'Flat-ring riveted' seems like its usually looked upon as "most accurate" for medieval times, and that might be so, but to me it seems like most peices of old maille-findings LOOK like 'riveted round section'. Where most rings welded back in the day? Maby its just me but i have never seen any peice of authentic maille that looks like a flat ring. So what is most accurate; the rings in the way they where constructed or the rings in the way they looked?

I actually dont know nearly as much about maille as i would like to - so any edjucated theories are welcome..

Authentic maile is one of those things that doesn't lend itself to the modern ways of manufacture. Back in the day materials were expensive and time was reletively cheap. Today the materials can be somewhat cheap but the time expensive. I know of only one person who can make really authentic maile using a process close to what was used in period- matching internal ring diameter, rivet shape, and the multitude of other facets that make up a quality hauberk. I think he even smelts his own iron. Unfortunately going this route will cost thousands of dollars. I don't anticipate ever having the kind of money to invest in this work no matter the quality. I would love to see a garment in person though.

I do believe that many period mail garments during my period of interest 1050-1300 did have round ring section but I am not %100 sure. I for one have decided to forego purchasing maile as I do not beleve that garments can be made at this time that match closely enough to period specifications. This is just my opinion. I hear that Forth Armory makes good maile. I for one would like to see Steve offer 8mm or smaller ID and alternating rows of solid and riveted links.

Jeremy

depends on the time and place

early celt thru some dark age can be seen as alt row round rivetted ringed and solid ringed.

some dark age thru late medieval can be seen as all flat rivetted or alt row solid and riveted.

talk to Eric about mail, he's the top of the food chain on that subject. (HA food chain, i made a funny)


problems with modern reproductions is that most of it is wrong. whether its the ring size/ dia or the rivet type, head shape, dimple, wegde etc. the more i look at modern repros the more i see the difference between the different makers: forth, GDFB, indian knockoffs, home made, etc. they all look "right" but compaired to originals, there each off in there own way.

many reenactment groups have noticed this as well. a lot really dont get into those nitpicking details as long as its riveted and if its round or flat ringed for their time period.

also, most round mail is rusted together and usually out of shape in period finds. this lends writters to think that its flat with rust build up, or pulled out of shape etc. so its hard to say 100% is it round or flat, is it rust, grim or really made that way? as to teh welded mail, i believe it is iron that was punched from a sheet rather than welded together

With all this uncertainty flying around my original viewpoint kinda feels right - to look at period maille and then just order what looks most like it.
And i guess we can say maille is the thing that we have gotten the shortest in the reproduction-progress.

Erik D Schmid is the only commercial producer of mail I know who is capable of producing mail that closely resembles original samples. He does this by using period tools and techniques - which are different for each type of mail. Modern prcoesses cannot replicate historical mail. Generalisations are pretty useless since mail varies too much. If you want "authentic" mail the first step is to decide which extant sample you want to replicate and then find someone who is capable of making it or spend years of trial and error till you are able to make it yourself..

I've seen mail in museum that is definitely flat in cross-section, and riveted. In some eras/locales, round was more common.