Keeping our impression alive

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

That is a great idea for when the weather gets more mild, as most these boys are cav anyway, working towards a campaign weekend off the saddle would appeal to them. One boy is ordering a texas tree and others what to make oil cloth ground sheets.We could work on gearing up...and down [down sizing] in prep for such an outing. Thanks for the idea. It's inspired! I invite other thoughts. Thanks plm

[forrestcav]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

doing it away from an event allows them to do a "shake down" run. It'll let them see just how easy it can be. Are they planning to buy oil cloth and sew it into ground clothes or are they gonna buy plain canvasd and oil/wax it themselves?

[TexCavly]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Paul, you should have them make many ground cloths "for Practice" and then send them out to your friends for Christmas! hint hint

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Give them away...another great idea! But...who should I send them to???Let me think...oh! that hurts plm

[Philip cav]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I know that a the ground cloth is a work in progress. Its too cold now to let them cure. So I am reading different recipes for it. I have gotten the canvas. I keep my impression alive by reading books and diaries by the people and how they lived. Then I use this knowledge in my impression. I also use personal experiences. For example, at my unit's muster, there was a pond near by. Paul had already had fished there and knew it had catfish in it. So that afternoon, we went fishing to add a little extra to our ration. I remember I think we caught about 4 catfish and a smallmouth bass. They were good to eat being fried in bacon grease. Now I have been fishing before, but this was the first time I did period fishing. I am always learning new period skills. I need to take extra "stuff" for medical reasons to events. But I try to keep it in a pillow tick sack. Philip Brening.

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Where are you guys getting your leather to make your gear? What about period correct buckles?

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I get mine from a tanery in Tullahoma, while it is not Oak Tanned it is the "old way" in the sense that their leather is tanned thinner, but stronger. As far as buckles go; I get them from Ken.

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Andrew, are you buying whole sides of leather, or pre-cut stuff? I need to get some leather for a couple of projects, but don't really have a source around here.

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I've bought whole shoulder cuts, they sell whole hides, but they were a little out of my price range when I went in there. I may be going up next week to re-supply, I could send you some pictures when I get back.

[woolhat1864]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I use Wicket & Craig double tanned leather, for $160 a side it's hard to beat. the three or four sides I've bought from them have been outstanding.

http://www.wickett-craig.com/

Buckles on the other hand are harder to come by keep checking with Ken and keep an eye out at antique stores is your best bet, for belt buckles Parsley Brass is hard to beat.


Tommy Jackson

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Making your own stuff? You guys are my kind of "kindred spirits"!! Contact me about hardware....I have alot of original iron rings (halter sizes, D's); and a few smaller iron or brass rings for other horse equipment, carbines etc. Also have a handfull of quarterstrap D's; halter squares, some one inch and 7/8 inch rollers and horse shoe buckles ....things like that....all of the above is original hardware. Some dug so those items will be rust pitted but not bad and still serviceable. Contact me about reproduction buckles....7/8 inch roller buckles, halter buckles too.
As for winter projects....working on defarbing my Colt 51 Navy; making a gord canteen and sewing various wood buttons on an overcoat and my new "Burgwyn" winter cap. Its things like this that keep me in the hobby.

Ken R Knopp
krk1865@bellsouth.net

[Philip cav]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I actually make gourd canteens. Is this your first one?I think they are fun to make. Winter projects for me include: making a period correct quilt, re sewing the buttons on my Federal trousers, putting a new hat cord on a hat I bought, and work on my first person for Shiloh. I know some good websites that talk about making gourd canteens.


Pvt. Philip Brening

[TexCavly]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I buy the skirting sides from Tandy, (yeah I know). It's natural russet colored and you can skive it down to the desired thickness. Buckles and rings I have found in antique stores and old barns. I hit one place in Weirhousser, Wi. the guy that owned it had a ton of harnesses and draft equipment hanging outside in the rain. He wore a cowboy hat and because I was wearing one too he took an instant liking to me. I got a draft halter, a breaching butt strap and one of those cast iron snaffle bits all for $5. Of course the leather was useless but the iron was worth it's weight in greenbacks.

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

Phillip, can you send me a link about the gourd web sites? Most appreciated!

Ken R Knopp
krk1865@bellsouth.net

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Keeping our impression alive

I do quite a bit of saddle and haress repair, and not long ago a man dropped off three Harnesses. All old and usless except for all the hardware. brass horse shoe buckles, roller buckles,iron rings of all sizes, and old leather halters with federal type sqrs and one with the halter bolt! Thanks to Ken's web site and books, I can i.d. what I have so I can use the [hopfully] correct hardware. Once upon a time at a farm auction, I bought a hay rack of old junk for a dollar and in the old horse stuff was an origonal Federal cavalry bit. It had a very hi port in it, so a few years ago I traded it to Doug KiDD for a surrcingal. More of Gods blessings! plm