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.
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