What is the best way to attach mail to gambeson?
For greater ease of movement, it is useful to attach mail to your gambeson. When it comes to mail, there are two approaches. You can buy a chainmail shirt (hauberk), wear it over a gambeson, and then wear armor on top. Or you can buy mail components, such as sleeves (voiders) and skirts, attach them to a gambeson, and then wear armor over it.
Attaching
A full chainmail shirt covers a larger part of your body and therefore offers more protection. However, mail components attached to a gambeson are lighter and easier to move in. Make sure your armor covers the parts of your body not covered by mail.
Attaching, for example, voiders to your gambeson is not particularly difficult. It just requires some time and patience. The sturdiest way to do this is by sewing the mail onto the gambeson.
Sewing
First, place the mail on the gambeson where you want them to be. Ensure they are on a surface you can work on and try to move them as little as possible.
Then, using needle and thread (double thread is recommended), sew the outer rings onto the gambeson. Use three stitches per ring to secure the mail properly.
Eyelets (buttonholes)
Some people prefer a quicker method. You can also attach mail to a gambeson by making eyelets (or buttonholes) in the gambeson and using a leather cord to lace the mail to the gambeson.
In this method, you first place the chainmail on the gambeson, at the spot where you want it. Mark the desired location of the eyelets or buttonholes, with a spacing of 5 to 10 cm between each hole. You can now punch the holes at the marked spot and insert an eyelet or finish the edges of the hole with thread, like a buttonhole.
Thread a leather cord through the eyelets and tie the ends securely. You can now use another leather cord to thread through the chainmail and under the first cord. Again, make sure to secure the ends tightly.
