KOA has loose rings and pliers for rivetting!!!!!!!!!

[Sir William]

By the by, Happy Belated to Sir Ulrich...I did not catch that initially!

I used to find rings in unlikely places, like in the toes of my boots!

[Sir Ulrich]

Thanks Sir William
Thats why I didn't even want to bother with butted maille, last thing I need is it coming all apart on me and whatnot. Thats why I consider riveted maille a good investment.

[Sir William]

It IS a good investment...even though mine does have that billowy sleeve look, I'm thinking of ways to fix that problem that don't involve riveting anything unless I have no choice.

[Sir Edward]

I think you can get away with a single row of butt-links to close up the seam after taking out some material from the sleeves. You just have to do the cutting from the underside of the sleeve where it won't be that visible.

Anytime this comes up, I always want to include my normal warning-- Don't remove too much!!! The sleeve will still need to hang off your arm a bit to have enough room for your elbow to flex. Test where you want to do the cuts by tying a lace through the links to pinch off some material and see if it still lets you move. And the new seam should be a gradual taper from the armpit to around the elbow area. If your sleeve is longer, you can get away with a more linear tube shape for the forearm, probably (though I haven't tried that since mine ends at the elbow).

I know this because I took too much off the first time. But this was my butted aluminum set, so re-adding links wasn't a problem, just annoying waste of my time.

[Sir Patrick]

Could you put in a 45 degree elbow, like some arming coats use?

[Sir Edward]

Probably, and in fact I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they did in period. Most off-the-shelf mail isn't as well tailored as historical mail.

[Sir Ulrich]

Well I measured my arm length and 20 inch sleeves on the medium hauberk are perfect for my size, goes right down to my wrists. Doubt I'll need to take any of that off. My issue is if it fits my circumference. When I made butted maille I didn't know how to make armpits and arms at all so I basically gave up on making it >_< Tailoring will be a project but I think it will be well worth the effort.

[Sir William]

It is always well worth the effort...that much I am sure of.  Sir Edward, thanks, I kinda had that as an idea but was sorta waiting for my armor stand to arrive so I could hang the hauberk on it and tailor it that way, once I'd made my measurements.

[Sir Patrick]

I found this site the other night.  Looks like it's got some pretty useful information on tailoring maille.
http://www.mailleartisans.org/

[Sir James A]

I just spent 5 hours 2 weeks ago adjusting the size of the sleeves on my butted mail shirt so that I have 1-2" of slack through my entire arm. Then I attached it to the main torso piece and closed up the armpit holes it came with. Nice, a feeling of accomplishment!

Except the arming coat sleeves don't move well. The IceFalcon and the MRL are both too "fluffy" at the armpit and the mail binds them up. I have about 20* range of movement on my arms. It's all got to come apart since the sleeves are tapered to the shoulder. At this point, I think I may just leave it for a display piece, and stop trying to wear it, between the hassle and "ring rain", and go with rivited rings once I figure out the tailoring size I need.

Could you put in a 45 degree elbow, like some arming coats use?

Probably, and in fact I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they did in period. Most off-the-shelf mail isn't as well tailored as historical mail.

Yes, there's a specific pattern to do it with. Historical mail has a lot more tailoring than the "tube sleeved" mail we have off the shelves. Even the torso of it would often be more tailor-fit than a basic tube. Red Knight's link has lots of good info, as does The Ring Lord, and http://homepage.ntlworld.com/trevor.barker/farisles/guilds/armour/mail.htm#sect2-6.

[Sir Wolf]

do this.

open a straight slit int he armpit back up.

make a diamond out of mail (about a 4x4 piece) now fit that gore into the armpit.  it works with medieval style tunics hehehe

[Sir Ulrich]

I bought a gambeson with detachable arms cause I didn't want to deal with being too encumbered like my old gambeson did. Maybe I should went for GDFB one I dunno.