Looking for pics of leather shirt or vest.

[grndhntr]

I just got an elk hide back from the tanners and would like to do a project to wear, esp. for BP shoots. Could you guys post pictures of period-looking leather shirts or vests? Maybe something that a mountain man would wear. I think I would like to do a shirt, but maybe not if it takes up too much of the leather. I still want to make a possibles bag, a sling, other projects with my hide. Thanks.

 

[Amikee]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/261458/post/1047609/hl//fromsearch/1/

or you can look up my topic: my centermark hunting gear. i git a jacket/coat there from hide. goud luck

 

[hoochiepapa]

This won't win any prizes for pc, but I like it, because it came from two elk I killed, skinned, and packed out.

 

[grndhntr]

Yeah, after looking at some patterns, I'm finding that I won't be able to make a shirt out of one elk hide and it looks like a vest would probably take the whole hide. I'd like to use this hide for other projects so maybe a shirt or vest is out.

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Hears a vest copied from one in the Oregon Historical Society. It is linen lined and has a linen back.

 

[shortbow]

Great looking threads there, Doc. :thumbsup:

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Thanks. The vest is braintan and linen. The pants are no more. Am in the process of making a new pair of pants out of German tanned deer.

 

[shortbow]

You mean a deer tanned by a German, a deer raised on beer, or a type tannage I've not heard of before? :haha:

Anyhow be sure and show them when finished!

 

[Doc Arroyo]

German tanned is sometimes called "Commercial Brain Tan". The machines remove the epidermis, so the are "suede" on both sides and Crazy Crow sells them white and smoked. I plan on wearing the to an event this weekend, so I will try for pics soon.

 

[LaBonte]

FYI - the German Tan is a period correct tanning method - it is true oil tannage and also during the process the hides and oils get heated and produce aldehydes similar to those that come from smoking braintan - it the aldehydes in both types that actually do the tanning.
The vast majority of deerhides taken by market hunters during the late 18the and 19th Century were tanned with this method and the leather breeches and long pants so widely used during the period were il tanned - often in Europe and then returned as finished goods to the New World.

Here's an original shirt circa 1830-40 - while some might call this a warshirt it is not - war or more correctly honor shirts are much more elaborate. This is a regular shirt commonly worr by Plains and Plateau Indians - leave off the beadwork for a simpler make.

and for those so interested yes there is documentation for leather shirts worn by some of the mountain men in the early 19th Century, Osborne Russell is one and Capt Stewart is another.

 

[shortbow]

Thanks for the info Doc, looking fwd to seeing the pics.

Chuck, good stuff too, as usual. That shirt is German tan? If so, that is just amazingly interesting. Kinda like when I first learned that bone pipes were a commercial item traded West by Anglos.

I'm off now to have a looksee at the stuff on CC.

 

[LaBonte]

Thanks for the info Doc, looking fwd to seeing the pics.

Chuck, good stuff too, as usual. That shirt is German tan? If so, that is just amazingly interesting. Kinda like when I first learned that bone pipes were a commercial item traded West by Anglos.

I'm off now to have a looksee at the stuff on CC.

Nope that shirt is an original from braintan.
These 1830-40's style trousers on the other hand were made from Germantan:

as were these two pairs of botas

 

[BillinOregon]

Chuck, those are some mighty handsome items of clothing. Thanks for the images.
Bill, also 58 ...

 

[LaBonte]

You're welcome Bill and FYI:
1) The pants were left in the natural color offered by CC - they also sell a real smoked color

2) The two tone botas were dyed with walnut dye - tfor the lower half the dye was thinned down and they were left to soak for a short while only. The uppers were dyed in full-strength and let soak for a couple of hours

3) Th last pair of botas were died with a strong coffee dye - I use Wally World dark roast and boil the rods out of it......

 

[shortbow]

Thanks Chuck, and I concur, them is some fine lookin stuff.

And while we're on the subject of tin cones or tinklers, when did they first appear and were the first ones silver, tin or copper?

 

[gryb1959]

Great looking craftmanship :thumbsup:

 

[Hawken12]

Great duds, may I ask where you got the great hat?
Thanx Peter

 

[LaBonte]

Thanks Chuck, and I concur, them is some fine lookin stuff.

And while we're on the subject of tin cones or tinklers, when did they first appear and were the first ones silver, tin or copper?

The first that appeared in the East and I'm not sure when, but at least sometime in the early 18th Century. The eastern ones are most commonly from brass - old pots, etc. often being used to make them.

Tin cones (mostly tinned iron) are by far the most common in the west and appear on the scene in Great Lakes and Northern Missouri contry by at least the late 1700's. In later days at least tin cans were a common source for making them - when/if not using the commercially made ones I still use old cans or junk store pie tins, etc. for making mine.

The Museum of the Fur Trade put out an article on cones sometime back and it's available through the museum.