Source for material

[Clark Badgett]

You can tell I've been away for awhile. Where can a fella find some nice lighter weight sky blue wool for trowsers. I know that Child's has wool that is heavy, and Kline is out of sky blue satinet, so who carries the lighter stuff. I would like some without a lot of knap, and a bit heavier than sacking flannel.

[Charlie]

Re: Source for material

Try C.J. Daley. If Chris doesn't have it, he might be able to tell you where to find it.
Just my two cents.

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Source for material

Clark -

This has been the topic of discussion some time ago. Normally, I'd suggest using the search function to find the archived threads, but alas...

There are a couple schools of thought on this matter. One is that the currently available kersey is too heavy and thick; another is that the original kersey would have been that thick and wore down over time to the pronounced-twill rather than fuzzy nap that we find on modern weavings.

That said, I'm pretty sure Pat had some kersey in his shop last time I was down there -- call the shop at 717-339-0112. Last time I checked, Charlie Childs was out of the stuff. Another suggestion is to get a sample of the current material that Jarnagin is offering under the kersey category -- this has gotten some positive reviews in the past.

[tarwater_mess]

Re: Source for material

I am not sure why fellas are concerned about this? The kersey weave holds up to rugged use, and thus making it prime choice for trouser material. Properly finished kersey will be napped to strengthen the weave. Without this "napping up" of the unfinished weave, will most certianly render a weakened material. Was this part of the process skipped intentionally? Perhaps it is possible that this was done to shorten the process in order to help fill contractor requisitions. Perhaps this is why we tend to see existing trousers with a distinct weave visible today? The wool should be in the 20-21oz weight, and clearly appears to be in most existing pictures.

This has been covered before, perhaps Mr. Kline or Mr. Childs could help us with this again.

Did our ancestors care what weight of yard goods their trousers were constructed from? :D

Personally, and just my personal opinion on this..I think the kersey available today is to light in color. Existing trousers have a much brighter Indigo color of sky blue. That would be nice to see in reproduction yard goods. ;)

[Clark Badgett]

Re: Source for material

As usual there are so valid points brought up here. The material that Childs offers is not incorrect by any means. Mr. Childs looked at an original early war contractor swatch that is in the collection of the Ky Mil History museum and it is in most ways an exact match. Same weight, and if my memory holds correct the color was very, very close. The swatch that I am refering to has not seen UV light or been exposed to dirt the way most extant trowsers have. As for the exposed weave on the original trowsers that most of have veiwed, I personally believe that the knaping process was skipped due to wartime expediency. The few pairs that I've looked at at shows have had the weave showing too evenly, even on one pair the seam alowances had the weave, and they shouldn't have been exposed to as much wear that would have rubbed off the knap. Wish that I could find some more to go look at and more thouroughly, that the limited looking available at shows. :D

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Source for material

Concerning FHW wool, it is a definately heavier compared to some of the lighter wool he made in 2002. I've recently bought a pair of Sullivan's trousers using the wool, and they will definately hold up to any beating I could ever hope to give them. I have talked to Mr. Sullivan about the weight and he has commented that he has seen "only one pair of trousers this heavy," but maybe there were more. My question for that arises is if soldiers realized that their pants were not a good fit in the humid summers down south, did they traded them when they could for a ligther pair- did they not care- or were glad to have a more durable pair? Also, could it be that there is only one example of these trousers because soldiers went home and wore them out? And what happened to the gear after the war like coats and trousers? Did they just store them, wear them about, kept them safe for G.A.R. reunions?

This has probably been touched on before, but they were all thoughts I had pondered up in the offseason. Thanks,
Mark Krausz
Prodigal Sons Mess of Co. B 36th IL