I hope it's not too late for me to get my two cents' worth in
about mail.  It's been a special topic of interest of mine for
years.

First, "chain mail" is not the proper term for the stuff--this was
a name coined by 19th century historians who were trying to
interpret various ways of depicting this type of armour on statues,
brasses, manuscript illuminations, etc. (this is also when the
terms, "scale mail", "ring mail", "banded mail" and a few others
were created--modern thinking is that these terms may relate to
different artistic means of representing the armour, but the
armour itself is all the same).  The term given to this armour
up to the 19th centry is simply "mail", likely derived from the
Latin "macula", meaning "net" or "mesh".  However, I must confess--
even knowing better, I find it very difficult to not refer to the
stuff as "cahin mail"!

In regards to the question of cleaning mail, I have found at one
time (and then lost again) a Medieval description of the process,
involving putting the armour in a barrel of sand and vinegar,
then rolling the barrel down a hill.

Alternatively, the museum Ms. Cohen-Williams is speaking for could
have new samples made from galvanized wire.  I know several people
(including myself) who make mail, although I know of no one who
welds and/or rivets the ends of the links together, as was the
Medieval practice.  If this is not a requirement, please contact
me via e-mail or by phone at (604) 595-3647, and I'd be happy to
give you more information.

                        - Tim McShane