Need your help on ID of this chainmail hauberk.

kronckew · 29th July 2009, 10:02 PM

i recall from somewhere (?) that maille shirts would be put in a barrel with sand and rolled about to clean off rust, they were then oiled. possibly thus varnished with a drying oil that would inhibit rust. i recall olive oil was used by the romans. if used in thin coats, it does dry & form a protective coat.

i also recall reading about the maille used at omdurman being brittle due to age, rust and lack of maintenance.

Atlantia · 29th July 2009, 10:27 PM

Jim,

I'm very interested to hear about 'old' galavised mail?
Do you have any more information? Is it galvanised in the modern sense?
I thought that galvanising was essentially 2nd half 20thC?
Well, in any commercial sense.

As for rust proofing, well, theres the thing isn't it!
A heavy 'coat' will over time wear through movement any thin layer of protection and make patches start to rust again.
However, as can be seen on Kronckews coat, you can almost kill two birds with one stone if you 'oil brown' the steel.
Oil quenching during heat treatment will also apply a semi-flexible rust resistant coating.
I'm not sure how you'd do it with primitive means on such a large coat, you'd have to do it in sections then assemble.

Kronckew.

Have you been cleaning that with 00 wire wool?

Good points, I would also add that ancient hand made 'wire' and wire produced by machine do look very different.
Also, there is butted link 'wire' mail made from commercially produced links. I actually have a small item made from commercial links.
I better go find it and show you. I'm beginning to confuse myself here!

Back in a bit
Gene

29th July 2009, 10:02 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	i recall from somewhere (?) that maille shirts would be put in a barrel with sand and rolled about to clean off rust, they were then oiled. possibly thus varnished with a drying oil that would inhibit rust. i recall olive oil was used by the romans. if used in thin coats, it does dry & form a protective coat. i also recall reading about the maille used at omdurman being brittle due to age, rust and lack of maintenance.

29th July 2009, 10:27 PM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Jim, I'm very interested to hear about 'old' galavised mail? Do you have any more information? Is it galvanised in the modern sense? I thought that galvanising was essentially 2nd half 20thC? Well, in any commercial sense. As for rust proofing, well, theres the thing isn't it! A heavy 'coat' will over time wear through movement any thin layer of protection and make patches start to rust again. However, as can be seen on Kronckews coat, you can almost kill two birds with one stone if you 'oil brown' the steel. Oil quenching during heat treatment will also apply a semi-flexible rust resistant coating. I'm not sure how you'd do it with primitive means on such a large coat, you'd have to do it in sections then assemble. Kronckew. Have you been cleaning that with 00 wire wool? Good points, I would also add that ancient hand made 'wire' and wire produced by machine do look very different. Also, there is butted link 'wire' mail made from commercially produced links. I actually have a small item made from commercial links. I better go find it and show you. I'm beginning to confuse myself here! Back in a bit Gene