About FireBear... it's more than just a catchy name...
Since I was a kid I've been interested in medieval and ancient history. I've been particularly drawn to the viking era and had a go at making my first piece of chain mail when I was about 7 years old. It wasn't till I got involved in medieval re-enactment as a teen that I actually completed my first suit of mail armour. Since then, some 50 or more suits of mail later, I've gotten pretty good at it.
Over the last 30-odd years I've also thoroughly enjoyed the challenges this craft has presented me. Both in being able to create armour somebody wants from their descriptions, drawings and other historical sources, and in coming up with better ways to actually work at what is an incredibly labour intensive craft. I began with help from my father who hand wound and hand cut recycled wire to form mail rings, and now utilise equipment such as industrial segment coiling machines, high-speed slitting saws, my "Ringinator" and a range of other purpose built or modified tools all designed to make producing mail quicker, easier and to a higher quality, whilst reducing the stresses and damage this extremely repetitive task can inflict on my hands, wrists and arms.
After spending more than twenty years working in the Information Technology industry and feverishly making mail as a hobby that I could never keep up with, I was presented with an opportunity in 2006 to try my luck at this as a full time experiment. Based at Kryal Castle in Ballarat as a volunteer, I was able to expand on what I could make and produce a lot more than just chainmail armour. Sadly, that all came to an end in 2009 and my wife, Claudette and I returned to our home town Adelaide.
Since then I have continued to produce the best mail I can, and am constantly developing new and interesting creative projects. I continue to study towards my degree in Ancient and Medieval History at University of New England and cannot recommend this Bachelor of Arts degree highly enough for anyone interested in studying this field. I continue to also work, part-time on a casual basis, teaching medieval history in a hands-on, in-character, get the students involved way. By visiting schools with a ute and trailer full of gear and presenting interactive displays on topics from the national curriculum in costume, I am able to engage students on a more personal level, and really get them hooked on what ever topic being presented. See the upcoming Education link for more information.
As you browse through my website, please remember that I'm not a web designer, I'm an armourer and historian. So if you find something that doesn't work or you think needs to be changed, please take the time to contact me using the buttons at the top-right of every screen or the email form on this page, and let me know. Or if you are a web designer and would like to help, I'd be eternally grateful for any assistance or advice you might offer to help the site look and work better.
If you spot a picture here of something you would like me to make for you, have ideas of something you would like me to make for you, or just want some more information about something you see on this site, please also get in touch by using the contact buttons at the top-right. I'm on facebook every day or so, and answer emails fairly promptly too!
Waes Thu Hael!
Mike Dunajew
Over the last 30-odd years I've also thoroughly enjoyed the challenges this craft has presented me. Both in being able to create armour somebody wants from their descriptions, drawings and other historical sources, and in coming up with better ways to actually work at what is an incredibly labour intensive craft. I began with help from my father who hand wound and hand cut recycled wire to form mail rings, and now utilise equipment such as industrial segment coiling machines, high-speed slitting saws, my "Ringinator" and a range of other purpose built or modified tools all designed to make producing mail quicker, easier and to a higher quality, whilst reducing the stresses and damage this extremely repetitive task can inflict on my hands, wrists and arms.
After spending more than twenty years working in the Information Technology industry and feverishly making mail as a hobby that I could never keep up with, I was presented with an opportunity in 2006 to try my luck at this as a full time experiment. Based at Kryal Castle in Ballarat as a volunteer, I was able to expand on what I could make and produce a lot more than just chainmail armour. Sadly, that all came to an end in 2009 and my wife, Claudette and I returned to our home town Adelaide.
Since then I have continued to produce the best mail I can, and am constantly developing new and interesting creative projects. I continue to study towards my degree in Ancient and Medieval History at University of New England and cannot recommend this Bachelor of Arts degree highly enough for anyone interested in studying this field. I continue to also work, part-time on a casual basis, teaching medieval history in a hands-on, in-character, get the students involved way. By visiting schools with a ute and trailer full of gear and presenting interactive displays on topics from the national curriculum in costume, I am able to engage students on a more personal level, and really get them hooked on what ever topic being presented. See the upcoming Education link for more information.
As you browse through my website, please remember that I'm not a web designer, I'm an armourer and historian. So if you find something that doesn't work or you think needs to be changed, please take the time to contact me using the buttons at the top-right of every screen or the email form on this page, and let me know. Or if you are a web designer and would like to help, I'd be eternally grateful for any assistance or advice you might offer to help the site look and work better.
If you spot a picture here of something you would like me to make for you, have ideas of something you would like me to make for you, or just want some more information about something you see on this site, please also get in touch by using the contact buttons at the top-right. I'm on facebook every day or so, and answer emails fairly promptly too!
Waes Thu Hael!
Mike Dunajew
Environmental Concerns...As part of trying to help reduce out impact on the environment we've implemented a few strategies to help here at FireBear.
Perhaps the most noticeable to you, our customers, is our use of recycled packaging materials. Where ever we can we will re-use, re-purpose or recycle old packaging. So don't be discouraged if your new purchase turns up in a box that's not brand new, we're just doing our bit :-) We also recycle as much of our scrap materials as possible, even melting down wire scrap to use in casting! We also use recycled wire when we can so that perfectly good wire isn't just dumped in landfills. Wherever possible we also use office products, paper etc that have significant recycled contents, and we even re-fill our own ink cartridges to minimize landfill waste. If you have any other suggestions we'd love to hear them too! Cheers Mike & Claudette |
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