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Date Uploaded: May 13, 2004, 1:48 pm Last Edited: January 12, 2013, 7:39 pm |
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Score and Break Method
(Cutter; Cobalts)
Article © MAIL User: Cipher
This Tutorial was written by Weland from the TRL chainmail board and was copied with his permission by Cipher.
Welcome to my (Weland's) visual tutorial for the score-and-break ring cutting method. I first learned this technique from a member of the aforementioned board. Since then (about 8lbs of cut spring stainless rings), I've made my own technique with the tools I have available.
This is a step-by-step tutorial for cutting one ring. Just repeat the process to cut more. By no means is this the only way to do score-and-break, just my way that I wanted to share with the public.
This is my first tutorial, so expect it to be rather crude. The camera used is a Kodak 3.2Mpixel. Personally, I believe in freedom of information, especially online. You may copy any part of this tutorial (including text and pictures) and use it without my permission/post it on your own site/pass it off as your own. I made this out of the hope that more people could be educated by this, and I hope that it will continue to be so.
In addition to freedom of information, I believe in personal responsibility. If you manage to harm yourself while attempting to follow the instructions on this or any other tutorial, I am not responsible. This is not a dangerous hobby; if you harm yourself, I'm sure that's mailler-Darwinism.
Now to begin...
I'm using .064" (16swg) spring stainless wire with 1/4" inner ring diameters. This material is very conducive to this method since it is a hard metal, meaning that it will snap easily.
1. Proper tools-
You need at least either a minibolt cutter, metal shear, diagonal cutter, or some other tool that is designed to cut the size and hardness of the ring you're trying to cut. My Knipex Cobolt 2's are the larger red-handled cutters. I also use 5" Taskforce diagonal cutters to help break the ring off, as well as 7" Taskforce linesman pliers for particularly stubborn rings.
2. Scoring the ring-
Place the cutters as close to the end of the ring as possible to achieve a close cut. Very gently pinch the metal, but don't cut all the way through. This creates (scores) a slight indentation on either side of the wire.
3. Breaking the ring-
Using whatever tool you'd like, break the ring by pulling it away and down from the coil. I use small diagonal cutters since they have beveled jaws good for prying this size of ring. The ring should snap off.
If the ring doesn't snap off, pull it off gently with either pliers or your fingers. If you can't pull it off with your fingers, you didn't score it deeply enough. The softer the metal, the less brittle it will be, and the more likely it will be for the ring to deform. Softer metals require deeper scores than hard metals such as stainless steel or titanium.
4. Result-
Once the ring is broken, it can now be used in maille. If the scoring leaves indentations deeper than you like, pinch less until you are happy with the breaks. Remember that a ring takes two cuts--one on each end. Your first break will produce a ring with only one end broken. After that, all well-done breaks will produce very flush closures.
Weland's Score-and-Break Tutorial
Welcome to my (Weland's) visual tutorial for the score-and-break ring cutting method. I first learned this technique from a member of the aforementioned board. Since then (about 8lbs of cut spring stainless rings), I've made my own technique with the tools I have available.
This is a step-by-step tutorial for cutting one ring. Just repeat the process to cut more. By no means is this the only way to do score-and-break, just my way that I wanted to share with the public.
This is my first tutorial, so expect it to be rather crude. The camera used is a Kodak 3.2Mpixel. Personally, I believe in freedom of information, especially online. You may copy any part of this tutorial (including text and pictures) and use it without my permission/post it on your own site/pass it off as your own. I made this out of the hope that more people could be educated by this, and I hope that it will continue to be so.
In addition to freedom of information, I believe in personal responsibility. If you manage to harm yourself while attempting to follow the instructions on this or any other tutorial, I am not responsible. This is not a dangerous hobby; if you harm yourself, I'm sure that's mailler-Darwinism.
Now to begin...
I'm using .064" (16swg) spring stainless wire with 1/4" inner ring diameters. This material is very conducive to this method since it is a hard metal, meaning that it will snap easily.
1. Proper tools-
You need at least either a minibolt cutter, metal shear, diagonal cutter, or some other tool that is designed to cut the size and hardness of the ring you're trying to cut. My Knipex Cobolt 2's are the larger red-handled cutters. I also use 5" Taskforce diagonal cutters to help break the ring off, as well as 7" Taskforce linesman pliers for particularly stubborn rings.
2. Scoring the ring-
Place the cutters as close to the end of the ring as possible to achieve a close cut. Very gently pinch the metal, but don't cut all the way through. This creates (scores) a slight indentation on either side of the wire.
3. Breaking the ring-
Using whatever tool you'd like, break the ring by pulling it away and down from the coil. I use small diagonal cutters since they have beveled jaws good for prying this size of ring. The ring should snap off.
If the ring doesn't snap off, pull it off gently with either pliers or your fingers. If you can't pull it off with your fingers, you didn't score it deeply enough. The softer the metal, the less brittle it will be, and the more likely it will be for the ring to deform. Softer metals require deeper scores than hard metals such as stainless steel or titanium.
4. Result-
Once the ring is broken, it can now be used in maille. If the scoring leaves indentations deeper than you like, pinch less until you are happy with the breaks. Remember that a ring takes two cuts--one on each end. Your first break will produce a ring with only one end broken. After that, all well-done breaks will produce very flush closures.
Original URL: http://www.mailleartisans.org/articles/articledisplay.php?key=223
