How to Make Chain Mail

So you want to make chain mail? There are several ways and steps to making chainmail. In this article I will take the novice's approach to weaving metal rings into chain mail.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire
• Needle nose pliers
• Standard pliers
• Wire cutters

1. 
   Four pattern on top and a six pattern on bottom.

   The first time I made chain mail I used 14 gauge copper wire. Standard home electrical wire. I chose this because I had some available and its very easy to work with. However copper is not a suitable metal for chainmail armor. Since this article is aimed at someone just learning how I will use copper in this article. There are 3 main patterns when weaving chainmail. They are four, six and eight to one. Most chainmail you see is the four to one pattern. Although once you get the hang of it they do not differ much. Visually the difference between them is how dense the chainmail will look as well as how heavy it will be. There are also several different metals to use. Many will use galvanized steel wire or stainless steel. Note that when using material such as galvanized steel it is much harder to work with. You also have the options of buying pre-made rings in whatever metal you like. A Google search will give you several suppliers of pre-made rings. In this article I will go through all the steps including making your own rings.

2. 
   Wrap your wire around a dowl shaped tool

   After you have stripped your wire of insulation you need to find a tool to make your rings with. When I first began I used the bottom half of a large drill bit. Several things will work, your just looking for something that you can wrap the wire around and make many of the same size rings. After wrapping the wire around your tool you should get what looks like a small spring.

3. Now cut down the middle of the spring to make small rings. This is the most time consuming part. You need a LOT of rings.

4. 
   Place four closed rings on a open ring.

   After you have a good supply of rings you are ready to start weaving them together. Start off by taking 4 rings and closing them. Then get one open ring. Place the four close rings on the open one.

5. 
   Place on a flate table like this.

   Close the open ring and place on a flat table like this.

6. 
   Hook the bottom two closed rings with your open ring.

   Now take an open ring and hook the two lower closed rings. Make sure your center ring is going in the same direction as your top center ring.

7. 
   Add two closed rings to your one open ring.

   Now add two closed rings to your open ring to continue the pattern.

8. 
   Close your open ring and lay it flat.

   Close the open ring and it should look like this.

9. 
   Continue to work down making a row.

   Continue to work down adding two closed ring each time. Eventually you'll have a long row.

10. 
    Hook your top two side rings with an open ring.

    Ok great now you have a long row. Now you have some options as far as widening it. You can either make several separate rows and attach them or you can weave your rings to the side. To weave your rings to the side and make your work wider grab a open ring and hook your two top side rings.

11. 
    Add two closed rings two your open ring.

    Now add two closed rings to your open ring to continue the pattern.

12. 
    After closing your open ring it should look like this.

    Close your open ring and it should look like this.

13. 
    Take an open ring and hook the 3 adjacent closed rings.

    Now take an open ring and hook the three adjacent closed rings.

14. 
    Now add a closed ring in your open ring to keep the pattern.

    Then add a closed ring to keep the pattern.

15. 

    After you close your open ring it should look like this. Continue this down adding one ring each time.

16. To make a six in one pattern start off with six closed rings in one. Instead of hooking the bottom two rings you'll hook the bottom 4 and add two. Once you spend a couple hours doing it, the pattern will become familiar.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your time
• Making chainmail takes time, be patient

[Seliah]

on 8/12/2008 Thanks so much for this! I've been trying to find an instructional or tutorial on this process for years. Easily understood, well written. Thank you!

[Ceile]

on 9/26/2007 Huzzah! What an informative and well written article! Thank you!!