While other WSU students were sleeping, working or attending class Tuesday morning, Matt James was linking the final rings on his suit of chain mail armor.

Sitting over a crimson rug in his Stimson Hall room, the sophomore mechanical engineering major used needle-nose pliers to carefully close the dime-sized, galvanized steel rings. James’ roommate, junior communication major David Pick, shrugs off the fact that his roommate keeps armor in his closet.

“I think my roommate is a nerd, and I say that in the most loving way possible,” Pick said.

James is a patient man, and unconcerned that some people might find his craft a little odd.

“A lot of us kind of take pride in the fact that people call us nerds,” he said.

He’s been a gamer all his life, starting with Dungeons and Dragons and computer games. His interest in medieval reenactments was spurred by friends he used to know through Boy Scouts, but he didn’t have the money for materials until he came to college.

“It’s not that expensive, but it’s definitely not as cheap as playing baseball or something like that,” James said.

James plans to wear his chain mail during Society for Creative Anachronism competitions and events. The SCA Web site describes the group as “an international organization dedicated to researching and the arts and skills of pre-17th century Europe.” The organization puts on tournaments and skirmishes in the medieval spirit.

“It is 100-percent unchoreographed,” James said. “Unfortunately, that means we don’t get to use real swords or real weapons.” Instead they use rattan – sticks wrapped in tape – to make sure injuries aren’t too severe.

“It’ll hurt,” he said. “You’ll know you got hit, and it’ll probably leave a bruise, but it’s not going to cut you.” Occasionally a fighter can get cut if his chain mail breaks when he gets hit, James said. They call that a “mail bite.” Unsurprisingly, his mother wasn’t thrilled about the idea of her son battling as a medieval knight.

“My mom is a little scared,” James said. “But if I can win her over to let me play football, I think I’ll be OK.” James attended a tournament during spring break last year when he went home to the Tri-Cities.

“I don’t remember who won, actually,” he said, “but I remember there was a lot of really good food.” He said that group focused more on fun and camaraderie than arguing about historical details.

James’ full suit of armor – coif for the head, hauberk for the body and chausses for the legs – started in May with one small cluster of five rings. He linked the clusters into strips and then into full sheets.

“This isn’t actually historically accurate,” James said as he worked, noting that his fellow Stimson residents probably wouldn’t appreciate the constant hammering necessary to authentically make chain mail. The technique James uses is called “butted mail,” which means the rings are pinched together without riveting or welding.

“What I hope to do eventually is buy a welder and weld all these joints,” James said. Overall, the suit weighs a hefty 45 pounds.

“It’s still going to be heavy, but if it’s fitted well, you don’t really feel it very much,” James said. “That’s what I’m striving for.” After about 39,000 rings and several hundred hours of painstaking work, James finally tried on his full medieval suit. He pulled the coif over his head and emerged as Édouard d’Angers, his medieval persona.

Proud, with only a hint of self-consciousness, he solemnly posed for friends down the hall who wanted to take cell-phone photos.

James’ cheerful smile returned when he said he has considered wearing his chain mail to class. He decided it might not go over well, but he is planning to wear it when he goes out with friends from the Cougar Marching Band. “A lot of the people in my section are as nerdy as I am,” he said.