Tailoring my maille.

[Sir Ulrich]

Well the "angry at parents" thing mostly has to do with the fact that I am at the age where I am supposed live alone and because I want to do things alone they always have to "hover" over everything I do and not give me any "alone" time. Makes me second guess myself a lot with everything which in turn makes me not mature as quickly as my peers. Second guessing makes me end up idle and unsure of what I really want. In other words I am tired of them being "helicopter parents". I'd rather make mistakes and learn because the only way I really learn is through experience, just because one thing doesnt work for someone doesnt mean it wont work for me.  I'd rather not talk about my personal issues on a public forum though, cause then the world can see it.

Thankfully I got this foam arm, I still havent begun work because my hands hurt from fiddling around with the maille for at least 6 hours yesterday. Just unsure of removing the twisty ties on the one side, does anyone know if I should and start evenly on both sides? Or should I keep them on and work with it. I mean I dont have it on the other side and I'd LIKE both sides to be even.

[Sir James A]

Keep the twist ties on, and try working on the other arm. The arms should be symmetrical so when you find one that works, copy it on the other by counting rings. Best not to taper more than 1 reduction row every 3 links, roughly, and remember you have to get your fist through the wrist opening. Armpit is the hard part so if you aren't touching that, it's easier.

[Sir Ulrich]

I'll just keep them on, I already marked what I am going to cut anyway. I think I am going to avoid the armpit in all honesty. I dont care if it's a bit baggy there because I probably will be getting bigger when I am older. I may be thin now but my dad was also thin at my age and got bigger by the time he reached his late 20s and early 30s, my guess is the same will happen to me so keeping it a BIT baggy wont hurt in all honesty. I was thinking of just using butted links to close it, by using the links I CUT with the hauberk. Only issue I got there is the rings will have sharp edges where I cut them and putting them on and off might shread the gambeson, guess I will just butt some links I purchased from hanwei.

[Sir William]

Use the butted links at first...if you like the fit, then you can use the riveted ones at a later date.

Point taken on the personal biz...I'd ask Sir Edward to move this to the Knight's Lyst but I think I'll just pm you.  Whatever else happens, know that I mean no disrespect, I and all the rest of us would like to see you succeed in all of your future endeavours.

[Ian]

I didn't even bother riveting a lot of the rings on the seams when I tailored my sleeves.  I used rivetable rings, I just didn't peen a rivet.  I just butted them close and gave a little twist to lock them in to place.  I have not lost a single ring doing this, and saved a ton of time.  You an always go back and rivet later if you want.

[Sir James A]

Thought you might want to see this:

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=160891

[Sir William]

I still might avail myself of that service...Lord knows I've been loathe to touch it.

[Sir Ulrich]

I asked the guy about tailoring. I was planning on doing it myself but seeing this service to do it and not only do they mimic the same type of tailoring on a HISTORICAL piece of maille rather than my own job I think I might take it. Just gotta try to convince them to use the rings I send because I am so OCD about everything matching.

[Sir William]

I think he'd rather use your rings anyway, Ulrich.  I had talked to him about doing my hauberk some time ago and basically that's the best bet for a uniform look.   Not that he wouldn't do it if you didn't have rings, but for the looks- its best that you do have them.  But you've made such headway...it would almost be a shame to quit now.

[Sir Ulrich]

Well I took my measurements for the tailoring, main reason I want to get this done here is it's full tailoring as opposed to just tapering the sleeves. IE it will hang off my body my easier and will encumber and fatigue me less.

[Sir William]

True, but not much less...you'll still need to acclimate yourself to wearing the maille and the only way to do that is to wear it regularly.  You know, as you do stuff around the house, have it on.  Its a pain at first, as you need to get used to it.  Tailored though, that'll make it hang much better and get in the way less.  How long of a timeframe did he quote you?

[Sir Ulrich]

He said he could get it fitted within the month or even sooner. Still debating on it a bit but I always wanted fully tailored maille, as it can fit much better for fighting in which means it wont be just a tube around my body.

[Sir William]

Well, as soon as my Svan gambeson gets in and I can take measurements, I'll send it to him.  He said and I quote- fit you like a tailored suit.

Color me excited!

[B. Patricius]

Well the "angry at parents" thing mostly has to do with the fact that I am at the age where I am supposed live alone and because I want to do things alone they always have to "hover" over everything I do and not give me any "alone" time. Makes me second guess myself a lot with everything which in turn makes me not mature as quickly as my peers. Second guessing makes me end up idle and unsure of what I really want. In other words I am tired of them being "helicopter parents". I'd rather make mistakes and learn because the only way I really learn is through experience, just because one thing doesnt work for someone doesnt mean it wont work for me.  I'd rather not talk about my personal issues on a public forum though, cause then the world can see it.

Ulrich, although I am new here, maybe I can shed some light as well.  I'm 30, and it wasn't that long ago I was in a similar predicament as you.  My solution:
I denied all offers to scholarship (only part I half regret)
I enlisted
I left a letter on the kitchen counter

first time in my life my Dad hugged me, and one of the few times he said he was proud of me was after my graduation from bootcamp.  "You're your own man now, your decisions, your life.  I'm proud of you."

not too long after, far too short in my beliefs of what should/could have been, I was injured and discharged.  I moved in with my Uncle.  No one in my family knows the truth of my injuries.  I'm my own man, and my own keeper.  I went to school, transferred to a university out of state and now live six hours away. 

best advice I can give you, your parents are a priceless asset unless they truly deserve to be in jail.  You may not believe it now, but not a day goes by now, when I watch my girlfriend's two-year-old, that I don't look back on my father's teachings and "someday, you'll thank me" comes up.  I call him or my mom, and I thank them.

YIS
B. Patricius

[Sir James A]

Well, as soon as my Svan gambeson gets in and I can take measurements, I'll send it to him.  He said and I quote- fit you like a tailored suit.

Color me excited!

My hauberk and voiders went out to him for some tailoring. I had already cut down the torso of the hauberk and tapered the sleeves, and it just needed closing up. Side note: Stainless mail is difficult to work with, the rivets don't squeeze well at all - and I tried 3 different pliers and 95% of the time it just bends or distorts.

Back on the subject, curious to see how the hauberk will fit when it gets back. The voiders I already cut down to proper size, but he's going to fix all the missing rivets (see pliers issue above), and then do the cleaning/refinishing. I tried the cement mixer and sand method, and wasn't happy with the results.

If all goes well I'll have the voiders back for the VARF shows!