Getting Started

Making chainmail, or chainmaille as some call it, is easy and it can be a lot of fun as well. You can make some money, and friends too. Everyone will be jealous of your leet metalworking skills. I've sold the tunics before on eBay for over 100$ each. The key comes in knowing where to find the raw ingredients and what tools to use when working with them. Once you have those tacked down, the only challenge remaining is figuring out where to start and what to make first.

I have been making chain-mail off and on for going on six years now. I have made everything from SCA/LARP grade armor to display pieces and jewelery. And yes, before you ask, I have made a chain-mail bikini for a girl before. They loved it.

I'll go over a few resources I have used in the past for locating materials and getting yourself set up for a chain-mail project. The main thing that you will need lots of for working on these projects are Time and Patience.

The list of things that you can make that qualify as 'chain-mail' is as endless as your imagination. There are literally dozens of patterns just for armor alone, some meant to be functional and others meant to be ornamental. From the standard European 4 in 1 that is the standard and the dragon mail, kingsweave, or dragonmail, which is nearly as rigid as a plate of steel.

Here are a few project ideas:
Shirts/Tunics (both costume quality and LARP/Recreation quality),
Coifs (thats nerd-talk for the headgear),
Bracelets, Necklaces and other Jewelery,
Bags,
Bikini's and Thongs,
Kilts,
Belts,
I've even seen chain-mail hacky-sacks.

So what kind of project is best for you to start with? Well, personally I would advice that you start with something small to see if you like it. Keyrings or pouches. You can buy pre-made beginner and advanced kits here. But that takes some of the fun out of it, at least in my opinion. To set up your own little chain-mail shop is the work of an afternoon.

Back to the List