Main > The Armoury
GDFB riveted stainless steel mail
Sir James A:
--- Quote from: RauttSkegg on 2011-12-19, 05:54:54 ---Is anyone edging their maille in leather? Adding ties over key locations? Is it as good as advertised?
--- End quote ---
Yep, I'm happy with it from the "house testing" so far. I'll post some pics of mine tonight or tomorrow.
I leather edged the bottom & split of the hauberk (as pictured in the Bayeaux tapestry), the top of my fauld, the top of my chausses (to make pointing easy and keep the points from fraying on the steel rings), and I've also been toying with the idea of doing edging on the voiders.
As for ties, I need to order some buckles for my soupcan knees and elbows. The buckles on those, tightened up, should be almost like ties. I often see mention of ties at the knees and elbows - less often at the wrists, but I'd wager it's since (some? most? many?) hauberks had integral mittens and the lower sleeve would be kept in place by the hands. One exception I know of is a picture where a knight in mail is kneeling (I think?) to remove an arrow from himself and is untying his mitten - I can't remember if it's period or not; I'm leaning towards not, though.
One thing I read somewhere that made a substantial difference with a hauberk is once you get the hauberk on, lift your arms above your head and have someone tie a cord (or a small belt) around your waist. When you lower your arms, the slack in the upper mail will "flop" over the belt a bit - but the lower half should stay in place. The benefit is that now when you lift or move your arms, the mail will not try to pull or stretch against your sword belt, as long as your sword belt is at or below where the cord/inner belt is. And as a bonus, you aren't attempting to "lift the weight" of the hauberk along with your arm so you fatigue much less, as well as having the weight partially distributed on your hips/waist instead of all riding on your shoulders.
Thorsteinn:
Yes I know some SCA'ers that use the belt technique and they say it works well. There is also the 'Varangian Bra' (see below, left man), and some suggestion that, at Hastings, the maille was sewn to the gambeseons.
Ian:
--- Quote from: James Anderson III on 2011-12-20, 17:54:45 ---One thing I read somewhere that made a substantial difference with a hauberk is once you get the hauberk on, lift your arms above your head and have someone tie a cord (or a small belt) around your waist. When you lower your arms, the slack in the upper mail will "flop" over the belt a bit - but the lower half should stay in place. The benefit is that now when you lift or move your arms, the mail will not try to pull or stretch against your sword belt, as long as your sword belt is at or below where the cord/inner belt is. And as a bonus, you aren't attempting to "lift the weight" of the hauberk along with your arm so you fatigue much less, as well as having the weight partially distributed on your hips/waist instead of all riding on your shoulders.
--- End quote ---
A belt is a must with my haubergeon. It makes all the difference in the world when it comes to weight distribution. Just like a good pourpoint for your leg harness, belting your maille keeps the weight on the hips instead of the shoulders and makes wear much more comfortable. Arm movement is much less hindered as well.
The only problem is when it's all said and done, I'm doing to have like 50 belts on... belt for maille, sword belt, plaque belt, and then the waist strap for the breastplate, that's kind of ridiculous. What I'm going to experiment with is weaving a leather thong through the maille at my natural waist as just tie it off that way instead of using an actual belt. My breastplate sits at my natural waist as well and can interfere with the maille belt. A leather thong will be much less obtrusive and should work just as well.
Sir Edward:
Yeah, the belt thing was absolutely necessary in my old 14ga butted hauberk. The hauberk alone was 40 pounds, and the sleeves were angled in such a way that it would pull the body if you lifted your arms at all. It certainly works.
With my riveted haubergeon for my mid 14th kit, I still put a belt, but I don't worry so much about lifting it first. Just having it cinched down helps keep some of the weight on the hips, and the body tube doesn't pull up too much compared to that heavier hauberk I used to have.
Sir James A:
--- Quote from: RauttSkegg on 2011-12-19, 05:54:54 ---Is anyone edging their maille in leather? Adding ties over key locations? Is it as good as advertised?
--- End quote ---
Here's the 2 pics from the Bayeaux Tapestry (someone else found them for me):
http://users.breathe.com/martin.reeve/bayeux.jpg
http://seattlegis.com/travel/041_bayeux_tapestry_williams_cavalry_go_off_at_a_gallop_postcard.jpg
Here's a couple pics of mine:
Fauld & Chausses
Hauberk
I split the hauberk up the front entirely, and leather edged it. I have holes punched along the leather edging, and the lacing is used to tie it tight. Once the surcoat is over it, it's not even noticeable since the hauberk would traditionally be split in the front anyway.
I need to finish "tuck and tying" on the hauberk, but the fauld and chausses are "done" (ha). If I can track down some better, period appropriate lacing, instead of wal-mart shoe laces, I'll get it swapped out for something proper. On the fauld and chausses, it all gets covered up, but it shows on the hauberk. :(
--- Quote from: RauttSkegg on 2011-12-20, 19:19:14 ---some suggestion that, at Hastings, the maille was sewn to the gambeseons.
--- End quote ---
Interesting, do you have a source for the suggestion? This is one of my "upcoming projects" to try. I picked up a pair of long sleeve shirts a few months back and sewed them together. I'll be sewing in "built in padding" at the hips and shoulders between the layers, similar to a gambeson, and looking into lacing the leather edging of the hauberk to the shirt itself. That way the shirt can still be unlaced for cleaning, but armoring up should be as easy as putting on a heavy jacket & tying laces, since I won't have to put on a separate gambeson.
Edit: found a few more older pics:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/medieval/mail/Photo0430.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/medieval/mail/Photo0431.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/medieval/mail/Photo0432.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/jba3/medieval/mail/Photo0433.jpg
Methinks I'll post up a quick thread in the How To section for the edging. It's easy, but I have the pictures, so why not. :)
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