Rainy Day Bag

[BrownBear]

Our continuing spate of rainy weather reminded me I need a foul weather bag for my GRRW CA Leman that was more suitable than veg tan.

So using the same pattern I cobbled one out of Tandy's Stoned Oil leather in dark brown, using a forged iron buckle as well.


I've learned that right out of the box the Stoned Oil leather isn't as waterproof as I'd like, so I'm in the habit of giving it a generous coating of Fiebings Atom Wax, which also darkens it. You'll get smears and runs with the Atom Wax, but it rubs right back to smooth. A little tip for rubbing back the excess wax: Dampen your rubbing rag with more Atom Wax, and the excess wax comes of quick and easy. I laid a scrap of the original leather on top of the bag for comparison.


With the flap up you can see there's extra "allowance" for the flap above the pouch itself. That leaves the pouch right at 6" deep and 7" wide at the widest point near the base, and of course there's a 2" tapered gusset.



While I was at it I did a fast cobble on a small horn to fit inside the bag protected from rain and free of tangles from our dense alders. For some reason the Fiebings leather dye didn't like this particular horn, so the snout end is pretty shabby. I'll get around to fixing that. Someday. Meanwhile this sweet little horn is 6" straight across from the butt to the tip, in keeping with the bag depth. The butt plug is stained maple, while the spout plug is a fast whittle from a hunk of hickory ramrod I had laying around.

If that horn seems ridiculously small, consider this. At 6" long and a little over 2" at the butt, it holds 1600 grains or right at 4 ounces. That translates into over 50 30-grain charges or 17 90-grain charges. If a hunter needs even half that amount, it's probably time to consider golf. I can't see a reason in the world for a guy to risk any more than 4 ounces of powder in rain country.


Here 'tis safely nestled within easy reach inside the pouch.


While I was in a whittling and carving mood I grabbed a horn tip and ginned up a 30 grain powder measure. Not sure that's going to be the right one for the Leman yet, but since I have other guns that like 30 grains, it's not going to be idled if the Leman speaks differently. The horn tip was quite a bit wider at the spout end, but I reshaped it to get rid of the extra.


The loop at the end of the leather thong on the measure allows me to secure it directly to the horn the way I like them, plus I can move it to any horn I want.



Ask yourself this: When it keeps on raining and you don't have enough lumber for an ark, what's a guy gonna do? Think up excuses for making more bags, of course. :rotf:

 

[smo]

Great looking bag and horn BB :hatsoff:

 

[Bagman]

Very nice setup.. :hatsoff:

Can tell from the pics that your a pretty well seasoned and experienced leathersmith. Can appreciate the quality you put into your craft!

 

[omarick1948]

Ask yourself this: When it keeps on raining and you don't have enough lumber for an ark, what's a guy gonna do? Think up excuses for making more bags, of course.

Answer!....Start scooping all of that animal poop! :rotf:

Nice bag!

 

[Katahdin]

I have 36 pelts most 14x20 long hair/clipped and two half cow?? hides all are hair on!!!Would they make passable bags??

 

[ryzman]

I really like how you incorporated a strip of leather within the seams between the main parts of the bag... the thickness of the leather is perfect in my opinion... you should be proud of the time and energy you put into your gear because it really paid off... great results...

 

[BrownBear]

I have 36 pelts most 14x20 long hair/clipped and two half cow?? hides all are hair on!!!Would they make passable bags??

Get yourself a copy of The Kentucky Rifle Hunting Pouch by Madison Grant. A whole lot of examples of hair-on bags, or at least bags with hair-on flaps in there. Great reference material.

 

[BrownBear]

...a strip of leather within the seams between the main parts of the bag....

That's called a welt. They're nice and decorative, but highly functional too. Welts greatly strengthen seams and help prevent rips along the stitching when using thinner leather.

No great shakes to add a welt to a seam, but thanks for the compliments. I like them so much that seams look kinda nekked without them! :wink:

 

[FishDFly]

Like your workmanship, and the color of your bags.

 

[Artificer]

That is a very nice Shot Pouch.

GREAT Tip on applying the Atom Wax.

Do you have a closure on the flap or did you leave the flap long so just the weight of the leather will hold the flap down?

Gus

 

[BrownBear]

Just a long flap, Gus. I haven't found a closure I like, but more than that I'm satisfied with the way it stays closed with the combo of that tapered gusset and the straps coming up through the flap seam, if that's the right way to put it. Anyway, with the straps trapped between the back panel and the flap rather than tacked onto the back of the bag, the only thing the flap wants to do is stay closed.

Thanks for the feedback and compliment!

 

[BillinOregon]

Brownie, really, really fine work as usual. Is that leather 6-7 ounce? Looks plenty thick.

 

[Mickc01]

Very impressive rainy day projects :hatsoff: :hatsoff: Makes me wish I could motivate my rear end to do something useful.....Mick

 

[ZUG]

What's NOT to like about this bag :bow: ? The horn is also very nice - not overdone - just right for my taste. Great workmanship :thumbsup: .

 

[BrownBear]

Thanks for all the compliments folks. I'm real happy with it, and it's nice that other like it.

Is that leather 6-7 ounce? Looks plenty thick.

It's "officially" 4 to 4.5 oz. (1.6 to 1.8 mm) according to Tandy. But it's a very soft temper, so I'm betting they compressed it to get that thickness. It sure looks thicker than 1.6 to 1.8mm uncompressed. Might even compare it to the way ticking is always measured compressed.

Weights run higher on it relative to thickness anyway, since the stuff is oiled and waxed, making it heavier than untreated leather. The back side is headed toward "chamois" soft, but the outer surface is quite firm. I really like the way it works out in bags, but it takes getting acquainted when working with it or looking at it.

 

[Artificer]

Folks,

After reading how Brown Bear had so enthusiastically been talking about Tandy's Oil Tanned leathers here on the forum for a while, I went to my local Tandy store and actually checked out these leathers a few months ago.

I was extremely surprised by how much thinner the leather was in the same "oz. size" compared to Veg Tanned leather.

The "Kodiak Sides" are advertised as 4 to 5 oz. (1.6 to 2.0 mm) BUT the actual thickness is like 3 1/2 to 4 oz. Veg Tanned leather. Now, the problem for me is this stuff IS machine impressed to give an artificial looking grain, that is not correct for 18th century and early 19th century leather goods. However, if that does not bother you, it is a great thickness if you like a medium weight leather for a Shot Pouch. That machine impressment will “compress” the leather as Brown Bear mentioned.

The "Stone Oil Sides" Brown Bear mentions here are advertised as 4 to 4.5 oz. (1.6 to 1.8 mm), BUT the actual thickness is like 3 to 3 1/2 oz Veg Tanned leather. I think many folks who like thinner leather would love this stuff for a Shot Pouch.

I was informed by the local Tandy representative who helped me, that the oils and wax in these leathers adds weight over not having them in Veg Tanned leather. So, they are thinner than what the same weights would be in Veg Tanned leather.

Further, there is plenty of original documentation in the 18th century on “stuffed leather” that had oils and waxes worked into the leather. So the Stone Oil Sides are perfectly correct for that period.

I was also very impressed with the fact it so easily bends, but it is not too "soft" leather and will hold its shape for a Shot Pouch. This is what Brown Bear was talking about when he mentioned the "temper" of the leather.

I was HIGHLY impressed with the Stone Oil Sides that Brown Bear recommended and the only reason I did not walk out of the Tandy Store with one or two of them was I had purchased a good number of Veg Tanned “Half Shoulders” on sale just a few months earlier. I must admit I like the lighter “Tan” color better that is actually a light brown, though that is just personal preference. If one prefers the Dark Brown color Brown Bear used here or even the Black color, it is a matter of personal preference, but still a great choice.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Forgot to talk about dying the Stoned Oil Sides.

I doubt these would dye well or even at all, due to the oils and wax in the leather.

So if you don't like the color/s or wish to use Vinegaroon or other period dyes, then don't buy this leather.

However, IF you like any or all of the colors, the beauty of it is you don't have to dye the leather at all and just put a finish like the Atom Wax that Brown Bear mentioned.

Gus

P.S. Since the Oil Tan leathers only come in these thicknesses, if one wishes to make "all their leather items match in color," then it might be somewhat difficult to dye a thicker Veg Tan leather for a knife sheath or belt, etc. to exactly match these colors.

Of course if you are not bothered by the fact that all your other leather items don't match in color, this is a moot point.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

However and come to think of it, the black color in this leather may "go" very well with Vinegaroon dyed Veg Tanned leather for other items.

Gus