HI ,
I used the hip ball joint of a calf and a sheep the most and
experimented with all horns. Depending on what was comfortable for
the user.
Nothing beats a true hammer for plate mail however the bone and horn
tools were beautifully adaptable to making fine silver and gold
accrudiments such as bowls and spoons and jewelry.
For most medieval shaping of such is done in well frankly hardwood
stumps The joke was sure you have anvils but nothing shapes nicer than
a concave hollow in a hardwood stump. Makes the process a lot easier.
Chainmail working is popular because well anyone can do it armoring
takes heat and is more dangerous a pursuit.
My joy of late is that in hammering the wire jewelry I found I could
weild a 2.5 pound blacksmith hammer again and that with a few hours
of doing it could control it’s direction to strike as I wished
without thinking about it…I guess it is like riding a bike. Some
skills never leave they just get a little forgotten and rusty.
I did post a few poor pictures (my camera died) of the jewelry I
made for the gallery show that is tomorrow. I am reworking my site
and it can be seen at the Style Krazy link at www.cameoartist.com
after all I did promise pictures. 
Base wire coated in plasti-dip I used some colors to drizzle
straight and mixed others to my liking for fab 60’s and 70’s retro
colors. Total cost for producing
50 pair earrings (with gemstone chip adornment) 48 bracelet sized
pieces and 12 necklaces and 6 belts and a few armbands costed out to
$1 a piece(that includes labor and ink and paper for the tags!)
pretty cool for not having anything to work with but a spool of base
metal dead soft I believe floral wire and an idea.
take heart creation is indeed a part desperation and perspiration
LOL
Teri