Quick author's question
How long would it take for an armourer to "take in" a well-made mail shirt, making it smaller? Rivets or welded mail. Say from man-sized to muscular, tall woman-size? Or would you bother? Would the new owner just gather it up under a belt?

Thank you!
Have you ever worn a mail shirt? It is ideal if it is tailored for you, but the weave streches and is shorter or becomes tighter and longer on a thinner body. No real need to "take in" unless the difference between two persons is just too big...
Luka Borscak wrote:
Have you ever worn a mail shirt? It is ideal if it is tailored for you, but the weave streches and is shorter or becomes tighter and longer on a thinner body. No real need to "take in" unless the difference between two persons is just too big...


Luka- I've held one, but it was one of my students', and I couldn't fit my fat self into it with a block and tackle.

Thank you for your response though. That's exactly what I needed to know!
R Ashby wrote:
Luka Borscak wrote:
Have you ever worn a mail shirt? It is ideal if it is tailored for you, but the weave streches and is shorter or becomes tighter and longer on a thinner body. No real need to "take in" unless the difference between two persons is just too big...


Luka- I've held one, but it was one of my students', and I couldn't fit my fat self into it with a block and tackle.

Thank you for your response though. That's exactly what I needed to know!


No problem. Actually, the part that needs most tailoring is the arm. Nothing worse than loose mail sleeve flopping around...
It should be noted that with enough time and motivation, and a set of pliers, a person can tailor their own mail garment. Riveted mail is a bit more bother but still doable on one's own. The question is whether the person is willing or able to spend a few hours carefully cutting and prying apart rings, then sticking new rings through the little holes and putting them back together, all the while having to carry around a piece of mail that's essentially useless when they aren't working on it until it's done... It's cheaper than having someone else do it and reduces some weight, but I would probably just whip a belt around the waist and leave it at that.
Jeffrey Faulk wrote:
It should be noted that with enough time and motivation, and a set of pliers, a person can tailor their own mail garment. Riveted mail is a bit more bother but still doable on one's own. The question is whether the person is willing or able to spend a few hours carefully cutting and prying apart rings, then sticking new rings through the little holes and putting them back together, all the while having to carry around a piece of mail that's essentially useless when they aren't working on it until it's done... It's cheaper than having someone else do it and reduces some weight, but I would probably just whip a belt around the waist and leave it at that.


Thanks for that!
Jeffrey Faulk wrote:
The question is whether the person is willing or able to spend a few hours carefully cutting and prying apart rings, then sticking new rings through the little holes and putting them back together, all the while having to carry around a piece of mail that's essentially useless when they aren't working on it until it's done.


Doesn't have to be useless. Cut, remove unwanted material, and tie along the seams with cord or thong. As time permits, replace the ties with rings.

If the mail is sewn onto an integrated liner, I don't think it would even be that important to join the sections of mail with rings.

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