How to Make Ring Mail Armor

Place a hand drill into a vice with the crank facing up. Tighten the vice.

Insert the former into the drill bit. Make sure the hole is nearest the bit.

Insert one end of the wire in the former hole. Put on gloves and protective eyewear. Holding the other end of the wire begin turning the crank, keeping the wire tight until you have a tight coil.

Remove the coil from the former. Use the wire cutter to cut through the top of the coil. You now have opened ended wire rings.

Take one ring and close it by holding each side with a pair of pliers and twisting until the ends are flush. Close three more rings with the pliers.

Place the four closed rings in one open ring and close the open ring. This is called a fiver.

Lay the fiver flat and spread out the rings. Move two rings to the top of the center ring and two rings to the bottom of the center ring.

Close two more rings. Place on an open ring. Loop the open ring around the bottom rings in your fiver. Close the open ring. Arrange the newest bottom rings so they are in the same pattern as the fiver. One on top and one on the bottom.

Repeat step 8 until your strip reaches the desired length.

Place two closed rings on an open ring. Loop the open ring through the two rings on the side of the original fiver and close the ring.

Place one closed ring on one open ring. Loop this ring through the three nearest rings, continuing the pattern.

Repeat Steps 10 and 11 until the strip reaches the desired width.