Jump Rings

Jump rings are the unit chainmail is built from. Everything else — the weave, the drape, how the finished panel hangs — follows from which ring you pick, so it is worth getting the three numbers right before you buy in quantity.

We stock aluminum rings in 14, 16, 18, and 20 SWG, with inner diameters from 9/64 inch up to 1/2 inch, covering aspect ratios from 2.6 to 8.4. Two finishes: anodized colors and bright uncolored aluminum.

The number that decides a weave is the aspect ratio — inner diameter divided by wire thickness. Around 3.5 you get tight European 4-in-1 that holds its shape; near 5 you are into Byzantine and box chain; above 6.5 the rings are open enough to hang scales. Gauge decides strength: 14 for armor weight, 16 for wearable maille, 18 for scales and costume panels, 20 for jewelry.

One warning worth reading before you cross-shop: 16 SWG and 16 AWG are not the same ring. Every ring on this site is quoted in SWG. To work out how many you need for a specific project, use the scale maille calculator.