Need your help on ID of this chainmail hauberk.

Jim McDougall · 29th July 2009, 10:31 PM

Kronckew, we crossed posts. Absolutely excellent and informative post describing construction and great photos. Really like the comparison of the kevlar and the mail also.
Thank you for addressing my question on servicing of mail and the use of the sand and oil is interesting, and really gives an interesting perspective on this topic.

I found some interesting additional information that concerns much earlier detail on European mail, but might add some insight regardless, in 'Warfare in the Middle Ages", Richard Humble, 1989, p.129-130). Here the author notes that the infection that would be caused by rusty mail fragments and sweaty undergarments would create a septic situation with even wounds which would not normally have proven fatal. He discusses the extraction of a bolt from "...amid a vicious tangle of fractured mail rings which must have created a horrific wound".
Also noted was that blunt trauma from direct blows, even when mail remained intact often led to massive and disabling bruising, as the mail still had a certain amount of 'give' that the undergarment could not entirely absorb.

Other discussions we have had some time ago pertained to the effects of heat in the wearing of armour as well, and resulted in some pretty interesting perspective.

Dmitry, I hope you dont mind the digression into the historical aspects here, as it seemed a great opportunity to learn more about mail, as we work at determining more on te identification of your example.

All best regards,
Jim

Gene, just saw your post....I really only just saw that item on galvanized mail, so would be interested to learn more as well on it. Interesting notes on oil applied during manufacture. I wonder if annealing and applying oil while working the metal rings would have added some minimal protection ?

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29th July 2009, 10:31 PM	#16
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,458	Kronckew, we crossed posts. Absolutely excellent and informative post describing construction and great photos. Really like the comparison of the kevlar and the mail also. Thank you for addressing my question on servicing of mail and the use of the sand and oil is interesting, and really gives an interesting perspective on this topic. I found some interesting additional information that concerns much earlier detail on European mail, but might add some insight regardless, in 'Warfare in the Middle Ages", Richard Humble, 1989, p.129-130). Here the author notes that the infection that would be caused by rusty mail fragments and sweaty undergarments would create a septic situation with even wounds which would not normally have proven fatal. He discusses the extraction of a bolt from "...amid a vicious tangle of fractured mail rings which must have created a horrific wound". Also noted was that blunt trauma from direct blows, even when mail remained intact often led to massive and disabling bruising, as the mail still had a certain amount of 'give' that the undergarment could not entirely absorb. Other discussions we have had some time ago pertained to the effects of heat in the wearing of armour as well, and resulted in some pretty interesting perspective. Dmitry, I hope you dont mind the digression into the historical aspects here, as it seemed a great opportunity to learn more about mail, as we work at determining more on te identification of your example. All best regards, Jim Gene, just saw your post....I really only just saw that item on galvanized mail, so would be interested to learn more as well on it. Interesting notes on oil applied during manufacture. I wonder if annealing and applying oil while working the metal rings would have added some minimal protection ?