Product Info
Want to know more about what chainmaille is, materials used, options available, etc? You’re in the right place!
Chainmaille (also called maille, chainmail, chain maille, chain mail, etc.) is an art form that is based on armor-making techniques used for centuries. Everything I sell is handcrafted. The metal starts as wire, which is coiled and cut into rings. I don’t do the coiling myself, preferring to buy my rings pre-made. I weave these rings, one at a time, into items such as jewelry, belts, dice bags, costumes, etc.
I pride myself on my workmanship, so I continuously search to find the best materials and best suppliers.
Metal Available & Care Instructions
All metals oxidize with time. Keeping them in an airtight container may slow the process. See the individual metal descriptions for cleaning instructions. Do not immerse items with stones or pearls into a commercial cleaning solution unless the instructions state it is safe for those items. Here is a picture comparing different metals. (Note, I do not use all of them. ) See the list below for available choices.
Photo Courtesy of The Ring Lord. Click Image to Enlarge.
Aluminum — Two Types are Used
Anodized Aluminum
Available in: Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, Gold, Green, Turquoise, Blue, Dark Purple, Violet, Black, and Bronze.
The lightweight benefits of bright aluminum, but more colorful! Aluminum rings are soaked in acid while an electrical current is run through them to open up the pores, allowing dye to soak in and create extremely bright and vivid colors. The picture below shows the available colors (note: not all colors are available for all items). The coating is fairly hard but can be scratched. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Photo Courtesy of The Ring Lord. Click Image to Enlarge.
Bright Aluminum
A clean, very shiny, silver/grey metal that is about one-third the weight of steel. It resists oxidation, so there is little-to-no noticeable rub off. The longer the metal's been in open air, the less shiny it'll eventually become. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Brass
Brass has a smooth, metallic yellow color, a bit more yellow than most gold. It is a copper alloy but is stronger than most copper (almost as strong as steel). The two main downsides to brass are the weight (slightly heavier than steel), and it will tarnish (although it tarnishes far less than pure copper). Brass is known to turn your skin color, like copper, only with brass, it is less prominent. It can be cleaned with any commercially available brass cleaner, or by soaking in lemon juice or ketchup.
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Bronze
A shiny, dark copper-colored metal (slightly less red than copper) that's an alloy of copper and tin. Slightly lighter weight than copper, and stronger. Like copper, bronze will also tarnish. It turns darker over time, which some people prefer to the initial “new penny” color. Bronze is also known to turn your skin color, like copper. It can be cleaned with any commercially available brass cleaner, or by soaking in lemon juice or ketchup.
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Copper
A shiny, reddish colored metal. It tarnishes very easily turning dull and darker and even green when left damp. It can be cleaned with any commercially available copper cleaner, or by soaking in lemon juice or ketchup.
Enameled Copper
A soft copper that's been coated in a colored layer of enamel and comes in a wide variety of colors. (too many to list here. Contact me if you want to know what is available.) Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Gold — Two Types are Used
10k
Solid 10k yellow gold. Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. Use any commercial jewelry cleaner.
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14k Gold Filled
Gold fill is a common, and far less expensive, replacement for solid gold. It starts with a brass core, then a thick layer of gold is applied. This layer is typically 10 to 20 times thicker than gold plating, is much more durable, and uses 14k gold. Wears and lasts like solid gold. Use any commercial jewelry cleaner.
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Plain Niobium — Two Types are Used
Strong, corrosion resistant, and hypo-allergenic. In raw wire form it's a matte silver color. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Anodized Niobium
Available in: Bronze, Shimmering Brown, Cobalt Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, Rose Gold, Electric Salmon, Dark Rose, Violet, Indigo, Peacock Blue, Teal, and Green.
Niobium is a reactive metal. This means that it can be anodized to an array of beautiful colors, much like titanium, only more vivid and there are a few more colors that can be achieved with niobium. The anodized layer works well for jewelry but it is not indestructible. It can wear off with rubbing against a harder material. Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Rubber
Comes in various sizes and colors and allows for some pieces to be made seamlessly, without a clasp. Lightweight, so when combined with aluminum or titanium makes great costume pieces and club wear. Since the rings are solid, they are almost always used in combination with metal rings. I use EPDM rubber o-rings. They have excellent resistance to water, steam, alcohol, ozone, and sunlight. Avoid petroleum oils, gasoline, and similar items. They handle temperature ranges from –67° to 302°F. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Silver — Two Types are Used
Fine Silver
Fine Silver is 99.9% pure silver. This has a whiter looking appearance, and is more tarnish resistant than sterling silver. Slightly more expensive, but many find it worth the extra cost. Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. Can be cleaned with commercially available silver cleaners.
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Sterling Silver
A staple in jewelry creation. This is the basic silver which is used in many cast rings, with '925' stamped on them. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver (the remaining percent is usually copper) and tarnishes easier than fine silver. Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. Can be cleaned with commercially available silver cleaners.
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Stainless Steel
Steel is by far the most common metal used to make chainmaille. It comes in many forms, including mild, galvanized, and stainless. I only work with stainless steel. Stainless steel has a deep, medium to dark grey color. It can be used for jewelry, although you don’t see it as often as sterling or gold. It weighs a bit less, is quite strong, far less expensive, and does not tarnish or oxidize, although it will rust under some extreme conditions. Even surgical grade stainless steel sometimes contains nickel, so it may cause problems for people with nickel allergies. It is also harder to work with than some other metals, so my labor cost is a little higher. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Plain Titanium — Two Types are Used
This is the stuff that dreams are made of. It is 60% lighter than steel, extremely strong, and has a whitish-grey shine to it. It is incredible for both jewelry and clothing. Titanium does not rust, will not oxidize, and is considered hypo-allergenic (non-reactive for most people). It is harder to work with than some other metals, so my labor cost is a little higher. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Anodized Titanium
Available in: Light Blue, Gold, Bronze, Dark Blue, Purple, Rose, Violet, Teal, and Green.
All the great qualities of Titanium, with color! Available only in some of the more delicate jewelry items. The titanium is cleaned and bathed in an electrolyte solution while an electrical current is run through it. This creates a layer of oxide on the surface of the titanium, which changes the way it refracts the light. Depending on the voltage, the thickness of this layer changes, producing different colors. The nice thing about this oxide is that it is actually harder than the titanium itself, so the color will not wear off easily, and will not chip easily. Anodized titanium colors are muted when compared to anodized aluminum colors. The variation in color of titanium is an attractive feature. It is a beautiful metal and the variance in color is beautiful as well. All titanium anodizes with variation in the colors - from ring to ring in a batch and even from side to side on a ring. Rings can have dark or light coloring, can be solid or varied and can even have lines of color on a given ring. The color can be affected by oils from your skin - the color is restored be washing with soap and to remove the oils. Clean with mild dish soap (blue Dawn recommended) and warm water.
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Beads & Crystals
Many of the items I create also include beads and crystals. I use only high-quality glass beads, usually Czech glass. All crystals are Swarovski® unless otherwise noted. A wide range of colors and styles is available, and I will work with you to choose the perfect ones for your item.
Clasps & Findings
Here are descriptions of the standard clasps and findings I use for jewelry. If you prefer something not listed here, let me know and I’ll see if I can find it for you.
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Lobster Claw Clasp
An elongated clasp with a small trigger that, when pulled, opens up a gate that is used to hook the clasp to the other end of a chain. Lobster claws are very secure, but sometimes require assistance to put on if you do not have particularly dexterous hands. Usually made from Sterling, Gold Fill, or Titanium.
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Toggle Clasp
Consists of two pieces, a ring and a bar. The ring is attached to one end of the chain, and the bar is attached to the other. To clasp the chain you put the bar through the ring, and then turn it so that it cannot come back out. Can usually be done one-handed. Varies in style from very simple to extremely ornate. Usually made from Sterling, Gold Fill, or Titanium.
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Tube Clasp
Great for ending a necklace or bracelet. It's made of 2 tubes, one fits inside the other. You attach one side of a chain to each side and when you insert the tube inside the other you have a very attractive closure. Usually made from Sterling, Gold Fill, or Stainless Steel.
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Ear Wires
The basic “French Hook”. The earring attaches to the loop on one end of the wire, and the other end goes through the ear. I usually use nickel-free Surgical Stainless, but also offer Sterling, Gold Fill, Titanium, and Niobium.
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Ear Posts
A common form of earring finding. The earring is attached to the loop at the bottom of a small ball, and the back of the post goes through the ear. A “nut” is place on the back to hold the post in place. Usually nickel-free Surgical Stainless, but also offer Sterling.
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Lever-Back
A more secure form of ear wire, and my personal favorite. Unfortunately, they are hard to find in anything other than “cheap” metal, Sterling, and sometimes Gold Fill. I’m looking for a source for hypoallergenic. Let me know if you are interested in this style.
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Disclaimer:
The chainmaille sold on this site is for decorative/costume/casual purposes only!! It is not intended as armor/protection.
Wear it at your own risk. If you are interested in armor/SCA grade chainmaille, I am happy to refer you to a suitable supplier.
