Primitive(ish) camp set-up (pic heavy)

[Balloonatic]

I was camping with my nephew on some woods owned by my work last week and decided to test out my new rig. It is designed to mimic the kit that might have been used by woodsmen in North America during the eighteenth century which dictates materials etc. I have a canvas sheet that I am using as a shelter, stones tied into the corners form anchors for ropes etc. I made tent pegs from deadfall wood and made a simple cross-beam over which to hang the sheet. It rained heavily during the night and was surprisingly dry under the shelter, all in all I'm pretty impressed with how it performed.

I packed the whole kit up and buttoned the canvas under the flap of my knapsack. The blanket roll will sit on top of it when the bag is on my back. I kept the sticks used for the tripod so that I could use a similar set up when camping in open ground (I have a couple of re-enactment events I want to use it for). It is hardly an ultralight system but given the limitations I imposed on myself I'm happy with it. My next step will be to paint the whole canvas with red oxide paint to make it properly waterproof.

I hope that is of interest to some folks out there. Any questions please let me know.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Looks good.
There's a few folk here (myself included) who prefer the vintage kit approach.
Question from me any chance of a thread with pics of your kit please?

 

[Big Stu 12]

Hi, as Sam say's there's a few of us on here that like the vintage kit and method's, it sets a new challenge.. and the research of it is interesting as well..

Dont red oxide it.. look at oiling or waxing it

 

[Man of Tanith]

Red oxide is more period correct if he plans t use it at reenactment events

 

[Big Stu 12]

Red oxide is more period correct if he plans t use it at reenactment events

Oh i did not know that , thank you, I stand corrected.. , does it not go stif, and crack when folded?

 

[Balloonatic]

As requested MoT I'll add some of my stuff onto here. Firstly my knapsack which I made from a hemp canvas grain sack (and to think it nearly got used as a pillow case, off) lined with cotton and reenforced with leather to prevent the stitching from pulling through. It has a capacity of about 25-30 litres I reckon and my blanket etc strap to the outside.

I posted my knapsack above but I needed to re-pack it so here are some images of my other kit.

On the top right you see a spare knife made by a friend of mine, below a red bag with a shoulder strap I use for carrying some soap and a comb, below a wallet I use for flints etc. Next my billy can which is a brass pale lined with tin. Inside is some rice in a linen bag and a leather bag of tea (below in the pic). I also carry some stock just to give stews flavour (not really 'vintage' but a good substitute for the 'pocket soup' used during the eighteenth century). There is a small wooden box I use to carry salt and a wooden spoon I carved a while back and sat on this weekend. Beneath a leather log book and length of rope. Beside the pale is my housewife and awl. I carry 2 pairs of moccasins (a fleece pair to line some tougher outers), some wool socks and a 'canadian cap' made from wool broadcloth with a fleece outer that can pull down over your ears if it gets really cold. The cap also fills another purpose as a cover for my billy-can and stopping it from digging into my back.

Next my belt kit, a simple leather belt with a lightweight 'kentucky belt axe' and a hudson bay style knife. The pouch contains my tinder box and a bag of dry kindling.

Next my blanket roll. I am experimenting with new variations here but today I finished my blanket shirt (cut to an eighteenth century pattern which gives plenty of room without being uncomfortably baggy) and have rolled it up in my blanket. On the outside I carry a 3/4 blanket which I have used as a rain cape or just for a little extra warmth when I don't want to get my whole blanket out. The main blanket is an old whitney job but is getting a little thin so I am keeping my eye out for replacements.

That is pretty much it for now, again any questions are welcome and I hope you have enjoyed seeing my kit.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Cracking stuff.
Have to agree pocket soup doesn't sound appealing to me either.
Have a nose at my boone challenge thread in out n about section of forum should be right up your street.

Also I need notice you're not a huge distance away from me, my sister studied at the university of Hertford

 

[Stringmaker]

Nice work and an interesting thread; thanks a lot.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Great kit you have there, Interesting to see how others do it, the Boone challenge has certainly caught peoples imagination...

Have you still got the pattern for the smock ?

 

[Balloonatic]

Cheers MoT, some of the pocket soup ideas sound nice enough it's just the effort required to make a massive stew and then boil it down to a paste. Some corners need cutting!

Stu, the instructions for the shirt are here:

http://www.nwta.com/patterns/pdfs/261mensshirt.pdf

 

[John Fenna]

Great kit!
I love the moccs!

 

[Balloonatic]

Cheers John. Stu, the red-oxide is more authentic and though quite heavy it can be pretty flexible if you give it a good rub down with a round stone (or indeed an old cricket ball) before folding it too much. The shirt was surprisingly easy to make from the pattern etc here:

http://www.nwta.com/patterns/pdfs/261mensshirt.pdf

 

[Macaroon]

That's an intersting set-up you've put together there; I really like to see woolen blankets being used for both clothing and bedrolls, hard to beat once you get the carry together.....there's a good thread here somewhere
about re-lanolising wool when you've made clothing from it. It seems a real faff when you first see what's involved but like many things the reality is very simple, and I'd go so far as to say it's the single best thing I've learned to do in the past decade - makes an unbelievable difference to the utility and comfort of MYO woolen garments.

Great thread, thanks for posting............................atb mac

 

[petrochemicals]

very very interesting, how is your spoon doing ?

How much does that kit weigh all together without food and water ? I like it as its simple with a few items.

 

[Balloonatic]

The spoon is cracked but it'll survive, the end of the bowl now has a gouge in it but I can make a new one at some point I'm sure. The kit as you see it weighs 10kg without food and water. I have an old WW2 bottle on a length of rope to carry water in which weighs maybe 1.5 kg full. Food depends rather on what I'm carrying but usually the food weighs more than the billy can I keep it in.

I know this is wildly off topic but will there come a time when I can post without having to wait for someone to approve my post.

 

[Man of Tanith]

The spoon is cracked but it'll survive, the end of the bowl now has a gouge in it but I can make a new one at some point I'm sure. The kit as you see it weighs 10kg without food and water. I have an old WW2 bottle on a length of rope to carry water in which weighs maybe 1.5 kg full. Food depends rather on what I'm carrying but usually the food weighs more than the billy can I keep it in.

I know this is wildly off topic but will there come a time when I can post without having to wait for someone to approve my post.

Yup. Five posts or ten (cant remember sorry)
Thats not a bad weight at all for all the wool etc in there.
Although I go with crikey can't lift it its too heavy. Or yep I can lift that its fine

 

[Balloonatic]

Ahh, fair enough, thanks MoT. To put the weight in perspective it is less than the weight of my webbing without ammunition so it is a fairly reasonable amount to carry.

Macaroon, that sounds like a pretty interesting idea, I'll look into it.

Stu if you google 'typical eighteenth century shirt' there will be an article on the 'NWTA' site which is what I used, for some reason it won't let me post the link on here.

 

[crosslandkelly]

I like your camp setup and kit. Will be trying something similar in September, Not quite as primitive, but similar.

 

[tombear]

If you want to make tracings from them I have the Reconstructing History patterns

http://store.reconstructinghistory....historic-patterns/18th-century-en-page-2.html

for the fly front breaches, 1740-60s waistcoat and 18th C shirt and drawers. I've also got the one for the 1750-60 frock coat but I'm in the middle of not making it have got the materials, cut out lining and outside from linen and interlining/buckram and am now avoiding putting it all together. There's 40 button holes to do.....

anyroad if you want to copy any pm us.

i fancy doing the 18th C working mans jacket but can't justify buying another expensive pattern. I keep looking for a second hand one to trace but have had no joy. Anyone fancy chipping in and sharing a copy?

ATB

Tom

 

[Balloonatic]

I have a pattern for a sleeved waistcoat if that would do the job? I bought it last month but haven't had the courage to have a go. Breeches sound interesting though I'd miss the freedom of my breechcloth!

Thanks C&K.