A REINFORCED MAIL MITTEN

 This article presents an outline of the construction of a reinforced mail mitten for use in SCA tournament combat. This form of hand protection is based on the modification of a hockey glove. The final product is relatively authentic in appearance. (See the cover of Hammer #6, Vol. 1 (6), Spring, 1978; and figure 61, page 56 in Arms and Armour from the 9th to the 17th Century by Paul Martin; C Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc., Rutland, VT: 1967) 
			

1. Cheap hockey gloves were purchased and dyed a uniform color.

2. The plastic wrist guard on cheap hockey gloves is often too light, so a 
   curved section of wax-hardened sole leather was riveted to the cuff. A fringe 
   of leather scale was added.

3. A section of mail was assembled to cover the hand:
   (a) During construction the mail is oriented so that the rows run parallel to 
       the fingers. This allows slack when the fingers are flexed.

   (b) Although the hockey glove had separate fingers, their range of motion was 
       so limited, there was no need to cover the fingers individually.

   (c) The mail covers the "outside" of each index finger, the "outside" edge of 
       each hand, and the tips of the fingers. About 1/2 inch of slack was left 
       around the outside edges of the mail.

   (d) The outside edges of the mail are sewn to the edge of the glove with a 
       Tandy's "Awl-for-All". Mail at the juncture of the thumb and index finger is 
       not sewn in place.

   (e) To hold down the edge of the mail which crosses the back of the hand, pass 
       a leather thong through the last "column" of links and knot it on the inside 
       of the wrist.



For questions or comments, please contact:
  	      David A. Counts
	      P. O. Box 55821
	      Birmingham, AL  35255
	      or
	      dcounts@UABMC.EDU