[Christopher VaughnStrever]

I wish to discuss the ability for a person to reproduce a quality (above the asian quality) of as close to reasonably authentic as a person can affordably make of maile armor of the late 15th century.

Now for a person to have the means to make a furnace and have the appropriate material (bloomery iron) such as Erik Scmidt is capable is beyond the means of many and most of just about any individual.

So now that the highest degree of accuracy is out of the window... What is the next degree to have the appeareance of a high quality?

What I am thinking is that a mild steel. A wire that could be formed into a ring, then overlapped, heated (Or possibly cold) flattened at the point of a making a punch and then hammering the rivet in.

On another note, what sizing of wire would be appropraite for a late 15th century? What size of the ring (Inside Diamater) would be consider'd accurate to that time?

Many of us here make alot of our own things, that is to our capabilities. I do not want to settle for butted maile as I currently wear. I will not purchase the indian made type of riveted maile. Though I am highly interested in taking my hammer to the rings... What are your thoughts and answers to help not only I, though all of us with the ability to have something that is above the rest (Not above the best)

[Gabriele A. Pini]

Making riveted mail it's not so difficult, if one has the patience to prepare the tools, and a lot of time for the work.

I found some useful advices here:
www.currentmiddleages.org/artsci/docs/Champ_Bane_Coif.pdf