Balgin: a spoon? ick, better if you use a steel rod with a hole at the top of one end, then a pair of vicegrips to wrap it.
I dont leave gaps on the chainmail its all closed, includeing under the arm, i once did a full cowl, with attached facemask that was also closed in but for the eyeholes, it took some doing but the affect was great. as for the metals i use, i find as i make the links myself that galvanized steel is strong enough if the rings are small (halfinch to 5/8s and is just about bendable on the rod. if i could and had the materials i would draw my own steel and put in the tappits for soddering, as it is i only sodder things like gloves and cowls, the shirts i leave open. As for the hacksaw, i use that and bolt cutters, depending on how i want it to look, for NERO or ACLAR i just put it together fast as it needs repairs from time to time, but for i guess you could call cerimonial stuff, i do the nines.
I have found that i can buy rings here, and probably will have to though i like to do as much (selfmade) as i can, but the plus is that i can buy it tappited or rivited if i want, so at least there is that.