Lord of Battles’ Haubergeon
Aug 7, 2016 15:31:35 GMT
Post by pgandy on Aug 7, 2016 15:31:35 GMT
I bought a Lord of Battles hauberk from KoA and have no connection with either other than being a full paying customer. The subject is a Chainmail Haubergeon #SNC152N. It’s of 16 gauge high tensile wire with 9mm rings and according to KoA weighs 16 lb 2 oz and sells for $99.95. I have since added additional rings to it.
I am not a fan of butted maille and to be honest I bought this mostly because of the price. The other two reasons were the manufacturer and the fact that it was of high tensile wire and not mild steel. My cost was $261, I had estimated about $250. I have to admit that I ordered a $11.95 leather pouch along with it, which I would have done regardless of which hauberk ordered, as I was afraid the hauberk would block my access to my pockets. Something to carry my keys and a handkerchief is needed. The riveted hauberk that I considered, not the best but considered, was priced at $249.95 and estimated it well over $550 on receipt. At the same percentage increase as the one I bought that would be $652 plus additional rings, 2 sizes, and a riveting tool. I have about 4 lb. of matching rings from two previous projects making a mantel and coif that can be used for repairs and alterations to the butted model. As I do not re-enact nor need something historically correct, I decided that the price difference would be better off spent elsewhere. I wanted the hauberk mainly to help understand history better with only a remote possibility of ever using it in combat. And even so, I suspected that it will hold up for a brief encounter.
I am not large being 5’9” and weigh 160 lb with a 39” chest, which measures 41” with my lighter gambeson and 42½” with my thicker one. According to KoA their medium fitted chests up to 44” so I selected that one. It was a tight fit but I managed to get it on over the thinner gambeson, but it absolutely refused the thicker one. So it was to my stock of rings that I had been saving and two full weekends starting at mid day Friday making the first alterations. The first weekend I managed to make two maille strips about 2½” wide, when stretched, by the length of the hauberk. The second weekend I installed one in the back and then filled the neck hole in somewhat. As a result the fit over the light gambeson was much better and it almost went over the thicker gambeson. It looks like another weekend of work. I suspect the KoA sent me someone’s reject as it came unbagged and with much less preservative than I had expected.
When I first received the hauberk I was impressed with the workmanship. The rings were closed much better than I had imagined would be. Lord of Battles makes good products for the money. However on enlarging the hauberk when I got to the neck area and just below it was like some else had done this part. No big deal but I did spend much time reworking the closures on those rings.
I am having second thoughts about adding the second expansion strip so that I can wear it with the thicker gambeson. That gambeson is thick and will challenge a blade by itself. In addition to being thick it is also stiff and weighs 3x the thinner one. The hauberk does not seem to add much heat but it would certainly be cooler and more comfortable without it, an important factor here in the tropics. The thicker gambeson cushions a blow better than the other one, an important factor to consider since the maille does nothing in this respect. While having second thoughts at this point I’ll in all likelihood have another go at it next weekend in regards to enlarging.
As for the effectiveness of the maille, I put the hauberk over a plastic jug with a rug folded to give about the thickness of my thickest gambeson and gave it a whack one with a machete and I failed to find the slightest damage. Before I get any contrary comments about using a machete and not a typical weapon of the period let me explain. If needed I am not above using a AccuSharp to dress the edge on the machete if needed, never on my sword which requires hours of hand work, and as I was exploring new territory I had no idea of what to expect. A $200 sword will cost me a short $500 to replace, a machete about $15. Also for the benefit of my knowledge as it will most likely be a machete that I would face, not a sword. I know it’s unlikely, and even more unlikely that I’ll have time to put the hauberk on. The machete is made by Bellota in Colombia and has given me about a decade of good service and at times falling trees of about 10-12” diameter amongst other jobs. CS and Condor’s machete cutlasses have nothing over this one other than a knuckle bow which is largely window dressing. In the field I’ll lay my money on the Bellota.
I don’t hold butted maille in high esteem but this hauberk appears like it will hold up to my needs. In fact, I am surprised at how well it is holding up and feel that Lord of Battle has given me an honest value (forget transportation and import fees). If I was subjecting it to a hard workout on a regular basis I would want something stronger. I did read many reviews on Amazon from people that bought the butted stuff which sounded like it was first class junk. Some complained the weight alone caused the rings to expand, some complained that the stress of putting it on caused popped rings. I was holding my breath but have experienced no such thing. One KoA reviewer had this to say, “Used it the same weekend it was received for heavy-duty combat practice and it seems to hold up very well. Even after some opponents scored a few heavy hits (with blunt, but steel blades, no rubber or foam) the mail didn't appear to have any damage or splitting”.
A photo of the hauberk over my thinner gambeson after enlarging.
A demo.
I am not a fan of butted maille and to be honest I bought this mostly because of the price. The other two reasons were the manufacturer and the fact that it was of high tensile wire and not mild steel. My cost was $261, I had estimated about $250. I have to admit that I ordered a $11.95 leather pouch along with it, which I would have done regardless of which hauberk ordered, as I was afraid the hauberk would block my access to my pockets. Something to carry my keys and a handkerchief is needed. The riveted hauberk that I considered, not the best but considered, was priced at $249.95 and estimated it well over $550 on receipt. At the same percentage increase as the one I bought that would be $652 plus additional rings, 2 sizes, and a riveting tool. I have about 4 lb. of matching rings from two previous projects making a mantel and coif that can be used for repairs and alterations to the butted model. As I do not re-enact nor need something historically correct, I decided that the price difference would be better off spent elsewhere. I wanted the hauberk mainly to help understand history better with only a remote possibility of ever using it in combat. And even so, I suspected that it will hold up for a brief encounter.
I am not large being 5’9” and weigh 160 lb with a 39” chest, which measures 41” with my lighter gambeson and 42½” with my thicker one. According to KoA their medium fitted chests up to 44” so I selected that one. It was a tight fit but I managed to get it on over the thinner gambeson, but it absolutely refused the thicker one. So it was to my stock of rings that I had been saving and two full weekends starting at mid day Friday making the first alterations. The first weekend I managed to make two maille strips about 2½” wide, when stretched, by the length of the hauberk. The second weekend I installed one in the back and then filled the neck hole in somewhat. As a result the fit over the light gambeson was much better and it almost went over the thicker gambeson. It looks like another weekend of work. I suspect the KoA sent me someone’s reject as it came unbagged and with much less preservative than I had expected.
When I first received the hauberk I was impressed with the workmanship. The rings were closed much better than I had imagined would be. Lord of Battles makes good products for the money. However on enlarging the hauberk when I got to the neck area and just below it was like some else had done this part. No big deal but I did spend much time reworking the closures on those rings.
I am having second thoughts about adding the second expansion strip so that I can wear it with the thicker gambeson. That gambeson is thick and will challenge a blade by itself. In addition to being thick it is also stiff and weighs 3x the thinner one. The hauberk does not seem to add much heat but it would certainly be cooler and more comfortable without it, an important factor here in the tropics. The thicker gambeson cushions a blow better than the other one, an important factor to consider since the maille does nothing in this respect. While having second thoughts at this point I’ll in all likelihood have another go at it next weekend in regards to enlarging.
As for the effectiveness of the maille, I put the hauberk over a plastic jug with a rug folded to give about the thickness of my thickest gambeson and gave it a whack one with a machete and I failed to find the slightest damage. Before I get any contrary comments about using a machete and not a typical weapon of the period let me explain. If needed I am not above using a AccuSharp to dress the edge on the machete if needed, never on my sword which requires hours of hand work, and as I was exploring new territory I had no idea of what to expect. A $200 sword will cost me a short $500 to replace, a machete about $15. Also for the benefit of my knowledge as it will most likely be a machete that I would face, not a sword. I know it’s unlikely, and even more unlikely that I’ll have time to put the hauberk on. The machete is made by Bellota in Colombia and has given me about a decade of good service and at times falling trees of about 10-12” diameter amongst other jobs. CS and Condor’s machete cutlasses have nothing over this one other than a knuckle bow which is largely window dressing. In the field I’ll lay my money on the Bellota.
I don’t hold butted maille in high esteem but this hauberk appears like it will hold up to my needs. In fact, I am surprised at how well it is holding up and feel that Lord of Battle has given me an honest value (forget transportation and import fees). If I was subjecting it to a hard workout on a regular basis I would want something stronger. I did read many reviews on Amazon from people that bought the butted stuff which sounded like it was first class junk. Some complained the weight alone caused the rings to expand, some complained that the stress of putting it on caused popped rings. I was holding my breath but have experienced no such thing. One KoA reviewer had this to say, “Used it the same weekend it was received for heavy-duty combat practice and it seems to hold up very well. Even after some opponents scored a few heavy hits (with blunt, but steel blades, no rubber or foam) the mail didn't appear to have any damage or splitting”.
A photo of the hauberk over my thinner gambeson after enlarging.
A demo.