leather for pack harness?

[happy camper]

hello
i need some advice about which leather to use for strong, heavy duty leather straps/harness for a duluth style pack like this sort of thing.. http://www.duluthpack.com/product_detail.aspx?product=Deluxe Duluth Pack
I been looking but there's so many kinds and i dont know what the difference really is, i know i want it to be very strong and a nice brown or tan type colour. I thought straps for saddlery might work but even then there seems to be a load to choose from and i don't know my saddle from my elbow, any help would be much appreciated

 

[JohnC]

I'd try LePrevo Leather http://www.leprevo.co.uk/

 

[happy camper]

I'd try LePrevo Leather http://www.leprevo.co.uk/

hi, cheers for the link, i've been looking on LePrevo and on Abbey Saddlery and i'm sure what i need is there (and no doubt pretty obvious if you know what you're looking for) but i'm not sure which stuff is the best to use, i'm hoping someone with a bit of leaatherworking experience will be able to help me with the specifics

 

[Toddy]

Leprovo and Abbey both have the reputation of being very approachable. Why not just give them a phone and ask what they would advise as the most suitable materials. Failing that, head thee over to BB and ask Tiffers, she's a saddler and belts, buckles and straps are her something she's very familiar with.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Squidders]

I was going to suggest trying them... the alternative is to have a look through yell.com and try and find some horse stables local to you, they may well have a shop that will have a good supply of leather straps, buckles and all sorts for you to play with

 

[pierre girard]

hello
i need some advice about which leather to use for strong, heavy duty leather straps/harness for a duluth style pack like this sort of thing.. http://www.duluthpack.com/product_detail.aspx?product=Deluxe Duluth Pack
I been looking but there's so many kinds and i dont know what the difference really is, i know i want it to be very strong and a nice brown or tan type colour. I thought straps for saddlery might work but even then there seems to be a load to choose from and i don't know my saddle from my elbow, any help would be much appreciated

The older Duluth packs were equipped with harness leather. This leather was about 3/16 inch thick (or more) . Current day, the packs come with a slightly thinner leather, some kind of saddle or tack leather. Belt leather is too thin.

The older pack leather was soaked in neatsfoot oil for a day before being cut into straps. I believe Duluth pack now gets their leather pre-oiled.

If you are making your own pack - I'd suggest the harness leather, or something of a comperable thickness. At least, that's what I use.

Be sure to use roller buckles on your straps as it will save a lot on wear and tear.

PG

 

[leon-1]

I was thinking about this a while ago, there had been some talk of making one yourself.

The shoulder straps if single thickness would have to be 4-5mm (Pierre said 3/16 which is about the same), the straps and buckles could be bought from the saddlery side of life (saddlery butts, 1 inch wide x 3-4mm thick x 60 inches in length).

The width of the shoulder straps are the things that will distribute the weight to make it comfortable on your shoulders, but you may find that the edges cut in, so I would say to back the main peice of leather with a lighter softer hide (something like the chrome tanned deerskin that they used to sell at LePrevo).

 

[pierre girard]

I was thinking about this a while ago, there had been some talk of making one yourself.

The shoulder straps if single thickness would have to be 4-5mm (Pierre said 3/16 which is about the same), the straps and buckles could be bought from the saddlery side of life (saddlery butts, 1 inch wide x 3-4mm thick x 60 inches in length).

The width of the shoulder straps are the things that will distribute the weight to make it comfortable on your shoulders, but you may find that the edges cut in, so I would say to back the main peice of leather with a lighter softer hide (something like the chrome tanned deerskin that they used to sell at LePrevo).

Some of Duluth packs high dollar models ( Monarch) of pack employ this method. I've found keeping the 3/16" thick straps pliable with neetsfoot oil soon mold them to your shoulders. I also round the leather edges with an edging tool - which also helps to keep the leather from digging into your shoulders.

PG

 

[happy camper]

Thanks very much everyone, the details are really helping!
I'm thinking approx.1 inch straps for most of the pack and wider for the straps on the shoulder to try and spread the weight more, it's difficult to see how wide the shoulder harness part on the "duluth" pack is but i'm guessing about 2''.
Thanks again for your input, all wisdom is gratefully received!!!

 

[pierre girard]

Thanks very much everyone, the details are really helping!
I'm thinking approx.1 inch straps for most of the pack and wider for the straps on the shoulder to try and spread the weight more, it's difficult to see how wide the shoulder harness part on the "duluth" pack is but i'm guessing about 2''.
Thanks again for your input, all wisdom is gratefully received!!!

One inch is what I use for all straps - as in the "heavy duty" models listed on the Duluth pack website. I think the shoulder straps are something like 2.25 inches, but I'll check.

I will send you specific measurments tomorrow (at work now) if you'd like. If you will state which pack you are considering - I will send placement measurements on the canvas as well. I've been thinking to do a tutorial on this as I have three packs in various stages of completion (and I need to get at them).

I have the following style Duluth packs:

"Boys" (box style) pack (comperable to a large day pack like the rambler) - (about 54 liters)

#2 (envelope style) pack (about 65 liters)

#3 pack (envelope style) pack (about 88 liters)

Hudson Bay (box style) Pack (comperable to woods pack - hmm, maybe 110 liters)

#4 (box style) pack (about 130 liters)

Paul Bunyan (box style) Pack (about all the liters you'd ever care to pack - perhaps something like 200 liters - maybe larger - it is a really large pack)

I don't know for liters - I hope the conversion program I used has this right.

PG

 

[happy camper]

Hi
thanks again for all the help, any measurements you have would be great. I'm thinking of making at least a couple of packs, i was thinking along the lines of making something between the "monarch no.4"
( http:/www.duluthpack.com/product_detail.aspx?product=Monarchs ) and the "northwoods" which seems the same as the woods pack.
I've just looked online and if i'm right it seems the Hudson Bay pack is the same size as the monarch but without the sidepockets, so if it isn't too much trouble, any measurements you could give for for that one would be really useful.
Many thanks

 

[Zodiak]

Sorry for what my be a daft question, but I have never seen these packs before, what distinguishes them from other packs?

 

[pierre girard]

Sorry for what my be a daft question, but I have never seen these packs before, what distinguishes them from other packs?

Large packs, very strongly constructed of heavy canvas and thick leather. A pack you can bequeath to your grandchildren.

http://www.duluthpack.com/

http://www.frostriver.com/

PG