Bag Strap

[tx50cal]

I am starting to make a canvas bag. What material should I use for the strap? I have thought about taking about a 3 inch strip of the same material and doubling it over for th3 strap.

 

[Black Hand]

Cloth straps suck - They tend to roll-up and dig in like a thin cord when weight is added to the bag. Much will depend on the thickness of the material.

 

[Donny]

If you make a thin strap (1-2 ") you can run it thru a short piece of leather (4-5") wide about a foot long to fit over your shoulder. It won't dig in your shoulder like a thin strap will or roll over like the cloth. I saw a couple used in The Revenant.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Cloth straps suck - They tend to roll-up and dig in like a thin cord when weight is added to the bag. Much will depend on the thickness of the material.

Haven't had that problem with my haversack. My strap is same cloth as bag and is doubled and stiched. But, admittedly, I do not carry much weight in it. Clunky stuff is in shooting bag.

 

[Artificer]

Cloth straps suck - They tend to roll-up and dig in like a thin cord when weight is added to the bag. Much will depend on the thickness of the material.

VERY much agree after using at least 8 or 9 different haversacks over the years. The only one that did not roll up too much was a "vulcanized" UnCivil War one and that is probably too late for your time period.

Have you considered a woven strap that is thick enough not to roll up, when putting heavier objects into the bag?

Gus

 

[CrackStock]

There are lots of canvas bags and my answer varies depending upon the intended use. For a haversack which will carry light rations, I use three or four folds of the same cloth as the body of the bag. I have used thick cloth webbing for some shooting backpack type items. Leather is what I use for anything of serious weight.

 

[KLWeaver]

I would have suggested a woven strap too. What did you finally go with?

 

[BrownBear]

...a woven strap....

Just be sure to stretch heck out of it before deciding on a length and installing. Take one right off the loom and by the time you add a little weight your bag, it could be down somewhere around your ankles. :shocked2:

I exaggerate a little, but some yarns are lots more stretchy than others, then there's the question of just how tight you managed to weave it. Same is true for some leathers. Stretchem, then sew em.

 

[KLWeaver]

As a weaver, this is when I'd recommend cotton as the least stretchy and not as expensive as wool. And someone who knows how to weave well can get it to be very tight.

In short, use a good weaver!

 

[Crewdawg445]

A good weaver she is! Listen to her!

 

[omarick1948]

I am starting to make a canvas bag. What material should I use for the strap? I have thought about taking about a 3 inch strip of the same material and doubling it over for th3 strap.

I have a canvas strap (triple thickness) on my canvas sack/bag that I made the strap that is 3 inches in the center and goes over the should and tapers down to 2 inches where in is sewn on the sack/bag (both sides). Strap has never had a roll-over problem and a lot better than a woven strap. JMHO
Rick

 

[George]

I have a haversack and a game bag with straps made that way. Each is 1 3/4" - 2" wide when finished, made of fairly flexible lightweight canvas type cloth, and I've never had either of them roll on me even with pretty heavy loads. I wouldn't hesitate to do a strap that way again.

Spence

 

[crockett]

I went to Joann Fabrics and bought some 3" wide upholstery webbing. I doubled it over so it is a 2 layer, 1 1/2" wide strap and sewed the open side shut. It hasn't rolled over and didn't cost much. It looks okay if you aren't too concerned with 100% PC. Actually, the canvas bag is soft in the underbrush. My horn rests over the bag. On a hard leather bag the horn can repeatedly tap against the bag and make a sound- not good for hunting. In any event I kinda like a canvas bag- If I make another I'll probably use blue/white pillow ticking and get an all leather belt at a thrift shop. Sort of Miller's "The Trapper's Bride" type bag.
A strap that looks pretty neat is one with a blanket backing. The edge of the blanket is cut with pinking shears- serrated- and extends beyond the strap. You can use a leather interior to stiffen it up. In fact Joann's sells this material (I forget the name) which is used in pants around the waist band, etc. It is used to stiffen up areas of clothing. You could use that on a webbed strap with blanket backing.