Asking your advice for powder horn straps.

[Macon Due]

Sir
My wife buys the cord, she uses it to hold up rose bushes ect. I think she gets it at garden supply place,ect. It is just '3 ply Twine and actually this one I 'borrowed' from is Jute...rather than hemp. :redface: Just take 3 strands of the twine, tie one end of each together and start braiding them together. The Beeswax/Tallow is just those two things melted and mixed with enough oil [peanut/olive ect] mixed in to make it soft enough to be able to rub into cords, moccasins ect.
Macon

 

[Tony Logan]

I like to use wampum straps on my horns.

 

[Macon Due]

TO
Very nice Sir. I also like the Lefty gun! One question....do the contents of your pouch all 'fall'into the toe? I like the looks of the pouch but wonder about that.
Thanks.......Macon

 

[Rifleman1776]

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[Woods Dweller]

My wife buys the cord, she uses it to hold up rose bushes ect. I think she gets it at garden supply place,ect. It is just '3 ply Twine and actually this one I 'borrowed' from is Jute...rather than hemp.

Just take 3 strands of the twine, tie one end of each together and start braiding them together. The Beeswax/Tallow is just those two things melted and mixed with enough oil [peanut/olive ect] mixed in to make it soft enough to be able to rub into cords, moccasins ect.
Macon

That's simple!
Do you use equal parts Beeswax & Tallow? Thanks Macon.

 

[Woods Dweller]

Man you guys have some nice looking straps. Thanks! :hatsoff:

 

[Capt. Jas.]

What do you guys say of this style of strap? Is it PC for late 1700”s? http://stores.sheasmtn.com/Detail.bok?no=65

Thank all of you for your help :hatsoff:

I have seen that style of strap at CLA shows and rendezvous but have not been able to so far connect it to the 18th century. I am not a textiles expert but I would also check to authenticate the material very carefully.
Very little remaining stuff like this with provenance to the 18th century so it is always best to be conservative than leap out with wild conjecture.
I would go with cord or leather. :thumbsup:

 

[rafterob]

I like the braided cord. Had the same style on my horn until it wore out. Just recently replaced it with a thick leather lace until I can find something better. I find matching a strap to a horn to be a very individual affair. Took me a long time to find just the right strap for a horn I made my Son. The thrift stores often have useable items. I recently found a pair of cloth woven belts that I'm going to use for the strap on a fowling bag ( which is a re-worked thrift store purse).

 

[El Lobo]

I have used hemp and linen webbing and small buckles from woodedhamlet.com. They offer a variety of period correct webbing, buckles and other notions at decent prices.

 

[Macon Due]

Woods.......
I think I used about 2/3 deer tallow and 1/3 bees wax.
Macon

 

[Woods Dweller]

Here is what I made for starters! This is “Jute” twine, I braided 3 strands of the twine, then braided the 3 braided strands to make the strap a little thicker. I have not applied the Beeswax & Tallow mixture yet.

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I am going to also make a leather strap to see if I like it better. Would you all suggest cow hide or Brain tan Deer hide? And witch one would have been PC for 1780 ”“ 1810?
Again, thanks for your help guys.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would use vegetable tanned cow hide.

 

[Woods Dweller]

What is “Vegetable” tanned ?

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Google should give you everything you need including suppliers. :thumbsup:

 

[Woods Dweller]

I always just called it cow hids.

Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, such as tree bark prepared in bark mills, and other similar sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending on the mix of chemicals and the color of the skin. It is the only form of leather suitable for use in leather carving or stamping. Vegetable-tanned leather is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and then dry it will shrink and become less supple, and harder. In hot water, it will shrink drastically and partly gelatinize, becoming rigid and eventually brittle. Boiled leather is an example of this, where the leather has been hardened by being immersed in hot water, or in boiled wax or similar substances. Historically, it was occasionally used as armor after hardening, and it has also been used for book binding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leather



Next I am going to make a vegetable tanned cow hide strap. Thanks

 

[Macon Due]

Looks nice Dweller :thumbsup: Well done!
Macon

 

[SgtSchutzen]

I`ve done the same braiding technique with three different colors of yarn. The material I used is not PC as it`s just modern "poly" yarn from wallyworld but a person could use wool yarn in period colors if that is what they`re after. I don`t know if cords like this were used "back in the day" but they could have been?