possibles bag

[pocono-rick]

Hi All,this is my first posting here.Im fairly new to most of this.I own a Shenandoah rifle in 50cal as well as an 1841 Mississippi rifle and a 32 cal Crockett rifle.Here in eastern PA, I like to take my 50 flinter for a walk during the late flintlock only season.Since there is no safety orange requirement its an ideal time to dress the part of an early PA woodsrunner.
I cast my own balls,make patches ,loading blocks etc.Now id like to try a possibles bag.Ive found great info as well as patterns and pics here.
What Id to know is this:would it be too far off PC to make a bag out of an old black bikers jacket ?(Someone gave me the jacket and the wife wont allow the matching bike)I havent seen any picture of BLACK bags,especially in an eastern pattern.
Thanks much!
Pocono Rick

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Pocono,

First off, Welcome to the ML Forum! :thumbsup: I can't comment on the PCness of a black bag but here's a pic of a small belt bag, made for me by Jethro224. I use it to keep all my ML tools instead of having them floating round in the bottom of my shooting bag. GW

 

[J.D.]

How heavy is the leather? It might not have enough body for the pouch to maitain its shape, especially when loaded with shooting gear.

 

[jethro224]

Welcome aboard Rick!

I never even thought about black being PC or not when I made that pouch GW. I just had some black leather...
I'm sure somebody here will know the answer.

J.D. is right tho, that biker jacket will probly be on the thin side for a bag. Might be good to line it with ticking or something.

 

[pocono-rick]

Thanks Guys,
Thats a nice looking bag!Im not sure how to gauge the thickness of leather.I do have a micrometer that I use for reloading but I dont think leather is measured in mils is it?
I just measured with the mic. and it seems to average between .045 and .05 inches ? Dont know if that helps.

Rick

 

[jethro224]

Rick,

They generally sell leather as whatever ounce. One ounce equals 1/64" thick. Unless I'm mistaken, and I could very well be. I ain't no expert.

 

[snagg]

Jethro,

I was on the Tandy site this week and I read what you refered to as 1/64 being 1 oz. That is the reference that they used also. I'm going to order some leather from them for two bags that I have to make in the 6 - 7 ounce range.

snagg

 

[pocono-rick]

I just pulled this info off of a leather industry website:

Ounce- A measure of thickness. One ounce =1/64
inch. One square foot of 4 ounce leather(1/16 inch thick) should weigh 4 ounces.

Rick

 

[BrownBear]

I'm not sure if it answers the PC question or not, but last year when I was in the leather shop at Colonial Williamsburg, they had some black leather in there and were using it in lot of stuff. As I recall there was a pair of black pistol "holsters" on a black belt. In general Williamsburg worries more about PC than most folks, so it's not too much of a stretch for me to think it would be PC. But you know what guesses are worth.

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Black and white leathers as well as brown are PC to the mid 1700's lots of military gear from this era was black and white, there are period bags in museums that are black, have at it!

 

[pocono-rick]

I think I will have at it now!Thanks for the infbviously I have a lot of reading and research to do.I have been hunting with a muzzleloader about 8 years now.I started out deer hunting now I also enjoy small game.I didnt realize how much more there was to the hobby and now the lifestyle!Im sure glad I stumbled across this group.
For now Ill start with the bag but my ultimate goal,if Im lucky ,is to build a Pennsylvania or Jaeger rifle similar to what was used here in the Poconos.But thats another forum.
By the way,I loaded up all the pictures I could find that you all posted of bags and sheaths and everything else.Lots of talent here!

Thanks again all
Rick

 

[BrownBear]

You know, you just kick started my thinker. I don't know what would be PC, but it's sure fun to think about putting together a possibles bag specifically for small game. Kind of a game pouch/possible bag combo.

Right now I have a carry strap for snowshoe hare reminscent of a duck strap. Hang em by one hind leg as you get them and go on hunting. Trouble is carrying it on the same shoulder with the possible bag. Whether the bag was big enough to hold game along with gear or I merely incorporated some loops in the bottom, it would be a worthwhile project.

BTW- I've found it's best to have a possible bag for each of your rifles. Sure eliminates forgetting stuff as you move things back and forth into one bag, plus it gives you an excuse to build more than one.

More thoughts for your own thinker!

 

[jethro224]

BrownBear,

I've seen pics of hunting bags with game loops hanging from them. Seems like a real good idea to me. :thumbsup:
Some had the loops attached to the flap, but I'd probly hang them from the back side or bottom of the bag myself. That way they wouldn't get in the way when you try and get in the bag...

 

[Elnathan]

Hi All,this is my first posting here.Im fairly new to most of this.I own a Shenandoah rifle in 50cal as well as an 1841 Mississippi rifle and a 32 cal Crockett rifle.Here in eastern PA, I like to take my 50 flinter for a walk during the late flintlock only season.Since there is no safety orange requirement its an ideal time to dress the part of an early PA woodsrunner.
I cast my own balls,make patches ,loading blocks etc.Now id like to try a possibles bag.Ive found great info as well as patterns and pics here.
What Id to know is this:would it be too far off PC to make a bag out of an old black bikers jacket ?(Someone gave me the jacket and the wife wont allow the matching bike)I havent seen any picture of BLACK bags,especially in an eastern pattern.
Thanks much!
Pocono Rick

The real question is "How is It Tanned?" Black leather has been around awhile, chrome-tanned leather (about 90%+ of modern made leather) has not - it has only been commmon from about 1870 on (the process dates a few decades older, but was uncommon before then). If it has a smooth side and a rough side it is not brain- or oil-tanned, I believe (think chamois-skin). If it is flexible like chamois-skin, yet has a smooth side, or if it has a near white layer on the middle of the leather, it is chrome-tanned.

I don't claim anything near a universal knowledge of leather, but the brain-tanned, bark-tanned, and the hair-on alum-tawed leather I have doesn't look or feel anything like chrome-tanned leather (the bark-tanned is closest, but less fuzzy on the rough side and stiffer for its weight. The smoth side, even when buffed, has a more organic look to it). The differences are hard to describe, but easy to see. Hopefully someone with better knowledge can explain more...

 

[J.D.]

I'm not an exert on leather either, but I prefer about 4 oz, or slightly heavier, leather for hunting pouches.

7- 8 0z leather is about right for for knife sheaths.

 

[MSW]

pocono-

if you haven't already done so, i would recommend Recreating the 18th Century Hunting Pouch by T.C.Albert. It's put out by Track of the Wolf, is fairly well written, and is simple enough so that even a clumsy novice (who? me??) can produce something that doesn't look dreadful right out of the first try.

there are a number of patterns in the back of this book, and i suspect that, once you tinker with it, you could make or modify your own to suit your needs.

good luck with your new project!

msw