I don’t have the breastplate yet, so I’m just seeing what this looks like with the mail torso and plates on my arms and legs.

The Old Adventurer

This mail shirt is made of dome riveted round rings and alternating flat rings (no butted rings). But for full disclosure, this is the first (and only) piece of armor not made of carbon steel — this is aluminum. Aluminum is about half the weight of steel, but that’s not why I went with aluminum.

When I was researching all this stuff (weapons and armor), I learned about how much upkeep carbon steel requires — polishing, oiling, moisture control, etc. I can polish and oil blades and plates, but chainmail is more complicated. I learned the way to keep chainmail* armor safest (from rusting) is to keep it stored wrapped in an oiled towel. I didn’t want to keep my armor stored away. I wanted to display and wear my armor. So I chose to go with aluminum chainmail for this reason.

Now, although my reasoning for aluminum was not the weight consideration, I must admit the lighter weight is probably a good thing. I’m well over 50 years old. I already have various aches and pains in my joints and back without wearing 50 pounds of armor. So the lighter weight for this piece is helpful — it’s saving me upwards of about 10-12 pounds strain on my body that I don’t need just for a hobby.

*I know the proper, technical name for this is “mail” or “maille”. But I’ve known it as “chainmail” for 40 years (because of D&D), and that word just comes to mind and rolls off my tongue naturally.

The Old Adventurer