We all got started in armor some where… some how. I mean, as we all know; If there is anyone, even that person whom seems oh so serious all the time and we show off our armor to them… their jaws drop and they are like “Are you serious? That is amazing!” A few (In comparison to the masses of people) are into the hobby we each have. Whether we own an entire suit or just a piece of maile armor or even just a basic kit of fashion of the old days… we each have our stories. And here is mine;

I played a Massive Multiplayer Online Game called FFXI (And still do play) Where armor was present and I started to get a feel for that sort of fantasy armor. In late 2005 my gracious mom got me a surprise and bought Renaissance Festival tickets along with the “King’s Feast” I saw people dressed in armor and basic kits of their own. I saw shows that were amusing and fun with much laughter. We ate a feast where the beer never stopped and the meat poured onto our plates. The food had exquisite taste. I bought a fantasy sword from the video game I played. And yes, I even tried on a hauberk of maile. I saw a display and instruction on how swords were used, techniques involved in the correct use of each sword and my interest started from right there and chaged from fantasy to realistic historical armor.

You see, I had a desire to learn the technique’s of the swords of knights. However, I considered being equipped before I went into practice. And remember I am just learning about this great piece historical value at this time. So I looked into chain maile and what the cost would be, I took into account the pricing of making the mail myself. I researched how to construct the mail from the wire. And so in the early part of 2006 I had ordered my materials. I knew I could not construct riveted maile, therefore I wanted an equally strong material, 12 gauge Stainless steel (1/4 hard temper) wire at 3/8 Inner Diameter. The best priced for great strength to resist a sword at what I could construct myself. I hand wound each coil, I hand saw cut each ring and even hand buffed every ring. Everything was done by hand and absolutely no use of any powered mechanical device. At the end of the year in 2006 I had a very short sleeved maile body piece that extended just above my pants line. I swore I was done. I was at about 9,500 rings for the piece.

In the year 2007 I decided to extend the body and the sleeves. I added 2,000 ~ 3,000 rings. Then… In 2008 I decided to construct my padded jack / gambeson. I hand sewed every part of it. Two outer layers of a canvas material and four inner layers of cloth material. I used a quilt stitch style of sewing. The metal rings were tearing through my skin on my shoulders and I needed that padding. When I originally made the mail, I made it to fit “me.” Though I realized terrifying news at the completion of my gambeson… my chain maile did not fit over the gambeson… I had one choice, to deconstruct the chain maile and reconstruct the mail to fit with the gambeson. Well I made the decision and went with it. I adjusted the mail in every way, I had to deconstruct the body, the sleeves, and the worst part the arm pit area of the mail.

Now that the mail fit with the gambeson I felt I could bear more weight. So I started making more rings to lengthen the length of the sleeves to long sleeve, though with the adjustment for the gambeson I had no sleeves, I used those rings to continue the length of the body of the mail. I wanted to make things easier, so I constructed a setup where I could use a mechanical saw cutting wheel to shear through the rings easier, I cut nearly 1,400 rings that way and decided that; that way was not easier for me, I actually prefer to cut the rings by hand without powered tools. So I went back to cutting by hand. I am currently constructing the sleeves.

Along the way I have obtained pauldrons and a gorget from The Mercenarys Tailor and have been more than impressed with the quality of the armor. I currently am awaiting full leg armor on order from Allan at the Merc tailor.

When I have been to festivals with Allans armor people have approached me and recognized Allans’ work and gave very niice comments on not only his armor but on my whole kit that I have been working on for 3 years now. I cannot wait to go to the next festival armed from ankle to neck clad in armor. I love this hobby and a shattering fact is that I still do not own a sword (Other than the 6 foot long great katana fantasy sword I bought) that I carry with my kit (Though I am strongly considering to buy a cheap sword just to carry for looks with the kit. That is till I can afford an Albion)

Well long, but that is my story. Lets hear about your story… shall we?

There are actually already a number of threads on how people started collecting. It would probably be best to add to one of those rather than start a new one. :)

Hey Chad I found another topic to put this in, has alot to do with old grounds of people in faires, and a couple posts of how people got started there, You can delete this entire thread now, I tried but could not seem to be able to delete it