Vaguely period belt pouch

[tombear]

I had some of the 1.2mm leather left over from the snapsack I made recently so yesterday and today I knocked up a belt pouch to go on a 2" belt.

I had some scraps of thicker stuff laying about so I used that for the straps and the 2 bits between that holds the 'hawk. Since I had five layers to go through I drilled through with a tiny bitt in the Dremel rather than use a awl and it worked very well.

I will oil the leather now and leave it to cure like I did with the snapsack

Cheers

Tom

 

[Survivalmike]

great job mate - and the idea with the axe is fantastic - really like that!
thx for showing

cheers
Mike

 

[tombear]

Thanks! The pouch is mainly to hold a small first aid kit, file or stone, a snack and be somewhere to stuff gloves and hat as the leather was a bit thin to hold bulky / heavy kit without me doubling it up or lining it with linen like the snapsack.

Also with my having a circumferance rather than a waist I don't think the belt would stay up if I carried much more than a 'hawk and belt knife there.

ATB

Tom

 

[Pandabean]

Hi Tom,

That looks pretty good, just wondering what you based it on when you say period? Just out of interest really as I have been trying to find some historical examples to base my next pouch on.

Are there any plans to dye the leather & what does "leaving to cure" do to the leather? (im still learning )

Cheers,
Andy

 

[tombear]

Hi Andy
I poked about the net and had a good look at all the extant 18th century hunting pouches I could find and used elements from those as I couldn't find any imagers of a straight 18th century belt pouch, they simply haven't survived unlike the fancier, fashionable belt pouches from earlier periods. Hence the "vaguely" in the title.

The saddle stitching with linen thread, two hole bone buttons and method of construction (stitching the seams while the piece is inside out) are all documened, the only conjectual bit really is the method of carrying the hawk. They are shown in paintings/illustrations as poking out from behind pouches but theres no indication if they were secured in anyway.

Oh and the cover for the hawks head is just my own design, the only contempory coverings I've seen seem to be simply drawstring bags pulled over the front part of the head or what look like rags or scraps of leather tied round them.

Unfortunately I am a bugger for not saving links or I would put them up as theres several discussions on them.

http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2010/09/18th-century-belt-pouch.html

Has some interesting thoughts on the subject.

Although in th long term it is bad for the leather I have used raw neetsfoot oil (got from the local tripe dealer at a quid a pint) on them in lieu of dying etc. Its use is well documented for waterproofing leather along with tallow and in a mix beeswax.

In this context by to cure I mean for the oil to finish penetrating the leather as a means of preserving it to survive the wet better. It will dry off some in the process and lighten in colouras well as regain some of its stiffness. I'll then give it a rub with my leather polish. I'm rather pleased with that as I made it over a year ago and its not gone off yet despite being left in a pot on a shelf and being in large part mutton tallow. No doubt it will now go off overnight but so far the pine pitch and pure turpentine I added to the tallow, beeswax and neets foot oil has stopped anything nasty growing on or in it. That I made up from a mix of period reciepts on the net.

ATB

Tom

 

[Cromm]

That is great work. I like the idea of how the hawk sits.

 

[tombear]

Cheers! after walking about with, it hasn't tangled with my legs yet, the one advantage of having a waist substantially bigger than my hips!

One cock up, the little Crocodile/Martingdales sharpening file I want to keep in it is nearly a inch longer than the pouch is wide.

http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ralphmartindale/gen-sharp.html

No biggy but I am thinking of sewing a long thin pocket on the back to take it.

On that note I'm intending to pin scales to the handle of the file to make it more comfortable (and tarty) Assuming that part hasn't been hardened to the umpth degree and my drills bounce off!

ATB

Tom

 

[John Fenna]

Cheers! after walking about with, it hasn't tangled with my legs yet, the one advantage of having a waist substantially bigger than my hips!

One cock up, the little Crocodile/Martingdales sharpening file I want to keep in it is nearly a inch longer than the pouch is wide.

http://www.ralphmartindale.co.uk/ralphmartindale/gen-sharp.html

No biggy but I am thinking of sewing a long thin pocket on the back to take it.

On that note I'm intending to pin scales to the handle of the file to make it more comfortable (and tarty) Assuming that part hasn't been hardened to the umpth degree and my drills bounce off!

ATB

Tom

Or you could just break off the last 1 1/4" off the file - save weight and work!

 

[tombear]

Excellent thinking that man!, I could give the end bit to the middle son to use use with a bit of flint to make fire with so it won't be wasted.

Is there a accepted best way of getting it to break at the right point?

ATB

Tom