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Patrick Kelly
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 Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 11:56 am Post subject: Riveting mail............. |
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While I was away at the Blade Show several packages arrived. One of these was a bag of loose mail rings and rivets from Historic Enterprises.
I ordered these so that I could close up the facial opening in my coif just a bit, as well as replace several rings in my hauberk that lack rivets. (After trying to mess around with using small finishing nails as rivets I gave up and decided it would be easier to just replace the ring altogether, and it is.)
I messed around with this for most of the morning and completed the modifications to the coif. I only have two or three rings to replace on the hauberk so I sould have enough left over for a few small projects in the future.
Historic Enterprises advertises these loose ring packs (manufactured by Get Dressed For Battle) as having the standard dark oil finish. I found the finish on the rings to be niether terribly dark or uniform. In fact quite a few of them were rusty. This was fine for my purposes since a few strokes with a wire brush resulted in a finish that matches the extant garments. A little bit of preservative inside the package might be in order though. I also came across a few rings that weren't completely punched through in the rivet slot, as well as one that wasn't punched at all. Given the cost of the pack this wasn't a major issue for my minor job, but it might become irritating if a person is trying to do a larger job.
The one thing this experience did is give me an appreciation for the craftsman who did this back in the day. I've had experience with making modern butted mail but I've never had the pleasure  of working with those heathenistic little buggers called rivets. The process is quite a different thing altogether.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Aaron Schnatterly
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| Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like it was a blast around the Kelly household. 
I've seen riveting maille done before, and I personally have to draw the line. You're a better man than I!
So, overall, despite the (obvioius) frustration, I trust it worked out ok? Be interested in an updated pic of the coif now that it's "right".
-Aaron Schnatterly
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Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Gary Venable
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Aaron Schnatterly wrote: | Sounds like it was a blast around the Kelly household.
I've seen riveting maille done before, and I personally have to draw the line. You're a better man than I!
So, overall, despite the (obvioius) frustration, I trust it worked out ok? Be interested in an updated pic of the coif now that it's "right". |
It was actually fairly easy once I became familiar with the process. Not that I want to do it to any great degree! It's a lot different than dealing with round rings. Handling those itty bitty bast....., uh, I mean rings, was the most difficult part.
It doesn't look any different than it did in the photos I posted. This is primarily because I had the coif pulled up under the helmet so that the lower edge of the face opening hugged my chin. If I had it centered on my head the bottom edge would have been down around my trachia. Now it's nice and snug.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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I purchased a pair of riveting tongs from Forth Armory a couple of months ago when Stephen had them in stock. I also have a small anvil made from a piece or railroad rail that Allen Senefelder kindly gave me. Having these tools made the actual process fairly simple.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Aaron Schnatterly
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| Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrick Kelly wrote: | | It doesn't look any different than it did in the photos I posted. This is primarily because I had the coif pulled up under the helmet so that the lower edge of the face opening hugged my chin. If I had it centered on my head the bottom edge would have been down around my trachia. Now it's nice and snug. |
The old Medieval "Nip/Tuck"! Love it, man... love it.
Like you, I don't know if I would have the patience to sit and rivet every (or every other) ring for an entire piece. I'm about sick of looking at the little bast.... I mean rings just in butted maille.
It's about time I started doing this stuff like they used to... I need another apprentice.
-Aaron Schnatterly
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Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Cole Sibley
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| Posted: Thu 09 Jun, 2005 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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I know my maille project failed horribly and utterly, simply due the shear monumentalness of the whole thing (or was it shear lazyness on my part? Semantics...). It made shelling out some cash for the 'cheap Indian' stuff a lot easier to bare for my stingy self. R-E-S-P-E-C-T to those people that can do that type of thing, and no more raised eyebrows on seeing the price of truly historic pieces either.
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