Title: merch-chainml-msg
Subject: Chainmail merchants and suppliers.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: medieval, SCA, mail, chainmail, supplies, merch, sale, wire wire

merch-chainml-msg – 4/29/06

Sources for chainmail supplies and tools. Chainmail merchants.

NOTE: See also the files: chainmail-msg, chainmail-beg-art. chnmail-clean-msg, metals-msg, coat-of-plates-msg, Metal-sources-msg, metalworking-FAQ, metalworking-msg.

************************************************************************
NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************

From: JRECHTSCHAFF at hamp.hampshire.EDU
Date: 13 Nov 91 22:48:00 GMT
Organization: The Internet

Greetings unto the Rialto from Lyanna ferch Gwynhelek,
   The following is a response from Lord Pierre D'Ussf to the question of
making mail which was discussed a long while ago.

   I am not aware of any chain mail kits.  I do, however sell 1/4" id
16 gauge jump, square cut rings for SCA style mail.  5000 rings at
$47.50 +UPS.  I have these these custom made and believe this is the lowest
cost available - less than 1cent per ring.  It takes about 10,000 rings for
a shirt and 20,000 for a quarter sleeve knee length hauberk.  I made a full
hauberk out of 1/2" split keyrings.  It took 18 part time months.  I can
get these for you at cost plus postage and handling if you tell me what 
diameter and gauge you want.  I am making a full suit (coif, hauberk, mitts,
and legs) of 1/4" split rings now - I expect it to take 3-5 years to complete.
Incidently, split rings are authentic (period) in Japan.  They also do not
seperate in SCA combat the way jump rings do.  I provide sizing, fit and
knitting directions.  There is a split ring knitting machine but it isn't
robust enough for mail for the SCA and costs $13,000, the product of a 
commerical mail maker in massachusetts are butt soldiered fashion and 
butcher oriented, very frail and very expensive.

                               -Pierre D'Ussf, Artificer
                                aka Peter Maleady
                                (413)549-0786

Aluminum chainmail/wire
Date: 17 Jun 92 
From: icsu0139 at cs.montana.edu (Charles)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Organization: Montana State University, Dept. of Computer Science, Bozeman MT 59717

Greetings from Konall.
   While a personal E-mail reply would have been appropriate, I figure there may
be some interest in this among other readers.

lapham1255 at iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
>I've seen some chainmail shirts, etc. made out of aluminum wire. I am a
>chainmail enthusiast and was wondering how and/or where people get the aluminum
>wire. I know it will cost, but I am willing to pay.

Try your local recycler.  I've gotten a couple of different types of aluminum
wire as salvage.  One batch was an aluminum guy-wire for some type of radio
tower that had been sold as scrap, and the other batch was a bunch of 5 ft
pieces of some kind of communication cable with around 50 strands of 10 ga
aluminum wire in each cable.  In each case, the recycler was happy to sell
the stuff to me for more than he had paid for it (and more than he would
have gotten for it had he shipped it off to the foundry/factory where he
sells his stuff).  Happy hunting.

--Konall
_===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-
| Konall Rogersson         |  Help stamp out    | icsu0139 at cs.montana.edu   |
| Atenveldt >> Artemisa >> |     UNIX in        |    or on BITNET try       |
| Silverkeep >> 12th Ave.  |      our lifetime! | omacb%msu.dnet at mtsunix1   |
^===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-===-

From: rogueking2 at aol.com (RogueKing2)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: ready made rings for chainmail
Date: 4 Jun 1995 12:06:42 -0400

To all those who are interested in ready made chain mail rings.

You should go to your local reference library and ask to look at their
copy of "Thomas' Registry of Business" which is basicly a listing of every
manufacturing / supplies company in the USA ( by the by this is an
outstanding way to find anything - spread the word- and if anyone finds it
online let me know!!! ). Under the heading of CHAIN-RING!!! look for a
company in your area (most tele. # are listed) and describe the type of
ring you need. In my case, I found a company in my town, made a phone call
, met the salesman and look over his samples. (This company- like many in
the Thomas' list- supplies chain used in dog leashes, rings in jewelry
supply etc... So your best bet is to bring some hand made samples with
you) and two days latter had 20k rings. I ended up buying over 350K rings
of various materials and sizes.

I still have a number of nickel silver and brass rings, if you would like
samples, please email me with your snail mail address.

If you still have trouble locating a source of supply contact me and I
help you out. In addition as I have received several responses concerning
ready made rings, if a group of you went in together on a order you could
probably save significally.

Item : now that I think about it- Rings made from Spring Steel would make
incredible armour!!! but would probably be a knightmare :) to work with (
may require torch work)

RogueKing2 at aol.com

From: piper at fur.ermine.com (John Mackinnon)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Chain Mail maker...
Date: 6 Aug 1995 14:20:22 -0400
Organization: The Rubicon Organization

  **** Chain Mail armourer *****

  If you are considering any piece, or an entire suit, of chain mail then 
please drop me a line. I make chain mail on commission.

  For example, a shirt covering shoulder to below the groin with mid 
bicep sleeves: $450 CDN funds.

  Yes, that's CANADIAN funds so perhaps y'all south of the 49th might see 
the advantage in that.

  A full suit, w/ camail or coif, full sleeves w/ "mittens" and chausses 
(leggings) from mid hip to toe (both legs, eh?) will be about $1200 CDN, 
shipping included. 

  Wassail!!!
  Reply to:   piper at fur.ermine.com

From: lolitates at aol.com (Lolita TES)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Need to buy chainmail rings
Date: 13 Sep 1996 15:52:17 -0400

eddval at scioto.NET (Ed Vallette) writes:
>My husband was working on his first chainmail project, (a large one of
>course) and ended up do to other reasons with carpel tunnel. He is no
>longer aloud to cut rings. His occupational therapist has watched him
>weave mail and thinks this might be O.K. But he cannot any longer make
>the rings. Can anybody sell him pre-cut rings. E-Mail me and I can tell
>you what size he is trying to match. Thanks!  The Lady of Eddval
>Wolftamer.

I bought beautiful chainmail at Pennsic from Strangeblades & More.  They
also sell pre-cut rings for chainmail in several different metals.  You
can reach them at  sblades at aol.com  or  http://altsex.com/sblades

Lolita

From: "Robert L Turner" <powrpak at magi.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca,alt.sex.bondage
Subject: Re: Chain Mail still wanted. ---- (this is a must read)
Date: 2 Jan 1997 22:59:19 GMT

if you want chainmail the contact Bill Fedun at "South Tower Armouring
Guild" .... he makes top quality chainmail for about $50/foot ... he can
custom design whatever you need and have it made in a jiffy. Also, he is in
Ottawa and can either send it to you real quick or maybe even bring it to
you himself.

Check out his website at :       Http://infoweb.magi.com/~powrpak/STAG
or E-mail him at cr751 at freenet.carleton.ca

tell him Rob Turner sent you (I'm his website designer)

From: bl252 at FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Aaron Wilcox)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Need chainmail material!
Date: 5 Jan 1997 00:23:30 GMT
Organization: The National Capital FreeNet

Alice Russell (arussell at marlin.utmb.edu) writes:
> I have a coif 90% finished and have run out of wire... If anyone knows 
> where I can find 14 AWG stainless steel wire, please let me know... The 
> manufacturer I have been getting the stuff from no longer makes it, and I 
> can't find it anywhere. If anyone knows of any suppliers, please email me 
> with their phone number or some info. Or if you know of a newsgroup where 
> I might be able to pick this stuff up, let me know.

Our local (Ottawa, Canada) supplier of armour, chainmail and other goodies is
Bill Fedun of the South Tower Armouring Guild.  His phone number is (613)
821-1846 and his email address is cr751 at freenet.carleton.ca  He sells 14
guage opened 3/8" galvanized steel rings at CAN$7.50/lb.  He might be able to
get you some in stainless steel.

> Thanks, > \/\/ill R. > 
> *-------------------------------------------------------------------*  (    )
> | Will Russell      (ARussell at Marlin.UTMB.edu)                      |  |\^^/| 
> |                   (WRR7252 at Arctic.TAMUG.TAMU.edu)                 |  (O::O)
> |                 (WRussell at Spot.UCCS.edu)                        |   \\//
> |                 (WRussell at SBI.UTMB.edu)                         |   (oo)
> *-------------------------------------------------------------------* 
-----------Aaron Wilcox------------------------------------------

From: Anthony Joong <dna69 at total.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Chain maile

ecy at ipa.net wrote: 
> Wanting information on chain maile so i can make my homepage better.
> http://members.tripod.com/~kmig
> I make chain maile.  I would like any information on patterns, locations
> and history.

My name is anthony and my company is DnA 69 and we specialize in making
chainmail. We work primarily with lightweight anodized aluminum. (the
best material for chainmail :) ). If you want to know something just
drop me a line at dna69 at total.net or by phone/fax at (514)866-6969.
regards, Anthony

From: sableslug at adstone.com (Justinian the Sluggard)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca,alt.sex.bondage
Subject: Re: Chain Mail still wanted.
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 23:27:46 GMT

On 29 Dec 1996 14:38:48 -0500, thrash at interlog.com (Derek Mcdonald)
wrote:

>I'm still on the look-out for chain mail clothing. I've have gotten 
>several replies (if you were one and we lost contact..I'm still open for 
>suggestions so write back), but so far not much has come of them. I'm 
>still interested and I'll make one last stab at this in the discussion 
>bases where I (for some reason) got much response.
> 
>So write back if you are interested in making/selling some and I'll get 
>into more detail there. Please reply in E-mail to save me time of looking 
>for the messages.
> 
>I'm giving preference to those in or near the Toronto area (because 
>that's where I live) but anyone can apply if your price is good enough 
>I'll listen.

Try looking at the Stranges Blades Catalog at 
http://www.altsex.com/SBlades
Realy great Chain Mail and in colors too!

Justinian The Sluggard
sableslug at adstone.com

From:           	"Steven E. Sheldon" <stevensheldon at mindspring.com>
To:             	<TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu>
Subject:        	[TY] chainmail links
Date sent:      	Mon, 22 Nov 1999 18:11:09 -0500

From: mcnutt at pobox.com [mailto:mcnutt at pobox.com]On Behalf Of Hamish TMD
> Does anyone have a good source for fairly good, but cheap ready cut
> chainmail links?
>   Im just starting to play with chainmail, and running out of what I got
> from a renfair, and I dont really want to try making and cutting my own
> right now. Im lazy, ok? *s*  So I just want to buy a bunch of links, so I
> can continue just playing, until I know what it is Im making...

>   Hamish TMD

Lord Charles of DeCordene WireWorks can be reached at dccharles at hotmail.com.
He sells pre-cut rings of many different materials and sizes.  He even
offers rings pre-overlapped for use with riveted mail.  He pitches that he
has the lowest prices on pre-cut rings around.  I am not affiliated with
DeCordene WireWorks, nor have I purchased from them.  However, I did
evaluate his pre-overlapped rings for suitability to riveted mail (they were
fine).  He has a website, which you can access here:

http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/dcwireworks/index.html

There are numerous other providers of pre-cut rings available on the 'net.
I would recommend a visit to the "links" section of the Armour Archive
(http://www.armourarchive.com) or the Arador Armour Library
(http://www.arador.com/).

Stephen of Forth Castle

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:06:23 -0500
From: Bryan S McDaniel <kestrel at hawk.org>
Subject: (Fwd) [TY] chainmail links
To: Shane B - CyberGaddabout <shaneb at ij.net>, rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>

Yet more links.

Kestrel of Wales

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	"Steven E. Sheldon" <stevensheldon at mindspring.com>
To:             	<TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu>
Subject:        	[TY] chainmail links
Date sent:      	Mon, 22 Nov 1999 18:11:09 -0500

Lord Charles of DeCordene WireWorks can be reached at dccharles at hotmail.com.
He sells pre-cut rings of many different materials and sizes.  He even
offers rings pre-overlapped for use with riveted mail.  He pitches that he
has the lowest prices on pre-cut rings around.  I am not affiliated with
DeCordene WireWorks, nor have I purchased from them.  However, I did
evaluate his pre-overlapped rings for suitability to riveted mail (they were
fine).  He has a website, which you can access here:

http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/dcwireworks/index.html

There are numerous other providers of pre-cut rings available on the 'net.
I would recommend a visit to the "links" section of the Armour Archive
(http://www.armourarchive.com) or the Arador Armour Library
(http://www.arador.com/).

Stephen of Forth Castle

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mcnutt at pobox.com [mailto:mcnutt at pobox.com]On Behalf Of Hamish TMD
> Sent: Monday, November 22, 1999 12:19 AM
> To: TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu
> Subject: [TY] chainmail links
>
> Does anyone have a good source for fairly good, but cheap ready cut
> chainmail links?
>   Im just starting to play with chainmail, and running out of what I got
> from a renfair, and I dont really want to try making and cutting my own
> right now. Im lazy, ok? *s*  So I just want to buy a bunch of links, so I
> can continue just playing, until I know what it is Im making...
>   Thanks
>   Hamish TMD
------- End of forwarded message -------

Bryan S. McDaniel      SCA aka Kestrel of Wales

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:06:23 -0500
From: Bryan S McDaniel <kestrel at hawk.org>
Subject: (Fwd) [TY] chainmail links
To: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>, Shane B - CyberGaddabout <shaneb at ij.net>

More links.

Kestrel

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	"Jasper Murtagh" <jasperrdm at hotmail.com>
To:             	<TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu>
Subject:        	[TY] chainmail links
Date sent:      	Mon, 22 Nov 1999 13:38:36 GMT

Check out Sara's chainmail links.
http://www.chainmailconnection.com/index.html
She has links to merchants which sell links.

I have plans for a hand crank and stuff if you want them.
It is cheaper to make them. Especially if you have a HQ in your area.
They going out of business and prices are cut.

jasper
------- End of forwarded message -------

Bryan S. McDaniel      SCA aka Kestrel of Wales

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 18:06:22 -0500
From: Bryan S McDaniel <kestrel at hawk.org>
Subject: (Fwd) [TY] chainmail links
To: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>

Here's some more addresses to add to your collection.

Kestrel of Wales

------- Forwarded message follows -------
>From:           	"Steven E. Sheldon" <stevensheldon at mindspring.com>
To:             	<TY at reashelm.ce.utk.edu>
Subject:        	[TY] chainmail links
Date sent:      	Wed, 24 Nov 1999 17:32:53 -0500

I would highly recommend Sara Trice's Chainmail Connection.  It is simply
*the* mail resource on the web:

http://www.chainmailconnection.com/

You might also consider buying your links from a spring manufacturer.  Once
you start ordering in quantities of around 50,000 or so, you can get the
price down to around $.01 a ring - preoverlapped for riveted mail.  I bought
my pre-overlapped rings from Newcomb Spring (they have locations all over,
including one here in Atlanta).  You can find them on the web at:

http://www.kando.com/

Stephen of Forth Castle

From: Mark Sebree <sebree at fortwayne.infi.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: newcomer seeks site on making mail
Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2000 10:10:18 -0500
Organization: Raytheon Company

Adam Dobrinin wrote:
> I know it's probably easy to make chain mail. but I haven't been able to
> find any web sites to show me how. I would like illustrations to see how
> it's done.

An excellent site that I have found with illustrated, step-by-step
instruction on making and assembling maille is ChainFire. 
http://members.aol.com/K17Qdna/index.htm 

Another good site which sells chain links by the pound (weight) and also
has descriptions of some of the metals used is Vistar's Custom Maille. 
http://www.concentric.net/~vistar/maille.html

If you go to a decent search engine and do a search on "chainmail" or
"maille", you should get several potentially useful sites.

Antonio Tagliaferro

From: Mary Shafer <shafer at orville.dfrc.nasa.gov>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: cutting links?
Date: 27 Oct 2000 15:12:35 -0700
Organization: NASA Dryden

"Ashland Henderson" <maceanruig at earthlink.net> writes:
> I once say a jig made for just such a purpose. It was basically wood
> with a drill hole slightly larger than the diameter of the coil and
> a slit where the blade would cut. You put the coil in the hole,
> clamped the whole thing in a vice, and ran a power saw with a
> hacksaw blade down it, shook out the rings, and did it again.

You can buy modern versions of this from Rio Grande and Metalliferous
for use with a Dremel or Foredom tool with a cut-off disk.  Jewelers
use them to make jump rings and the mandrels that the wire is wrapped
around come in either oval or round cross-sections, in a variety of
sizes. 
-- 
Mary Shafer

From: ironband at home.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: cutting links?
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 16:28:07 GMT

Dremels (and other multitools) work ok and do give a nice cut, but there
are two problems:

1.  The kerf which is taken out (0.020" for light wheels, more for heavy
ones) can distort smaller rings

2.  The cutoff wheels are pretty brittle, and only last 50 links or so,
more or less depending on how steady a cut is made.

As for myself, I use a jeweler's slotting saw mounted in a rig I had
custom built.  The blade is 0.010" thick and very similar to the blades
used in jump ringers (sold by Rio Grande and require a flex shaft).  As
a side note, jump ringers are great for non-ferrous materials (brass,
copper, sterling silver, etc.) but run too fast for steel.  I then use a
vibratory tumbler with steel shot to remove any burrs. Followed by
another cycle in the tumbler with crushed walnut to clean the links.

Unfortunately, such a setup is a *bit* expensive.  I recommend a good
pair of hand cutters (aviation shears, erdi snips, felco c-7 cable
cutters, etc.) for the cleanest cut possible without using the saw.

!!!SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!!!
Of course, I do sell my saw-cut links for anyone who is interested...
!!!End Shameless Plug!!!

Andre "Ironband" Miron
Miron's Mail Manufactory
http://members.home.net/ironband
Saw-cut loose links as well as chainmail armor, jewelry, and
accessories.

From: Robert Crawford <robertc at snowcrest.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Chain maille supplies
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000 22:20:54 -0800

Oskaar wrote: 
> Ok I need some rings for making chain mail. I can't seem to find cheap rings
> that have butted ends that I can buy in bulk. This is really frusterating
> for me. HELP!

http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/dcwireworks/
http://www.utopiafleet.com/armoury/

From: "Aric" <spam at i-55.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Chain maille supplies
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000 13:14:57 -0600
Organization: Verio

> Ok I need some rings for making chain mail. I can't seem to find cheap rings
> that have butted ends that I can buy in bulk. This is really frusterating
> for me. HELP!

I haven't dealt with this individual, but here you go...
http://www.theringlord.com/index.shtml

Aric <John Bernard>

From: "Ian Rogers" <irogers at maknet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Chain maille supplies
Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000 02:35:09 GMT
Organization: Sympatico

> I haven't dealt with this individual, but here you go...
> http://www.theringlord.com/index.shtml
>
> Aric <John Bernard>

I just got 10 lbs of 14 gauge galvanized steel rings from Jon, and they're
decent quality, I can't say more than that, as I've never ordered from
anyone else to compare them to. Jon cuts the rings with a kind of bolt
cutter that leaves a pretty small 'v' botch most of the time.

I'm working on a coif right now, and I've found no problems with them.

~    Ian

From: ironband at home.com
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Chain maille supplies
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 14:49:27 GMT

I sell saw-cut rings for making chainmail (or maille, or chainmaille, or
chain mail, or whatever you want to call it :)) on my site in galvanized
steel, black steel, copper, and brass.  Check it out at:
http://members.home.net/ironband

I also have a ring comparison page which shows close ups of rings cut
with different tools at http://members.home.net/ironband/ringcomp.html

I hope I can be of help to you!

Andre "Ironband" Miron
Miron's Mail Manufactory
Saw-cut chainmail armor, jewelry, accessories, and loose links!
http://members.home.net/ironband

From: "Suzanne C. Berry" <webmaster at sussen.com>
Date: October 4, 2005 4:16:28 PM CDT
To: stefan at florilegium.org
Subject: Request for inclusion as an armour supplier

I've been a thankful reader of the Florilegium for many years, and am still amazed and impressed by your work.

Now, I've a request to be added to your list of armourers.  Here's the basic info:

Von Sussen Enterprises designs, produces, and sells chain maille armour, plate armour, and sport equipment, comprising a wide variety of great sport and re-enacting products.  VSE offers a range of useful arms, armor, and accoutrements at great prices.

The website is:
<http://sussen.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html>http://sussen.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html 

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with me or with Karl.

Thanks very much,
Aislinn
(of House Silverwood and of Clann O'Choda)
aka Suzanne Berry 

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	merch-chainml--msg	Page  of