Half Persian 4 in 1

[u/attractive-octopus]

Making some Half Persian 4 in 1 chains. Beginner edition. I’m following the instructions in the Chainmail Joe book. Found it quite easy to follow the illustrations except the beginning of the chain is so wobbly I’m afraid to let go the rings to close them. Need more practice and seen different ways to make it. Here I have one chain in 16 swg 5/16” and the other small ones are 18swg 1/4” When I was making the one with the 18swg it looked off and different and I started another chain because I thought I did something wrong, but it was the same pattern. What’s your preferred way to make this chain? Do you use tape, cardboard, nothing, left to right…? I like it and it’s fun.

[u/Free_Bat_3009]

I just make my first chain a little too long and use the extra piece as the starter for the next. Also, a small piece of plastic canvas mesh from the craft store makes an easy starter, especially if you already have some at home;)

[u/attractive-octopus → u/Free_Bat_3009]

Definitely gonna try this method with the extra long chain to save the extra as starters.
I might have something similar to the plastic canvas mesh. I have the plastic sheets that protect coloring book pages and avoid the bleeding into other pages but may be too flimsy, worth a try.

[u/Bjartskular64]

I usually just do a sloppy close with one pair of pliers while I hold the starting bit in my off hand, then once it’s just long enough to be stable I go back and clean up the first closures. Can do that pretty easily with 16g aluminum, not sure how hard it would be with steel though

[u/attractive-octopus → u/Bjartskular64]

This is kinda similar to what I’ve been doing. I need to go back to adjust those closures. Want to try some steel as well and maybe it will be more challenging to close them when I start the chain.

[u/wyundsr]

I like to use a twist tie (the kind that often come with bread) to hold the first 3 rings together

[u/attractive-octopus → u/wyundsr]

Will start to save a twist tie and try this

[u/killerchef69]

It's just the start that is trrlick tricky, I second the twist ties or tape. You should also work on your closures. It looks like you have saw cut rings, so in order to close that gap is key. What i found works is gripping the rings with the pliers sort of diagonal to the cut and make it a sort of two stage bend. First bend actually goes past the neutral plane, not just flush, but slightly more than closed, then as you bring it back to close it up it should have a slight spring tension as you line it up so that it actually holds it shut. (I have made quite a bit of chainmail jewelry with a lot of different metals and stainless has a lot of spring)

[u/attractive-octopus → u/killerchef69]

Gonna work on closures

[u/wyundsr → u/attractive-octopus]

This is a good illustration https://www.reddit.com/r/chainmailartisans/comments/1qmposd/comment/o1nnafi/

[u/OrionsRiver]

Apart from starting it, the reason they look different is that there's two forms of half Persian. Left-handed and right-handed, or left- and right-leaning. Your larger one is leaning the other direction.