Chainmail

Chainmail (also chain mail, chain maille, or just mail or maille) is a type of armour or jewelry that consists of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. Mail can generally be punctured by a spear or shorn by the blow from a heavy axe or sword (although riveted chainmail is much stronger), and its flexibility means that its wearer is still vulnerable to blunt weapons. Nevertheless, it was an effective and popular defense for its ability to stop cutting weapons from piercing the skin. Medieval physicians could usually set broken bones, but when it came to preventing infection they were woefully inadequate. Thus the mail was weak in defending against wounds which could be more easily mended but strong against those to which the soldier was most vulnerable. The word chainmail is of relatively recent coinage, having been in use only since the 1700s, prior to this it was refered to simply as mail http://www.regia.org/warfare/Mail.htm.

Modern uses

During World War I, mail was evaluated as a material for bullet proof vests, but results were unsatisfactory as the rings would fragment and further aggravate the damage. A mail fringe, designed by Captain Cruise of the British Infantry, was added to helmets to protect the face but this proved unpopular with soldiers, in spite of being proven to defend against a three-ounce shrapnel round fired at a distance of one hundred yards (92.3m).

Related Topics:
World War I - Bullet proof vest - Captain Cruise - Shrapnel

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Today, there are machines which knit metal wires to produce protective mail, usually with rings welded together, for use in protective clothing for butchers (against meat-packing equipment) and scuba divers (against shark teeth). There is also anecdotal evidence to suggest that mail is superior to heavy leather for protecting motorcyclists from injury should they be thrown from their motorcycles.

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Mail also has applications in sculpture and jewelry, especially when made out of precious metals or colorful anodized metals. Recent trends in mail artwork include headdresses, Christmas ornaments, chess sets, and all manner of jewelry. For these non-traditional applications, hundreds of new weaves or patterns have been invented.

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Chainmail suits are also used as protection from high voltages - they form a faraday cage around the wearer.

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