# What should I make out of Chainmail? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150 "2010-11-10T06:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/1 "2010-11-10T06:08:37Z")
I knit, but haven’t made anything of chain-mail before. I’ve come across about 3 pounds worth of the little metal rings used to hold the tags onto dogs’ collars. I’m hoping to auction off whatever I make for charity at the next veterinary event I go to. I guess a few smallish projects would be better than one large one? But what should they be? ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/2 "2010-11-10T06:28:36Z")
How big are the rings? That makes a difference as to what you can make out of chainmaille - the aspect ratio (the relationship between the inner diameter of the ring and the thickness of the wire) determines the type of weave you can do. You can’t go far wrong with a European 4 in 1 weave, though, and it’s fairly flexible as to ring size. 3 pounds of rings is enough to make several bracelets, necklaces, or presumably dog collars. (You’ll want to make sure that the rings aren’t going to be accidentally eaten by pets - I don’t know whether this is a risk with dog collars, so I’ve steered clear of making pet things out of maille.) I think my website’s linked in my profile, that has a few pics of different types of jewellery you can make out of chainmaille - and my blog has a couple of tutorials you might want to try if you’ve not made maille before (it’s at [http://handcraftedartisanjewellery.blogspot.com](http://handcraftedartisanjewellery.blogspot.com) ). Give me a shout if I can help at all - and good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/3 "2010-11-10T07:09:19Z")
Bikinis. Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/4 "2010-11-10T07:19:00Z")
Thanks! Bracelets are a good idea. So many veterinarians are female. I was also thinking maybe headbands, the kind with elastic around the underside. I started on a small piece of 4 in 1. Seems to be ok, although maybe not pretty enough for a bracelet. For the record, the loops have an outside diameter of about 17mm, inside diameter of about 15mm. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/5 "2010-11-10T07:30:23Z")
If it were light enough, I’d love a chain mail collar for my dogs. That would be so completely cool. ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/6 "2010-11-10T07:32:17Z")
If they’re that big, you might want to try European 6 in 1 as a weave - it’s made the same way as Euro 4 in 1 (which is the “normal” chainmaille you see in films and stuff) but each ring goes through 6 rings instead of 4, which makes it denser and less lacy - it works a bit better with larger rings than European 4 in 1, which can tend to be a bit less stable. [M.A.I.L. - Maille Artisans International League - Weave Info](http://www.mailleartisans.org/weaves/weavedisplay.php?key=7) has some instructions and pictures, if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/7 "2010-11-10T13:04:58Z")
The supermarket I used to work in had chain-mail gloves for the deli and butcher staff to use when cutting things (so they didn’t slice their hands open or off!); so you could always make chainmail gloves to use in the kitchen or around cats that like to scratch/bite when they’re playful or cranky. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/8 "2010-11-10T16:50:39Z")
Well, if this is for veterinarians, the coolest thing would be to make a chainmail outfit for a knight’s horse, but dog-sized. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/9 "2010-11-10T17:01:06Z")
Well, it’s holiday time, you could make some ornaments. I need to make something for my sister since she bought me my maille links a couple years ago and I still haven’t done anything with them. I did have instructions for a couple ornaments bookmarked on my computer but I’m on my iPhone and can’t scare them up for you right now. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/10 "2010-11-10T18:52:48Z")
Chain maille dog clothes. Three pounds would be about a sweater for a chihuahua. Or a coiffe for a great dane. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/11 "2010-11-10T20:39:10Z")
> [@nicole1912](#): > > If they’re that big, you might want to try European 6 in 1 as a weave - it’s made the same way as Euro 4 in 1 (which is the “normal” chainmaille you see in films and stuff) but each ring goes through 6 rings instead of 4, which makes it denser and less lacy - it works a bit better with larger rings than European 4 in 1, which can tend to be a bit less stable. > > [M.A.I.L. - Maille Artisans International League - Weave Info](http://www.mailleartisans.org/weaves/weavedisplay.php?key=7) has some instructions and pictures, if you’re interested. Those pieces are beautiful! Will try the 6 in 1. Because of the overlapping spiral shape of the links, joining two pieces together is proving problematic. May be sticking to skinny rectangle pieces like bracelets and collars. > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > The supermarket I used to work in had chain-mail gloves for the deli and butcher staff to use when cutting things (so they didn’t slice their hands open or off!); so you could always make chainmail gloves to use in the kitchen or around cats that like to scratch/bite when they’re playful or cranky. 😛 Thought of that. Sadly, cat claws are more of the stabbing motion chainmaille doesn’t protect against. And, gloves might be a tinsy bit outside my skill set. Doggy armor would be cool… ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/12 "2010-11-10T22:23:13Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > The supermarket I used to work in had chain-mail gloves for the deli and butcher staff to use when cutting things (so they didn’t slice their hands open or off!); so you could always make chainmail gloves to use in the kitchen or around cats that like to scratch/bite when they’re playful or cranky. 😛 I’ve seen a cross between gloves and mittens, where the thumb is separate, of course, but so is the first finger. This gives somewhat more dexterity than the traditional mitten, without having to make each finger separate. ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/13 "2010-11-10T22:57:49Z")
Yeah - gloves and clothing and things can be a bit complicated; making seams in maille isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. (There are several reasons I make chainmaille jewellery, rather than shirts - seams are a big one!) What are the rings made of, do you know? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-make-out-of-chainmail/560150/14 "2010-11-10T23:20:59Z")
Traditionally, [Chainmail](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainmail_%28game%29)was made into Dungeons & Dragons.