Weight of chain

[awa]

I'm making an equipment list for a game and I'm trying to find the weights of things. Chains are proving tricky I'm seeing considerable ranges in weight so I thought I might as well see if anyone here knew roughly how much a 10ft length of chain suitable for an adventurer might weigh.

[warty goblin]

Suitable for doing what? Chains vary in weight because chains vary in link size because different jobs demand different amoubts of strength and flexibility. For something like anchor chain being heavy is a large portion of the job requirement.

In general chains are going to be pretty impractical for most adventuring jobs. They are heavy and loud, and ropes are strong enough for climbing, lashing things together etc. The major advantages of chains are that they are more durable, particularly in wet and dirty environments, but an adventure isn't a 3 month logging expedition where that actually matters.

[stoutstien]

As someone who collects chain (we all have weird hobbies) I would say chain that they would be hauling around as general purpose would be grade ~30-43 iron 3/8 to 1/2 gauge. Stuff that that will run about 1-1.5 pound per foot.

You could probably either double the strength or cut the weight in half for better material.

If I was designing an item that is a specialty tool for adventures where it's basically emulating a rope just with anti-slashing properties I'd go for 16 gauge steel. Flexibility lose is nil and relatively light. Lighter than some rope.
Although if you wanted to climb it you would need some kind of kit.

[awa]

Hm interesting, 16 gauge sounds about what I was think perhaps slightly heavier, correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like I can just treat it as more expensive rope as far as weight goes.

[stoutstien]

Hm interesting, 16 gauge sounds about what I was think perhaps slightly heavier, correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like I can just treat it as more expensive rope as far as weight goes.

Outside of rare materials I'd say it's lighter than most natural cordage material. It's just a surface area problem that has to be addressed. I'd probably treat it then same unless it's a game of looking at counting in ounces or grams

[awa]

thanks, this was far more efficient than looking it up myself. Not knowing the correct terminology meant I was having trouble looking up real world information and rpg systems were wildly divergent in weight.

My system mostly works in 5 pound increments so this works perfectly.

[stoutstien]

Oh odd side note. If you're looking at small chain like this then it really should be stored on some kind of spool prevent kinks. They almost have a Christmas light level capacity to get tangled up when you're not looking at them. Metal not havin much give makes the knots brural

[Lord Torath]

McMaster-Carr (https://www.mcmaster.com/products/chain/) (I'm not affiliated with them, other than my company occasionally buys stuff from them) has a wide variety of chain available, and they're usually good at giving you all the details, including lifting capacity and weight per foot. I'm not sure how medieval chain measures up, but it's probably a good place to start.

[awa]

Oh odd side note. If you're looking at small chain like this then it really should be stored on some kind of spool prevent kinks. They almost have a Christmas light level capacity to get tangled up when you're not looking at them. Metal not havin much give makes the knots brural


An interesting fact and something that had never occurred to me.
but far more detailed then my system would care about.

[Easy e]

The weight of chain is useless unless you know the weight of a whip.

They literally go hand-in-hand.

[stoutstien]

McMaster-Carr (https://www.mcmaster.com/products/chain/) (I'm not affiliated with them, other than my company occasionally buys stuff from them) has a wide variety of chain available, and they're usually good at giving you all the details, including lifting capacity and weight per foot. I'm not sure how medieval chain measures up, but it's probably a good place to start.

Honestly for the average non specialty chain the tech hasn't changed much once they started forging link coil chain closed rather than just pinching.

Even pitch links are strong. I still make twist link chain for fun and even being wrought it's stout stuff being able to hold massive static loads. The size of chain uses usually aesthetically based rather than function. Sheering and shock break chains above all else