Cosplay Chainmail - 4 Alternatives | Lightweight and Cheap

[@Mangoband99]

For my high school production of Monty python, we crocheted the chain links. I don’t remember the stitch used, but it was super light weight and looked great!

[@sir.phillip2697]

That was done for the actual movie too

[@camilabiancoaguero1552]

This was really helpful, for example, i would have never thought about replacing chainmail with fabric, yet it's easier, cheaper And lighter And looks great, thank you so much! PS: love the headpieces in the back!

[@RaymondOreFineArt]

I know in the past maybe still, film extras that needed chainmail would have it knitted with a silvery wool, looked very realistic even up close

[@melissaquinn1463]

For crafty folks, you can knit the chain mail from yarn and paint it. The halter top in my avatar picture is an example of this technique, using aluminum scales, too. I sewed the knitted chain mail panels to denim for strength and stability. This yarn method is also good when you’d rather not clank around all day.

[@regeledium6231]

Melissa Quinn which kind of knitting do you use ? Jersey ?

[@melissaquinn1463]

Reg Eledium We used the knit stitch, worsted weight yarn, and large needles to form a basic loose stockinette. I’ve seen other folks recycle sweaters with similar results for small areas, since the “wrong” side of bulky sweater knit looks similar once its painted.

[@regeledium6231]

Melissa Quinn oh, I see. So basically you use the "purl" side of a jersey piece. Thank you !

[@melissaquinn1463]

Reg Eledium Exactly! I was shown this technique by a theater costume designer, because fast, cheap, and quiet backstage were her primary concerns. I’ve used it a couple times, including the halter top in my avatar picture

[@regeledium6231]

You suddenly made my cosplaying dreams closer to reality :)

[@owlislike]

You can also buy pre cut aluminum rings for pretty cheap. Great ideas!

[@bearnaff9387]

For the plastic-spring chainmail alternative, you don't have to use diagonal cutters to separate each individual ring. You can use a rotary cutter, like a Dremel tool. The technique is similar to how real steel springs can be made. In steel spring making where you start with a solid steel wire, you can build a device to make springs by just drilling an appropriate-sized hole through one end of a dowel (perpendicular to the dowel, not through the center of it), and then wrapping the wire around the dowel from one end of it to the other. Then, holding the loose end of the spring in place, you just run your rotary cutter in a straight line along the dowel, splitting each ring off of the spring at the same relative point. This is an easy method to get even rings from homemade springs. Adapting this to plastic pre-formed springs is easy, you just need to find a dowel at or near the inner diameter of the spring, attach it to the dowel (via a hole, or tape, or whatever), and run your rotary cutter down to turn that spring into a pile of rings ready to be flattened and glued. With a little planning you can get the amount of effort needed for a close-up capable piece of prop chainmail down to something similar to real chainmail. It's not as easy as your other methods, but it's lightweight and can look very realistic with painting.

[@ForestFolf]

Sweet! I'll try this sometime

[@MikeS-um1nm]

OH! Look at the nice kitty at one minute into the video!! What a BEAUTIFUL cat!! Kinda reminds me a little of MY baby, especially sleeping where I'm trying to work!

[@Mistellesonn]

When chainmail is actually made, the rings are made just like how you worked with the plastic springs! Metal wire is coiled, and then each loop of the coil is cut and riveted shut.

[@appleyanimator6541]

Actually, they're more or less flat discs that taper out to the end, so there's enough room for a small rivet. I don't know of any good quality mail that was completely round.

[@JohnDolehi]

Aight imma go do a solaire cosplay

[@abigaletucker334]

You and Ralf are geniuses holy crap

[@WintersCosplay]

You could also check out the method weta workshop used for their chainmail works (for example in Lord of the Rings or World of Warcraft). I can’t remember exactly what they did but it was very cheap and lightweight and looked a lot like the 3D printed chainmail you show here but it‘s done by hand! PS: i think they used plastic hoses to cut the rings and then attached them again in a chainmail.

[@DanyAshby]

They used pvc pipes cut into rings.

[@markpoole6449]

A spot of glue on each one holds them closed and they are quite durable. Only cut open half the rings and it's even more durable.

[@theworkshop7505]

They actually use pex pipe, they use a solenoid cutter and feed the pipe into it. Its actually in the lord of the rings movie compendiums. There is also likely some video from WETA workshop on it. Its a little specialized but not super expensive to build the cutting machine, and pex is very cheap

[@Samtagri]

I like innovative uses for 3D printing. This is indeed magic

[@hornsholdinghellishlyhotho7396]

I usually just use soda tabs; most people can’t tell unless they take a really close look

[@chastityknite7029]

Seems like a drop of glue on the plastic rings would be a way to hold them close. Just need to apply it after you knitted the mail and before you paint.

[@jimlozano5619]

I'd like to see someone try using "grip shelf liner" as faux chainmail. It is fairly cheap and you can get it in a roll of 12" by 10' for $11.99. I think if it was sprayed with a light coat of silver it would look very convincing.

[@Ywhre]

Could you provide a link for the 3d print chainmail you used? There are lot of them on the site and honestly I can't tell which one would be the best.

[@Ashtonsmom1005]

*cough cough* draw with jazza *cough cough*

[@dobri4ok563]

ААА!!! Кольчуга на 3D принтере! Косплей, уровень: БОГ!!!)))

[@clothandprops6217]

I saw some who had done it with a metallic and crocheted cord, it doesn't seem but as a visual impact it was very likely

[@ryanmcgechaen2103]

Whereabouts did you find the plastic springs? I'm thinking that might be the best option for me.

[@ambaerlshall000]

The ring lord makes plastic rings. But, it does take time to put together.

[@williamclifford340]

does anyone know where you can find some of the fabric that was shown in the video??

[@dennyward9334]

The no slip mats I have seen have a rubber coating, enamel paint will never dry when sprayed on rubber. Acrylic paint, Rub n Buff, and Plastidip are about the only coatings that will work

[@kamilagreculova2027]

I really want Draw With Jazza to see the 3d printed one😂

[@rockinHurley777]

Black pvc pipe cut into rings. Some method used in the lord of the rings movies

[@tronpig]

I just realized you could made "rivited mail" with the small paper rings

[@shawncawley7164]

When using real chainmail if you are not wearing a belt the wight is all on your shoulders but if you do wear a belt the wight is disributed

[@ducomaritiem7160]

Hey, thanks, I never realised there was chainmail on thingieverse, I go try to print some on a1:6 Action man scale...

[@legofanguyvid]

Where'd you get the plastic springs?

[@tiagomoreira8742]

Great vídeo! Thanks! Afiliated Links are down and I would like to learn and help With the links

[@NerdyCraftsmith]

These are great tips!

[@ForestFolf]

Where would i find that mesh fabric?

[@silverintogold7707]

Have you tried soda can tabs? I've heard of a few different ways to use them as chairman.

[@Weelum2001]

For the mesh chainmail, how do you attach it to the rest of the armor? Do you use glue or Velcro or sewing, etc?

[@Alice-mk7zk]

Would these be durable enough for larping? I'm guessing that the mesh and the no-slip mat would be, but i'd like to use the 3d printed one

[@garethcrawshaw9532]

What site lead you to the plastic springs, please? I tried a simple 'plastic springs' Google search and pretty much all I got was Slinkys, cat toys or plastic coated, metal rings so where did you find your long, plastic springs?

[@shannonaguilar920]

Wow, very clever! Thank you very much

[@zpm3atlantis]

Which chain mail 3D model was that? I've tried quite a few, but none of them looked so good.

[@artificemayhem]

Woher kriegt man denn solche Plastik Federn? Ich such mich dumm und dämlich... (Where do you get plastic springs?)

[@gerryscully9248]

May learn to knit .... that’s how chainmail is done for non close ups in Hollywood

[@syeo501]

For the non slip mats, what do you think would work the best to glue the sides together? Do you think hot glue is enough to keep it together? I want to wrap it around my legs but I'm not sure how to glue the sides together

[@ForestFolf]

It's plastic, so you may be able to use a lighter and melt the ends together to make a sock like shape. I've been able to do that with rubber bands so it might work for the mats too

[@rinkuuu5520]

Where did they get the steel chain rails? And the scales? I can’t find them anywhere if anyone knows it’d be highly appreciated.

[@fintonmainz7845]

Can you make chain mail out of chain?

[@FairyPrincessOfHell]

what file did you use for the 3d printer?

[@llahsr]

where can i get the mesh fabric please

[@chicagovader2188]

Which chainmail stl did you use?

[@Overload1312]

Wo bekomm ich Rub'n'Buff oder wie mans schreibt in Deutschland her?

[@abbyver9626]

Kevin Sevenjhazi man kann es einfach auf Amazon kaufen

[@kirisgd5255]

Anybody has the link for those springs?

[@МаксимШевчюк]

Вааау , прикольно ) .

[@trulsdirio]

Aluminium.

[@iljavoronin163]

Алюминиевая проволка вместо стальной.

[@farscape3100]

cool idea but nine hours a sheet to print um

[@RikkiTheRose]

if steel is too heavy you know that the character is unrealistic, and the plastic didnt löook riveted real chainmail used in warfare was riveted otherise not even steel chainmail holds up for more than 20 seconds after first contact with the enemy

[@karinefonte516]

Coming here in 2020... Check Adam Savage's alternatives! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmmunnSIfsx2mrs

[@UNNYANEMPEROR38]

ah yes "cheap", if you happen to have a 3D printer

[@BHARGAV_GAJJAR]

nice art good selection of "chain mail like material" but this is NOT chain mail.