Which Maille Links?

[abaddon1974]

I am looking to expand my re-enactment skills beyond show and tell weapons and hand guns.
I think that I would like to do some mail or maille making to pass the time and give me something else to talk about.
What I am wondering is for the 15th century (wars of the roses) what links would be best, wedge riveted or round riveted?
I am intending to use both closed and rivited links together in my constructions.

Craig

[bart]

Hiya.
you can get some at: http://www.capapie.co.uk

Cheers

Bart

[Brian la Zouche]

[quote="bart"]Hiya.
Flat rings, wedge rivets are accurate for all periods. [/quote]


.....you jest

[Colin Middleton]

Hiya.
Flat rings, wedge rivets are accurate for all periods. you can get some at: http://www.capapie.co.uk

Cheers

Bart

They aren't, according to what Mark at Cap-A-Pie has told me. Give him a ring (or email, etc.) and ask nicely. He's a lovely man who's done lots of reseach so that he knows his stuff. I use links from him when I'm doing mail making at shows (and have been amazed at the response you get from the public).

However, be aware that you're going to spend a bit of money on this.

[Biro]

As I understand it was through the 14c that wedge rivets appeared. Not sure how quickly it really took off or how long it was until round were phased out (if at all).

Some more info here:

forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=21351&p=284 ... dt#p284095

Erik Schmidt is the authority as far as I'm concerned.

[Colin Middleton]

Can't fault you on that call. He's also a very nice fellow, if you can get to talk to him. AFAIK, he's the best we've got since Burgess (and possibly before).

That said, Langley who posts on here is pretty hot too.

Best wishes

Colin

[Cap-a-pie]

dating when what type of rivet appeared when, is always going to be somewhat difficult, especially as maille had the habit of being re used over the centuries. I have a nice example, albeit small, section of maille thought to be circa C14th wedge/flat ring with a few brass links attached plus a repair that is characteristic of late C15th (round ring and round rivet) The other thing to note is that there were also regional differences with some areas remaining wedge when things shifted back to the pin rivet. Wedge does appear to have been around before the C14th. Possibly even as early as the C11th, but as I said the issue is with getting accurate dating.

This has reminded me that I need to get get hold of a copy of a report of a coif found in 2004 in Tofta church in Gotland. The hood is well preserved with leather straps, which in itself has allowed for some carbon dating to be done, suggesting the 1200s. The links look very much like being wedge riveted and certainly very flat, but I need to see the report as I gather the images are much clearer on it than what is shown on the website.

I think I have put a link on the forum before but in case not

http://www.actakonservering.se/acta/Kon ... .html#grid

and yes Colin is right, doing maille demo's at an event does get a very positive response from the public.

As well as riveting I tend to talk about the process as a whole, wire drawing, making the rings etc, which in itself people do seem to find interesting, especially when you point out that despite the long history of maille, we are not 100% sure on what tools were actually used or how the industry as a whole worked. I'm also working on a small forge to demonstrate forge welding rings..

Mark