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Post by paranger on May 16, 2021 12:08:12 GMT -7
Well, since there is a bit of a lull here lately, I thought I would share this bag I cranked out this weekend.    Though not a copy of a specific bag, hair-on calf bags seem to have been pretty common in my area (central PA) in the late 18th / early 19th c. This one is a single pouch with goatskin welting and trim, measuring about 9 in wide (widest point) and 7.5 in tall. |
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Post by spence on May 16, 2021 16:48:10 GMT -7
Nicely done. I have a question, if I may. The hair on the body of the bag appears to be "pointing" downward and that on the flap upward. Am I seeing it correctly?
Spence
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Post by paranger on May 16, 2021 18:37:29 GMT -7
Nicely done. I have a question, if I may. The hair on the body of the bag appears to be "pointing" downward and that on the flap upward. Am I seeing it correctly? Spence Spence, Short answer would be yes. The nap on this hide in particular was all over the place. Lots of "cow licks' (pardon the pun) and changes of direction. I have experimented with doing this different ways and found pros and cons to each. Conventional wisdom (if there be such in this case) would probably be to put nap flowing top to bottom all around to shed water, provide a consistent feel, etc. I learned something by accident on a previous hair-on goat bag flap where I had no real choice due to the shape of the flap and the fact that I only had a scrap large inough to mount it flowing bottom up. Turned out I sort of liked it, because it left a clean view of the decorative edge binding around the lip of the flap, sort of highlighting the flap shape. I also ended up putting the grain side inward on the back piece. It was purely accidental, but once I discovered it (about 10 or 12 stitches in) I decided to let it ride (kinda like rough side out shoes) and ended up liking it. Your hand feels the smooth grain side when it goes in the bag. I also used a decorative single welt (I usually go with a folded double welt). I guess you could say this bag was an experiment all the way around. |
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Post by spence on May 16, 2021 19:41:27 GMT -7
Thanks, interesting to hear your experiences. I really like the looks of hair-on bags, but have never made one. Come to think of it, my son made me a unique hair-on bag once. He caught a fox in his chicken coop and made me a totally primitive one-of-a-kind pouch from the hide, dried but not tanned. He folded it, used the legs as a keeper for the "flap", which was the head, and for attaching a shoulder strap.  Spence |
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Post by Black Hand on May 16, 2021 19:47:24 GMT -7
PA: Nice bag! I'm not manly enough to pull off the pink trim (I know it is a trick of the light and the trim is red)...  Spence: That is an interesting bag - I like it! |
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Post by paranger on May 17, 2021 2:53:33 GMT -7
Nice, Spence - Very cool. I believe that is what they would've called "tawed" leather, and I have seen a few documented to the period (including Madison Grant's book, as I recall).
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Post by hawkeyes on May 17, 2021 6:08:41 GMT -7
Ooo I definitely like it, do these hair on bags develop slippage from the hide over time? I'm curious if modern tanning methods reduce the durability of a hair on hide with added chemicals and what not.
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Post by spence on May 17, 2021 6:20:36 GMT -7
Nice, Spence - Very cool. I believe that is what they would've called "tawed" leather, and I have seen a few documented to the period (including Madison Grant's book, as I recall). I never thought about it, but you may be right. I've always thought of tawed leather as that treated with alum to make "white leather". I suppose just being treated with salt would qualify, though. Here's a little belt bag made of alum-treated deerskin, and you can see why the name "white leather" is used for it.  BTW, real men carry pink trimmed bags if they want to.  Spence |
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Post by paranger on May 17, 2021 7:03:18 GMT -7
Ooo I definitely like it, do these hair on bags develop slippage from the hide over time? I'm curious if modern tanning methods reduce the durability of a hair on hide with added chemicals and what not. Good question, Hawkeyes. I can't say I have used one long enough to say for sure. There are certainly several surviving period examples that started life "hair on" but have only patchy remains left, however. |
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