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Mikael Ranelius
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 Posted: Sat 07 Jul, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject: How to avoid "tear" in maille armpit? |
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A problem I've had with my maille shirts - even my new riveted haubergeon - is that one or two rings tend to snap loose in the armpit where the sleeves join the body. Is this unavoidable or could it be fixed?
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Sat 07 Jul, 2007 11:56 pm Post subject: Re: How to avoid "tear" in maille armpit? |
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| Mikael Ranelius wrote: | | A problem I've had with my maille shirts - even my new riveted haubergeon - is that one or two rings tend to snap loose in the armpit where the sleeves join the body. Is this unavoidable or could it be fixed? |
I did have one ring " pop " exactly the same way with my hauberk, only one though when I reached up over my head .
It is as if the whole weight of the hauberk gets concentrated on that one ring !
Probably the solution is some " tailoring " where there is some extra material under the arm so that raising the arm doesn't pull on all the maille underneath. With factory made maille I wouldn't expect these important design subtleties to have been taken into consideration.
A tight belt at the waist and " blousing " the maille above the belt can take some of this dragging down weight off the armpit rivets. ( not a perfect solution )
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Nathan Keysor
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| Posted: Sun 08 Jul, 2007 5:24 am Post subject: |
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This probably won't help you too much on a the shirt you have since it is rivetted, but the easiest way to build in some flexibility is to add in gussets (especially with a long sleeved shirt). These are triangular or diamond shaped sections of mail that can be used to add room/countour the mail to fit. Basically, you split open what would otherwise be a straight tube and add the gusset in. This does change the lay of the rings a bit but is not really that noticeable when you are wearing the mail. I don't usually bother to make mail since it's available so cheaply from India, but when I did I would use gussets at the armits, elbows, etc.
Hope that helped,
Nathan
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
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Mikael Ranelius
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| Posted: Sun 08 Jul, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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Okey, thanks. I guess it would be pretty difficult to go in and try tailoring the armpits, although gussets would have been ideal. Perhaps one should expect to regularly repair the armpits of a maille shirt?
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Lafayette C Curtis
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| Posted: Sun 08 Jul, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject: |
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Well, just as an aside, I don't think it would be ahistorical to do repairs/customizations like this--I have no trouble imagining a man-at-arms busting his hauberk's armpit the first time he wore it and then bringing it to his lord's armorer to get a better fit.
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Nathan Keysor
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| Posted: Mon 09 Jul, 2007 8:04 am Post subject: |
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I agree. If it is possible to acquire some loose links from whoever you bought it from you could add in gussets. Of course this is a lot easier to do on a butted shirt 
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
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Mikael Ranelius
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| Posted: Mon 09 Jul, 2007 8:46 am Post subject: |
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Well I guess it won't be too difficult. After all, I've made two maille shirts myself + two hoods. How large should the gussets be?
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James Barker
Location: Ashburn VA Joined: 20 Apr 2005
Posts: 365
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| Posted: Mon 09 Jul, 2007 10:25 am Post subject: |
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Extant maille shirts have gussets in them and are tailored for the wearer; I too have had this problem and need to add a gusset; it is on my project list. I think Van Sussen sells loose rings for his shirts; I have a GDFB shirt and I have loose rings for it because I did tailoring to it when I bought it.
James Barker
Historic Life http://www.historiclife.com/index.html
Archer in La Belle Compagnie http://www.labelle.org/
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Nathan Keysor
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| Posted: Mon 09 Jul, 2007 11:27 am Post subject: |
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Depending on how big you are I would say at least 4 inches. On my long sleeved shirt I have them on the points of the elbows as well.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
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This is a standard topic