Do Any Other Members Also Do Chainmaille?

[InfiniteChain]

Does anyone else on the forums do chainmaille as well as work leather? I'd love to see your work. Do you incorporate it into your leather? Maille is actually my first hobby over leather. I can't even call myself a leather worker yet as I haven't even made anything.

The main reason I became interested in leather was mostly my girlfriend's and my want for leather products. I'm a handy guy. I figured, "I can make some of that myself!" My secondary reason came from watching the TV show, Vikings. My girlfriend saw the battle armor of the Lagertha character, which includes maille and leather and that was the final push it took.

[unicornleather]

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I dabble now and again but it is so time consuming.

[InfiniteChain]

Wow, cool stuff! It is quite time consuming, which is why I don't do maille as often as I should. That's one of my fears about getting into leather as well. I'd imagine it's just as time consuming, if not more. Plus there's that whole learning curve thing, whereas I can just pick up and go on a maille project.

[unicornleather]

Butted mail if far easier and quicker than riveted mail.

Many years ago I contacted the Head Armourer at the Tower of London and he sent me detailed patterns on how to make it.

I had to sign a copyright contract before he let me have the patterns, these patterns were of some of the mail at the Tower.

Absolutely fascinating subject. My next project IF I can ever find the time is to make a leather waistcoat with mail down the sides.

Edited December 17, 2014 by unicornleather

[Airth]

It's been a *very* long time but I've dabbled in maille, mostly the European 4-in-1 pattern. The only thing I have left is the original coif I made for my sugar-loaf great helm. I had begun crafting the tools to get into riveted maille but saw something shiny and my interests went elsewhere. With riveted maille you can get away with a much smaller diameter wire and make your wedge rivets out of the same wire, so the end product is less than half the weight but at least twice as strong. With the proper tools, it's just as fast as linking butted maille---which is to say still extremely time-consuming.

[InfiniteChain]

It's been a *very* long time but I've dabbled in maille, mostly the European 4-in-1 pattern. The only thing I have left is the original coif I made for my sugar-loaf great helm. I had begun crafting the tools to get into riveted maille but saw something shiny and my interests went elsewhere. With riveted maille you can get away with a much smaller diameter wire and make your wedge rivets out of the same wire, so the end product is less than half the weight but at least twice as strong. With the proper tools, it's just as fast as linking butted maille---which is to say still extremely time-consuming.

I'd love to see a photo of the coif if you have one.

[biglew]

i can't afford to buy the chainmaille wallet chains for the ones I sell.. so I had to learn to do them myself... usually half or full persian

[JLeigh]

I don't maille, but my husband does. He has done a decorative gauntlet in scale and several guitar straps in various weaves that he backed with leather. One of my reasons for wanting to learn leather work is so we can collaborate on projects and to help up the quality of his end product. You can see images of his work on Facebook at Uncaged Maille (sorry, not sure how to easily paste the URL on my phone!).

[InfiniteChain]

i can't afford to buy the chainmaille wallet chains for the ones I sell.. so I had to learn to do them myself... usually half or full persian

Makes sense. Plus it makes your wallets that much more hand/custom made!

[InfiniteChain]

I don't maille, but my husband does. He has done a decorative gauntlet in scale and several guitar straps in various weaves that he backed with leather. One of my reasons for wanting to learn leather work is so we can collaborate on projects and to help up the quality of his end product. You can see images of his work on Facebook at Uncaged Maille (sorry, not sure how to easily paste the URL on my phone!).

I checked out his page. Very cool stuff! I really need to start implementing more color in my work. The few photos of the collaborative guitar strap look awesome! I play guitar too. I'd love to make something like that for myself.

[Windrider30]

I do a LOT of chainmail mostly bracelets necklaces and what not. Starting to get into the leather not only to start backing some of these items but also to add to the value

www.etsy.com/au/shop/GibbinTheGremlin

That be the store just to see some of the stuff I have done mostly in chainmail. Binding chainmail and leather together can be a real pain in the ass depending on the weave style 4 and 1 sits rather nicely persion or half person can be a pain in the ass that is why mostly you will see it as say a biker chain with little or no leather attached to it.