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