FEATURED AUTHOR
MARY BREWER

The latest addition to Paladin Press' growing line of books on historical arms and combat is The Art of Mail Armor: How to Make Your Own by Mary Brewer. A born artisan with natural inquisitiveness and a healthy dose of ingenuity, Brewer first tried her hand at making chain mail when her son needed a costume for his school's Renaissance faire. Once she got the bug, she took it and ran with it, almost single-handedly reviving the dying art art of making mail armor.

"I have always loved Shakespeare, and Shakespeare leads directly to the whole Renaissance idea," says Brewer. "Of course, I passed this passion on to my children, and they, in turn, passed it back to me. As they grew up and went to high school, they amazed their teachers with their knowledge in the area." When one teacher, Pamela Hopkins, suggested they start a Shakespearean club, they not only did so but expanded into organizing medieval feasts and Renaissance faires.

So when her son needed a costume to serve as master of ceremonies at his school's Renaissance faire, Brewer, who did not know how to make mail at the time, devised a solution. She purchased press plates from a local newspaper and, using pictures of armor as a guide, cut the thin sheets of aluminum and braided together a suit of armor. "It certainly wouldn’t have stood up to actual combat, but it looked great," she recalls. Brewer says this kind of ingenuity has served her well all her life – "When you don’t have the instructions, invent."

About a year later a local store offered a class in chain mail construction. Unfortunately, the class was cancelled after one session, but it was enough to spark Brewer's interest. Fascinated by mail, she began to read everything she could find about it. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much information available. Although there were many pictures of mail, instructions were few and vague. She discovered the 4-on-1 pattern she'd been using was only one of many but couldn’t find any instructions for the other types of mail. Through trial and error, she came up with techniques for reproducing these patterns.

As her passion for her newfound craft grew, she began taking it on the road. "I also love to travel, see new places, and meet new people," Brewer says. "The variety and richness of the people of this country never cease to amaze me." Combine this wanderlust with her passion for Shakespearean literature, and it's no surprise that Brewer ended up as a vendor at Renaissance faires selling chain mail armor and daggers. "Traveling and vending at Renaissance faires, I meet many, many people," says Brewer. "I’ve met other mail makers and exchanged ideas with them. I’ve held classes to teach the art of mail construction. And it is an art, not only in the ability to design beautiful pieces, but also in the construction of a usable fighting garment."

It was Mary's love of meeting new people and exchanging information with them that led indirectly to The Art of Mail Armor. While chatting with friends on Internet Relay Chat (IRC) one day, she mentioned her new passion. The reaction was, "Really?! I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that. Send me instructions!" So she drew diagrams and wrote basic directions. Soon her friends wanted to know how to fit sleeves, curve around the neck, join pieces together, and so on. She drew more diagrams and wrote more directions.

Along with basic instructions, she shared her own inventions. Unsatisfied with methods used in cutting links, she looked for easier ones. She cut down on time and effort by learning to cut more than one link at a time. "I’m lazy and like to do things the comfortable way," she admits. She also developed a method of winding that is fast and efficient. At the same time, she was designing new looks by combining different patterns – something she hadn’t seen anyone else doing. Increasingly, she found herself devising solutions to common problems encountered in chain mail construction. For instance, she blocked 4-on-1 mail with edgings of 6-on-2 so the finished piece would hold its shape. She also worked out a way to gradually expand a piece so it would flow from the neck and around the shoulders without bunching up. And she improved upon the common method of making coifs. With the standard method, the crown of the head either had a hole from the large center ring or a knot where the first round bunched up, so Brewer developed a way to square the crown for a smooth fit.

When Mike Riley in Switzerland suggested she had the basis for a book, she gave the idea serious consideration. She knew from personal experience that there was a market for information on chain mail construction, and her initial research had revealed that there was not a single book on the subject. Brewer decided to organize her extensive notes into a manuscript and try to get it published. Because Paladin Press published a number of books on Renaissance warfare and weaponry, she contacted us with a proposal, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Q & A

Paladin: Since so few people are making mail, do you get a big reaction when you set up your booth at Renaissance faires?
Brewer: Yes, tremendous reaction. I prefer to go to the smaller Renaissance faires because I find them less commercial and more enthusiastic. Many tourists are amazed that anyone today still makes mail. One of the things I really enjoy is to dress up children in mail and let their parents take pictures. It's also a good way to sneak in a little history. I have been invited to several schools to give presentations. Even people who make mail find my booth interesting. Quite a few people who have learned to make mail know only the basic 4-on-1 pattern. When they realize there are many more types of mail patterns, they want instructions. Many of my designs are unique, such as my technique of combining different patterns and edging pieces. So, yes, both tourists and Renaissance buffs find my booth of great interest.

Paladin: Some people construct long chains and then combine the chains together. Have you made mail by this method?
Brewer: No. I’ve seen the old picture of a mail maker working chains hanging from a bar. After thinking about it for a minute I didn’t even want to try it. Try standing or sitting with your arms out in front of you for more than five minutes. Your arms will feel like lead, and your shoulders will ache. I believe in comfort. Working with mail on your lap is much more comfortable and less tiring. Another reason I wouldn’t even try that method is because I think it would waste time. Keeping all those chains from tangling and constantly turning the chains so they lie in the correct direction seems a waste of effort. Yet another reason I don’t use that method is because you can’t shape the garment as you make it. With my method you can immediately see how the piece is progressing.

Paladin: In addition to selling your wares at Renaissance faires, do you make custom mail?
Brewer: Absolutely. I sold one bishop's mantle to a lady in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who was going to wear it over a formal gown to the opera. It was similar to the one I'm wearing in the photo (right).

Paladin: Are most of your customers involved in Renaissance reenactment, or do you also sell mail for theatrical productions and movies? If not, have you ever considered pursuing these markets?
Brewer: Most of my customers are private individuals who wish to wear their mail at Renaissance events, although I do sell quite a few pieces of jewelry, such as necklaces and bracelets, to tourists who just wish to have a keepsake of an event they enjoyed and a conversation piece to wear. I have had several people suggest that I try the movie market, but I've been too busy to really do anything about it.

Paladin: Do you have a Web site to promote your mail?
Brewer: I'm working on it. As I said above, I've just been too busy to spend the time setting up a Web site. However, I do plan to have a site to promote The Art of Mail Armor, along with several other projects I'm involved in, including one that would enable people to have their own picture knitted into a blanket, similar to the old tapestries that were hung on castle walls.

Paladin: What materials can you use for mail? How do their prices compare?
Brewer: You can use just about any type of wire you like. The most economical is electric fence wire. It is easy to find at any building and supply house and is not expensive. A half-mile roll of 14-gauge wire will cost about $28 and will be more than enough to make a hauberk and probably a coif, too, depending on the size of the individual. Stainless steel is much harder to find and quite a bit more expensive. Brass and copper are prohibitive, not only in terms of price but because the wire itself is soft and will not hold up to the strain. However, you can use brass welding rods, which have the strength of steel wire and the look of brass. I don't recommend copper welding rods because they corrode too quickly. There are also coat hangers. Stripped of their varnish, they become beautiful shiny steel. It is also very strong wire, and the cost of coat hangers is minimal. Just put them in a dark closet and soon you will have all you want! Seriously, you can get them at garage sales, flea markets, and thrift shops and through friends and relatives willing to donate them.

Paladin: How much can you expect to pay for ready-made mail garments? For example, how much does a shirt or bishop's mantle cost to buy? How much if you make your own?
Brewer: I sell my bishop's mantles for $200 each. I estimate the (material) cost for making one at $5 to $10. A medium-size shirt, short sleeved, would sell for around $350. Based on the cost of the wire, it would run around $20 to make. The cost of a premade mail garment is not in the cost of materials, but in the time involved in making one.

Paladin: How long does it take to construct a vest or a hauberk?
Brewer: That depends on the style and size of the item. You can figure that it takes about 7 hours to make a square foot of mail. For a shirt requiring 15 square feet of mail you can figure on about 105 hours. This time includes winding, cutting, opening and closing links, and assembling links. The nice thing about mail is that you can add to it. So you can start with a simple vest and then lengthen it, add sleeves, and gradually make it into a full hauberk. In the meantime, you can enjoy it as a vest.

Paladin: What is the most elaborate mail garment or accoutrement you have ever made?
Brewer: That's hard to answer. For large items I would say either a vest with detachable sleeves, dags, and scalloped edges, or one of the coifs with inlaid crosses. Personally, I prefer some of the bishop's mantles. One was made with golden crosses held together by chains of silver. The last one I sold to a lord at an Amguard gathering of the clans in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. He wore it for high court to receive honors from the queen for exceptional service on her behalf.

Paladin: What is your favorite piece?
Brewer: You tend to get attached to many pieces after putting so much time and effort into making them. I do think I like the bishop's mantles the best. I like the way they flow around the shoulders and generally the way they feel when you wear them. However, there are some small bracelets I've designed that I really have priced too high in hopes that they won't sell. In the meantime, I get to wear them.

Paladin: Is mail armor cumbersome to wear? How heavy is your average shirt, for instance? How about your average coif?
Brewer: A coif (headpiece) with a full bishop's mantle in 14-gauge wire weighs about 9 pounds. This sounds like it would be very uncomfortable to wear. It really isn't. Mail protects from cutting, but not from broken bones, since it is very flexible. When wearing mail the weight is spread across the whole body, and in the case of the coif, much of the weight rests on the shoulders. I wouldn't want to wear a full hauberk all day, in the summer especially. It weighs about 35 to 40 pounds, but underneath that you need heavy quilted padding. As you can imagine, it would be very hot after a while.

Paladin: Do you see a resurgence in Renaissance arts?
Brewer: Yes, definitely. Not only are more people joining reenactment groups, but many more communities and colleges are starting faires. I think the romance and valor of that time appeals to everyone in these days of trouble. To "escape," even for a few hours, into a time of chivalry recharges our sense of faith and honor. Besides, it's tons of fun.

Paladin: Is this limited to the United States or is it international?
Brewer: Definitely international. The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) has groups all over the world, for example. Tourists go to the castles in Ireland and other countries and enjoy a feast and entertainment hosted by reenactment people. There are companies in this country who do the same thing.

Paladin: Do you have plans for another book? If so, on what topic?
Brewer: Yes, if I can find time to write it. I've been doing some research on shield construction and would like to do some experimenting in leather shields. There is a French method of curing raw leather that makes it as hard as iron. There are so many different types and styles of shields, with a lot of history involved. The idea fascinates me. I'm also involved in paper cement construction. It is a medium that is not only well insulated but versatile for building almost anything. There might be another book idea there.

Paladin: Are there any other artistic avenues you plan to pursue?
Brewer: My interests have always been varied. I love to work with my hands, creating and designing. In addition to mail, I also work in leather and wood, and I paint in both acrylics and oil. I plan on making a kiln, which I will need to bake the leather for the shields. Of course, while I have the kiln I'll just have to get involved in pottery. Then there is this fountain with a dragon that I'd like to make. I also plan on adding a greenhouse to our house. I also work full time. Then there are the Renaissance faires. So, as you can see, there's always something to do and usually not enough time to do it all.

THE ART OF MAIL ARMOR
How to Make Your Own