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Arms & Armor The Art of Mail Armor: How to Make Your Own by Mary Brewer $49.95 / Paladin Press / 2002 Chainmail is a part of every knight's ensemble, but acquiring the necessary accoutrements can be a costly venture. Mary Brewer's do-it-yourself approach offers an alternative to store-bought chainmail while at the same time introduces readers to an ancient practice that has changed little over the course of the past two millennia. Brewer explains the benefits and drawbacks of working with various gauges of steel, copper, and brass wires and rods. And her description of winders and cutting tools is kept simple, although a detailed schematic of a typical winder would have been more helpful than her drawings. Since prolonged exposure to moisture will ultimately render any chainmail unsightly and unusable, she also addresses cleaning and polishing techniques, with attention given to each metal type. Most of the instruction focuses on a standard 4-on-1 pattern, the illustrations closely following the tutorial as the links are joined and begin to take on a recognizable framework. As the chainmail instruction becomes more complex, subsequent chapters describe the use of points, rounding, flares, reductions, extensions, and inlaid designs, integrating these basics into a variety of ring variations. If tackling the creation of a hauberk or coif the first time out appears too daunting a task, a seperate discussion on the making of chainmail jewelry provides a good starting point. The diversity of the patterns are more than useful for those seeking to supplement or update their current wardrobe, but even beginners will find this book informative and inspiring. —Charles Matza

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