This pair of Jack Chains are crafted from 18 gauge high carbon steel that has been both riveted and welded together and articulated by its rings. It has been blackened on the inside of the plates. Comes with a set of leather ties. The Jack Chains have been demonstrated on a gambeson (15th century arming doublet). The gambeson is not included. Before attaching these jack-chains to a gambeson it is recommended that the inside of the plates be cleaned and de-greased to remove the rust-prevention oil on them – the oil may dirty a gambeson if the jack chains are not cleaned.
A set of jack chains might have often been the arm and shoulder defense for some professional men-at-arms and the levied militia soldiery of the late Medieval period who could not afford to deliver a weighty purse of coin to the armorsmith. A jack chain is quite simply some smaller plates of armor articulated by steel rings, tied and fitted over the arms of a padded gambeson. This was a lower cost upper-body defense that provided some plate in the areas most likely to receive a cutting strike.
A jack chain on the shoulders and arms prevents a sword or the cutting edge of a polearm from cutting into the arm deeply – though it may not look very protective at a glance it works by stopping a blade at the angles a cut is most likely to come from. It is claimed by many that a study on jack chains showed that they prevented 80% of cuts (we have been unable to find the source for this information).
Most of what is known of jack-chains comes from medieval art depictions, among the most notable of which is the soldier with jack-chains depicted on the 1489 Reliquary of St. Ursula. This and others hint that jack chains may have been common in the late Medieval period, and it makes sense considering the expense of fully encompassing and articulated arm armor of plate. It also seems to have been commonly worn by the Border Reivers of northern England and Scotland in later periods.
Please Note – Gambeson is for demonstration – it is not included.
Mark M. –
Love the look….. I bought a set of these jacks a few years ago, and may buy yet another set. My first set is permanently sewn onto a black leather motorcycle jacket. I get tons of compliments on them. Very nice, and decent protection.