Armor: How effective was Chainmail

[caiusbeerquitius]

In Raetia we have have evidence for chain mail rings being cut from a metal tube on a turning lace. This has been investigated in detail: A flat sheet of steel was made, then it was bent into a tube, which was then welded along the two edges. The closed tube was then turned at a comparatively high velocity, and the rings were cut of with a stylus. So at least half of the rings of such chain mail was made probably comparatively quickly.