While most of the maille armour that we provide is made from mild steel with either wedge or round dome headed rivets, we realise that this is not suitable for other applications apart from combat. We provide maille in a range of different metal for different applications:
Aluminium Maille - Avaible in oxidised or non-oxidised finish. An oxidised finish looks more like mild steel. Aluminium is lighter than mild steel but not as strong. It is slightly cheaper than mild steel maille. It is best used for theatrical combat, LARP, and other applications where mobility is important but protection less so. Aluminum is also naturally rust proof.
Butted Spring Steel Maille - In the early days of re-enactment there were no porfessional suppliers of equipment so we had to make everything ourselves. High tensile spring steel maille with the ends of each link butted together. This was cheap to make but took a lot of time. As the links are round section as opposed to the flat section riveted mild steel maille, it is heavier and the butted joint is weaker than a riveted link. So while butted spring steel maille is heavier and not as strong as riveted mild steel maille, it is still suitable for most forms of medieval combat. Because it is cheap and looks OK from a distance, it can also be used for background characters in films and threatical projects. Spring steel is also less vulnerable to rust than mild steel.
Titanium Maille - Titanium is stronger than steel and lighter than aluminium. Therefore it is the gold standard - the modern day equivalent of "mithral" from Tolkien. It provides much greater protection than mild steel and more mobility than aluminium. A medieval knight would have loved this had it been available to him. It is best used for all forms of reenactment combat and for main characters in films/theatrical projects where the actors have to move freely but the armour needs to look accurate. Titanium is also naturally rust proof.
We can only hold a few items of these special maille items in stock at any time so if we don't have what you want please contact us and allow up to 90 days for your item(s) to arrive once payment has been received.
Below are the items that we have available now for immediate delivery.
If you are on a budget or want a low cost maille hauberk then you can't beat butted spring steel. For many years this was the only battle ready maille available and most of us cut our teeth making them ourselves before the advent of professional manufacturers. This butted maille hauberk is in Size L, natural finish.
The modern " Mithril" Titanium is lighter than aluminium and stonger than steel. This Size L Titanium Hauberk is for the serious medieval combat enthusiast! Size L with natural finish.