Material for a Waistcoat?

[feralpig]

You guys seem to know your fabrics and cloths making. Not strictly a bushcraft question, but I'll ask anyway.

I want to make a really strong waistcoat, basically for work. I'm gardener and landscaper, love a waistcoat, but destroy bought ones in no time.

It doesn't have to be waterproof, although shower proof would be nice.
I want a really thick, hard wearing material, something that would very nearly stand up by it self, and a zip that will survive getting dirt in it without failing.

Could anyone put a name to the kind of material I'll need, and maybe the same for a zip?

Many thanks.

Maybe I should have put this in clothing and footware. if someone wants to move it, carry on.

 

[treadlightly]

Tweed would be good or maybe moleskin as a second option.

 

[Toddy]

You can sometimes get hold of waxed cotton that's been quilted with a wool backing fabric. Comes in dark tan, chocolate brown, dark leaf green, navy blue, burgundy and black.
No idea where to find it just now though, sorry. Heavy weight brass zips intended for wax jackets come in assorted lengths as well. So do the large toothed heavy duty plastic ones.
The last waistcoat I made for a ropeworker was made from heavy weight canvas that I lined with wool flannel. He said that in use it got wiped with so much Stockholm tar that it was bulletproof

cheers,
Toddy

 

[tombear]

Ever thought of doing a Monty Don (I think that's his name) and going leather?

back when I was getting to air shows and Militaria fairs I picked up one of the current issue leather jerkins for £4 straight out of stores, I seriously regret not getting small ones for the kids and two more extra large ones for myself. They are mesh at the back for ventilation but I fancy taking two apart and making a back from the leather of one to fit to the front of the other and then lining it all with grey blanket like the classic Great War to 1960s ones. They come with a heavy duty plastic zip.

Wartime ones are collectors items now and have the price set accordingly but there are post war Belgium ones that ain't so costly.

Atb

Tom

 

[boatman]

I have a middle east one made on possibly Afghanistan. Heavy tweedy material on back as well. Available from markets and ethnic shops perhaps the one that used to be in Tetbury.

 

[British Red]

Heavy sheepskin works well - but you need cowhide for the pockets if they are going to carry a lot of weight

Like this


Jerkin by British Red, on Flickr

 

[feralpig]

Many thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated. I'd like to make a waistcoat out of each material suggested, maybe I will eventually.
I'd love a leather one, even for working in, black sheep skin would be nice. The only problem I find with leather, is that it goes all slimy when it gets wet, and then starts smelling unless it is dried properly, which it never will be. I wear the waistcoat day in day out, every day, wet or not. It would just rot away with me wearing it. Certainly, if this project comes off, I'll be wanting to make one for tidy wear.

I've been pondering this all day. What I think I will do is get some Cordura fabric, and line it with fleece material.
Fleece material is cheap, and 1000 denier Cordura is around £10 for a running metre, off a 1.5 meter roll. 2 running meters of each should be enough, I would think.

Is what I'm thinking practical? Can I sew Cordura with an old Singer hand turned sewing machine?

 

[Hibrion]

You should be fine with leather, mate. I wear a leather biker style waistcoat on my bike in all weathers, it's got soaked, been battered by hail, it's never dried 'properly', it's been slept in, and several million bugs have met their end on it, and it still looks fine. I know fellas who have been wearing the same leather waistcoat day in day out for nearly thirty years. They look worn, but they still function.