You've hit the nail on the head there (err..). A typical blacksmith is not a sword maker or armourer; such work requires a specialist.
In early English society, a drihten (Chief or King, in Glorantha) gave his gesithas (weaponthanes, in Glorantha) fine weapons and other treasures in return for their loyalty. The drihten in turn had to employ the specialist smiths to produce these gifts, receive them as gifts from his equals or superiors, or gain them as booty.
In such a society, there is no possibility of BUYING a mail shirt. In return for being able to COMMISSION works, the drihten offers the smith more than a handful of coins; he provides a fortified secure place full of armed men to live and work (probably important if you're a goldsmith!), repeat business (as it were), social recognition and legal protection. Can the player characters 'compete' with a chieftain?
And if the players think they can FORCE a smith to work for them, well, read the story of Welland...
As you say, the players are likely to become embroiled in a web of gift giving if they want to own a mail shirt.
As for the manufacturing time being hellishly long... yes and no. Yes if you want one made while-you-wait. But consider a Chief who employs an armourer. That armourer can make about 20 mail shirts a year. Given that mail shirts will last several years, and that a King will have only few dozen weaponthanes at most, this is an acceptable production rate.
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