'Splinted' Maille and 'Banded' Maille Questions -- myArmoury.com

Ben P.

Is there such a thing? If so how did it perform? How effective was it? What did it look like?

-Thanks

Gary Teuscher · Posted: Fri 30 Jan, 2009 10:22 am Post subject:

To my knowledge, there was not such a thing, at least in europe. Perhaps if wearing a Coat of Plates over it or other similar protection it could be claimed to be splinted or banded.

The only thing I have seen along these line are the mail hauberks reinforced with small plates, and I have seen illustrated in use by Arabic, Steppe Nomad and later Rus peoples.

Hugh Knight · Posted: Fri 30 Jan, 2009 11:59 am Post subject:

No. There is no such thing and never was. These terms were invented by Victorian antiquarians who misunderstood the art they were looking at.

Read the entire first chapter of Blair's European Armor for more if you must.

Dan Howard · Posted: Fri 30 Jan, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject:

This is briefly covered here.
http://www.arador.com/articles/chainmail.html

Nathan has a more detaled article that is awaiting his editing skills before being published on myArmoury.

Gabriele A. Pini · Posted: Fri 30 Jan, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject:

I think that this can explain all to you, even how banded and splinted mail come to be in the modern's immaginarium.

http://www.arador.com/articles/chainmail.html

They are not so impossible, but more "impratical": like a chain mail dragonscale armor, the offer the same (or minus) protection of a regular chain mail, with some troubles beside (I'd like to see how banded mail fair and a sudden downpour....), or added weight, or added work (and cost).