If the words “clothes make the man” still ring true today, no piece of clothing is more characteristic of the knight than chain mail. Even if today, we have the image of a complete set of plate armor with helmet and visor when thinking of medieval knights, it is nevertheless the chain shirt that was used by warriors to protect themselves in battle during ancient times.
Worn over the gambeson or other textile clothing, the long chain shirt forms an independent layer of armor with an impressive protective effect against blows, cuts, and even stings. For a convincing and impressive appearance during LARP, reenactment, or show combat, long chain mail is both full-fledged and independent armor as well as the basis of later equipment to be added on.
IMPRESSIVE, PRACTICAL, AND EFFECTIVE
The long Hauberk chainmail protects the entire torso, arms to hands, and waist and hips, down to at least over part of the thighs. Slit in the middle at the front and back, the required legroom is maintained despite its length. For example, a knight could still mount their horse.
The chain mail consists of several thousand individual rings, interconnected so that each ring is connected to four adjacent rings. This method is one of several historically documented braiding techniques, all of which aimed to give the chain mail stability, resilience, and a protective effect while maximizing flexibility and comfort.
Long chain mail was armor in its own right in the Middle Ages. However, their protective effect was limited to cuts and stabs with light weapons. Strong blows were transmitted to the body more or less undamped. To compensate for this shortcoming and also to increase comfort, the warrior wore the long chain mail over textile clothing, preferably over the gambeson. Its padding provided the desired protection by absorbing the energy of a blow. A blow with the lance and in the course of military history increasingly widespread firearms, especially the bolts of a crossbow, posed a challenge for chain mail to protect its wearer.
When worn over a gambeson, long chain mail gave an imposing impression. With a chain hood, helmet, gloves, and leggings combined, a knight was well protected in the battles ahead, at least until the High Middle Ages.
RINGS TO CHAINS, CHAINS TO SHIRTS, SHIRTS TO ARMOR
A single round ring of steel does not seem very impressive, even if you imagine it was made by hand in the Middle Ages and thus wasn’t mass-produced by a machine. But just as an artful, warming garment can be created from a simple thread, individual steel rings combine to form the material that, in the form of chain mail, could decide life and death on battlefields for centuries.
Long chain mail derives its strength from the sum of its parts. A single ring may be easy to destroy. However, tens of thousands of rings connected with the right technique, though not indestructible, can oppose widespread medieval weapons and thus protect their wearer. The effectiveness and comfort of a long chain shirt depend primarily on the choice of materials and its processing.
A blacksmith in the Middle Ages faced a long and laborious task with each chain mail. From steel previously forged into a wire, each ring was made by hand. The open rings were joined together and finally, in the highest quality version of a chain mail garment, each of the approximately 30,000 rings riveted together. A job that could easily take a year to complete had to be richly rewarded by the client .
A LONG FRIENDSHIP? YOUR LONG CHAIN MAIL FROM ZEUGHAUS
Hopefully, you’ll never forget your first chain mail. With a bit of care, and if necessary the occasional small repair, it will accompany you for a lifetime. The material and craftsmanship of our long chain mail have what it takes to withstand even the most adverse conditions during LARP, reenactments, and show combat in the long run.
A long chain shirt is the first step to comprehensive armor and offers a variety of combination options. For starters, you can wear it over simple garb and are already authentically dressed. When worn over a gambeson, you leave no doubt that you are a serious opponent and a defensible companion. With a hood, helmet, gloves, and greaves, you will draw all eyes on you.
With Zeughaus you will find long chain mail of different qualities, for almost every budget, from the simple but solid model of 10 mm galvanized or burnished steel round rings to the luxurious model of authentic untreated oiled, riveted flat rings of titanium.
We are happy to advise you on-site, what you should look for when choosing and which long chainmail is the right one for your character.
