Speaking of the chain mail idea... I took the desire at the AZ Ren Fest this weekend to try to do some chain mail of my own... I think I may have to dress up a stiff sporran with some chain mail.

I'll post photos when dinner is over (about an hour from now), but I already have a 1" wide 8" long chain mail strip made from some 14awg solid copper wire I had laying around. I still have a good 20' or 30' left, so I'll see what I can turn out. The piece I have already made has 102 rings in it so far.