falcon! :)

The journey here is everyone's to do as the feel right. One of the nicer things about this place.

I spend time off and on thinking of how a Ranger nosing about in the Haradwaith might look. What if they were in the lands beyond the Sea of Rhun?

Lots of scope for creativity.
Nandalad!
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