Importance of Choosing the Right Size Jump Rings For Your Scalemail Armor

Whether you are making your own armor for SCA, LARP, or AMPGARD or just to make yourself a shirt to wear while out and about, it is important to choose the right size brass jump rings. Having the wrong size jump rings can cause problems when wearing the armour as it can chafe your skin and be uncomfortable to wear.

You can use a jump ring tool for this purpose; it has slots that match different thicknesses of jump rings and you simply slide the jump ring in and twist it in the other direction. This is a great way to get more jump rings into your project while saving your hands from the pain of pulling them apart.

Another factor to consider is the material used in the jump rings. You may want to go with a thinner gauge than you would for the rest of your jewelry to save weight and keep your jewelry lighter.

The gauge of the metal will determine the strength of your scalemail. For example, 20 gauge wire is a good choice for a small size jump ring that will hold a clasp on a necklace.

If you are making the armor for SCA or LARP, check with the group in charge to see if they have specifications for gauge and type of metal they need. It is always a drag to spend time on a project only to find out that it is not allowed for the group or cannot be worn.