"War is at first like a beautiful girl with whom all men long to play, but in the end like a repulsive hag whose suitors all weep and ache."
                -- Samuel Hanagid (993-1056)

Author Topic: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion  (Read 10147 times)

markpart1

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
  • New Member
Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« on: 2016-02-20, 09:20:12 »
Hi all
I am new to the wonderful world of chainmail crafting and I need some help. I am making fitted chainmail sleeves down to my wrist and I am tapering them down with hole row contractions. My problem is what kind of expansions do you use to make space in the elbows (elbow pouch) for a better range in motion? I know there is the knot row expansion, any help would be greatly appreciated it. Also the direction of the rings on my sleeves are open hang ( pattern going along my arm not around it)

Sir James A

  • Weapons & Armor addict
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 6,043
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #1 on: 2016-02-20, 16:29:15 »
Are you doing this yourself? You may want to talk to Tom Biliter on Facebook, he does this... I've never tried to do it myself.
Knight, Order of the Marshal
Sable, a chevron between three lions statant Argent

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #2 on: 2016-02-21, 02:15:12 »
i know JamesB used to talk about making diamond shaped expansions in certain areas

markpart1

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
  • New Member
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #3 on: 2016-02-22, 10:57:14 »
Yes i am making this my self, thanks for the advise. I have completed the whole sleeve and the arm movement so far i can move it about 90 degrees before the chainmail stops me.  I will try to research some more and take both of your advise and hopefully i can get some more arm movement

Ian

  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 2,994
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #4 on: 2016-02-22, 17:29:04 »
Attached is an image of an original mail sleeve and under it, a reproduction.  The twisty ties on the original are marking every tailoring ring.  The tailoring rings are black on the reproduction for visibility.  You can see there are a couple gores, and rows of expansions in both the elbow and the armpit.  The reproduction was made by Tom Biliter.  You can find him at https://www.facebook.com/historicallypatternedmail.  You'll also see he has higher resolution images of the same.

« Last Edit: 2016-02-22, 17:29:41 by Ian »
My YouTube Channel - Knyght Errant
My Pinterest

Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum

Sir Douglas

  • Artificer of Stuff and Things
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ****
  • Posts: 815
  • In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram.
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #5 on: 2016-02-22, 18:09:37 »
I'm going to jump on the Tom Biliter bandwagon as well. He'd definitely be the guy to talk to. :)

Also note that, in the image Sir Ian provided, the sleeve isn't just a straight tube. It bends upward around the elbow, and you can see there's a bit of an angle in the join there. What it looks like to me, and what I've found from re-tailoring my own hauberk's sleeves, is that if there's too much extra bulk on the inside of the elbow joint, it will bind, so it has to be shorter than the part of the sleeve going around the outside of the elbow.
Per pale azure and argent, an eagle displayed per pale argent and sable, armed and langued or.

So a Norman, a Saxon, and a Viking walk into England....

markpart1

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
  • New Member
Re: Chainmail sleeves elbow expansion
« Reply #6 on: 2016-02-24, 01:11:04 »
those are nice pics of  fitted sleeves i wonder if by the elbow those are column expansions