Sara's Chainmail Connection
General Info
Without a doubt, the best collection of links and info for anyone interested in chain mail.
Find the other guys on yahoo.
How To... Make Chain
We inevitably get asked for hints on mail making. Sorry, there are no secrets; every single link must be opened and closed by hand, there's no getting around it. For those interested making mail themselves, there are many websites with how-to info.
This page is part of The Arador Armour Library, The online resource for armour. It is an excellent resource for not just mail but all manner of projects.
Another good resource for several different construction projects. Heavy on graphics.
Butted Mail: A Mailmaker's Guide
Not only shows basic knitting, but also shows the tough stuff like expansion and contraction. Also gives patterns for some pieces.
ROSCO - A Division of Rome Specialty Company, Inc
Want loose rings, but don't want to make them? Try this tack supply. Note, for the truly lazy, we've seen some interesting products made with split rings.
Re-enactors
Re-enactors are people who attempt to take elements of the past and give them new life in the present. It's possible that for even historical time and place there is a reenactment group exploring it, from the Roman Empire to the US Civil War.
The Society for Creative Anachronism
The avowed purpose of the SCA is the study and recreation of the European Middle Ages, its crafts, sciences, arts, traditions, literature, etc. The SCA "period" is defined to be Western civilization before 1600 AD, concentrating on the Western European High Middle Ages. Under the aegis of the SCA we study dance, calligraphy, martial arts, cooking, metalwork, stained glass, costuming, literature... well, if they did it, somebody in the SCA does it (Except die of the Plague!).
This is one of the largest and oldest of the groups focused on the Middle Ages. If you're interested in this sort of thing there's probable an active group near you.
LARP
LARP stands for Live Action Role-Playing game. It's kind of like improvisational theater fused with table game rules. Most players get extra credit for looking good and wearing armor. We, of course, recommend they wear mail.
We believe very much in the spirit of the game, and strive to focus on the role-playing aspect every bit, if not more, than the game schematics.
Live Action Interactive Role-Playing Explorers Curiously, they offer not statement of game style or philosophy.
What's in a name?
Most enthusiasts of the medieval period have had a reason to say something like "What's a good period name? No, not Ulrik, something different." Here are some places to go that can help aid in the dilemma.
This collection of articles on medieval and renaissance names is intended to help historical re-creators to choose authentic names. While a good resource, it is somewhat pretentious, featuring a list of sites that they have judged bad, but offering none judged good. Still, the information is well documented and ideal for the historically precise.
This site attempts to explore the origin and meaning of first names. While the banner ads are a little distracting and the info is not period specific, there is a lot of interesting stuff here. Of particular interest is the elements in first names section.
We used his words for this section because, among other things, he has penned some of the best phrases in the English language. You may have spent English class firmly believing that the Bard was making up some of his words. Amusingly enough, he was. Tour Bill's contributions to our modern language either at this website or by buying the book it was set up to promote.