Description
Ironskin Basic Mail Shirt is an Iron Chainmail Shirt from 8mm Flat Rings with Wedge Riveted and Solid Rings. It is intentionally kept simple. Here is why:
Who should buy this?
This is a simple-cut shirt for people who use it as it is or want to modify it. It is extra long and it comes with extra-long sleeves. So you can easily cut it to the desired length. And you can then use the cut-off parts for other projects.
How will it fit?
The shirt is shaped in the most basic way possible. The sleeves are straight and slim for you to taper them at will. The shirt is designed for people wearing it with little to no padding underneath.
Size “M & L” is good for a chest circumference of 85 – 100 cm / 33 – 40 inches.
Size “L & XL” is good for a chest circumference of 100 to 120 cm / 40 – 47 inches.
How big is the shirt? Size “M & L” weighs about 10.5kg/23 pounds and contains about 30.000 rings. Size “L & XL” weighs about 11.5kg / 25 pounds and contains about 37000 rings. It looks short in the photos, yet it is almost knee-length for most people, depending on the wearer.
Why wedge riveted rings? They weigh less. The shape is more historically accurate. It’s more pleasant to wear: The inside is smooth and the rings rarely get stuck on each other.
Is it historically accurate? As far as the rare originals tell us, this shirt is even historically accurate in its shape for most of the early medieval times, Battle of Hastings 1066 and the like. In later medieval times, advanced tailoring techniques like special elbows were developed. Most historic chainmail from the Dark Ages, the Crusades, or the 100 Years’ War shows similar rings with one side smooth and a prominent rivet head on the other side, and all of that mixed with solid rings. Originals tend to have smaller rings, yet 8mm is still plausible and convenient. 9mm would be far too much.
How is the quality? Overall, the quality of these shirts is exciting. There are a few occasional riveted rings with their rivets coming apart. Yet by the nature of the wedge riveted rings, they often still stay together. The solid rings are great. Only a small minority is not punched in a full circle. These strange rings can be fixed in a short time.
What to look for when buying a shirt of mail? Look for the quality of the rings: When buying a shirt of mail it is hard to know how many broken rings you get. The only way to get an idea is from the price and from the reputation of the shop. Furthermore, the ring’s inner diameter should be consistent and exactly as specified. That makes it easier for you to work with the mail and to modify it. Like you, we work with mail and thus look after these things.
You may also need loose rings and tongs for wedge rivets.
