This is a tutorial on how to make a style of chainmail called Dragonscale. It is a weave that is composed of two different sized rings. It is dense and it looks great. I show you how to make it step by step and I also have a video showing how to make it . The video is at the bottom of the page.

And, if you never made chainmail before you might want to start with my easier tutorial. In that tutorial you make the standard european 4 in 1 chain. It is quick to learn and looks great too. Right here: Make beginners chainmail

Materials needed for this project:

• Some 14 gauge steel wire. To do it exactly as I do it. But if you just want to make some of this chainmail to see how it is you can use 14 or 16 gauge wire of any type including copper. Whatever you can get your hands on.
• Here is a spool of wire: Fi-Shock WC-14200 200-Feet, 14 Gauge Spool Galvanized Steel Wire NOTE ABOUT GALVANIZED WIRE: Do not heat it in a forge. It will release a toxic gas.
• There are two sized rings a 3/8 inch and a 5/8 inch ring. To spin out your rings you can use steel rods: National Hardware4005BC 3/8" x 36" Plated Steel Smooth Rod - National Hardware4005BC 5/8" x 36" Plated Steel Smooth Rod About these steel rods, every hardware store will carry them like Lowes and Home depot. They have a rack with steel stock, just ask a worker at the store where it is.
• Something to cut the rings with. I have these exact bolt cutters and it is the best for me: TEKTON 3386 8-Inch Heavy-Duty Mini Bolt and Wire Cutter ( You can also use aircraft tin snips- shown in the picture above, tool on very left)
• 
• Two pair of comfortable pliers, you can just this by what you like and what is comfortable in your hands.

TIPS BEFORE GETTING STARTED

• Safety Note about working with galvanized wire! Please be safe. I got an email from a web visitor who worked very closely with it and started experiencing breathing problems. So, if you are going to work very closely with it you might want to wear a breathing mask! And, galvanized wire gives off a toxic fume when heated so don't heat it!
• If you are using steel wire then this work is tough on the hands so take your time and take breaks. Don't over do it. Put it aside for a while and get back to it later. Get your friends to help too! That will make things easier and quicker.
• When opening the large rings so you can weave them into the mail you should bend them a specific way, depending on whether you are left or right handed. It will make things so much easier. This picture shows:

Grab the ring like this with a pair of pliers. The camera view is looking right through your eyes. And if you are right handed bend that right side of the ring toward you. As shown in the picture. If you are left handed bend the left open end of the ring toward you. This will make things a lot easier.

OKAY! LET'S GET STARTED!

Ok, start making rings. Make an equal amount of the 3/8 rings and the 5/8 rings.

I don't show you how to spin them out here. But I do have a page right here that shows you how to do that. I also show you how to make a little jig for it all to go faster.

BLAH BLAH BLAH!
Enough with all the introductory stuff. Let's make some chain mail!!!!(Click to continue)

WATCH THE VIDEO:

NEED WIRE OR TOOLS? AMAZON HAS IT:

TEKTON 3386 8-Inch Heavy-Duty Mini Bolt and Wire Cutter

The TEKTON 8-inch Heavy-Duty Mini Bolt Cutter (model 3386) cuts bolts, chains, threaded rods, and wires up to 3/16-inch wide. (These are the exact bolt cutters that Will uses.)

Fi-Shock WC-14200 200-Feet, 14 Gauge Spool Galvanized Steel Wire This is a lot of wire. You will make a whole lot of chainmail with this. You will get around 1500 rings from this spool.