Hemp shoe laces

[joed]

I have done a search for this, but am not having much luck. Does anyone know of any accounts of using hemp string as shoelaces in either the eastern or western theaters? Any help would be great



Joe Tony

[civilwarreenacting1]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

Joe, Not sure if this will help any but I have heard plenty of times that civilian shoes often came with hemp laces due to the durability and cheap price compared to leather laces. I see no reason that soldiers would have not used them, especially if they needed to replace a pair of broken laces. I also believe that Robert Land made a few pairs of shoes that came with waxed hemp laces with brass tips, yet again most likely civilian shoes. Unfortunately he has closed his shop and I have no way of contacting him to ask for certain. Hope this helped!

[Mark J.]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

Hemp is exceptionally strong...and can be bought in various sizes/diams at Walmart in the sewing/beading section for only a buck or two. Really strong thread, period correct, for practically pennies...you can't lose.! ;) It works great with some waxing and on leather stitching. Sure beats spending $20-plus on a spool of linen thread...

[PVTCOI11NC]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

Page 174 of Echoes of Glory, Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy illustrates a pair of "Shoes recovered from a dead rebel at Sharpsburg" with hemp laces.

Jeff Elmore

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

Hallo!

If the "goal" of an arsenal or contractor was to make a good, serviceable product for the lowest per-unit cost.. then it is "counter intuitive" to go the extra route (and expense) of trying to procure laces that were not leather.

Typically, the military laces were made from small scraps of shoe leather left over from the manufacturing of the shoes that were too small to be made into shoe component pieces/parts. A small piece of leather when circularly cut makes convenient okay-enough laces.

I could visualize that a lace with a flaw in the skin or perhaps one nicked when being cut so that it broke under use and pressure, might need an expedient (readily accessible) "civilian" substitute.

It would be interesting to have records/documentation for a shoe factory using other than leather at the source. But I suspect "other than leather" laces was a field expedient more than a practice.

Others' mileage will vary...

Curt

[PVTCOI11NC]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

There is an article that Bob Williams wrote "That Most Indispensible Item: Confederate Shoes" that can be found on the 26th NC website on their blog that is very informational. It does mention items other than leather being used as laces. But as Curt mentioned these were most likely field repairs using whatever material was available at the time.

Jeff Elmore

[joed]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

Thank you so much for your responses this really helps. I agree that it would most likely be a field replacement for a superior product.

Best,

Joe

[teufelhund]

Re: Hemp shoe laces

http://26nc.org/blog/?p=807

note at the bottom of the article, he states that lace and ribbon were also used for shoe ties.