Lily Alexander Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 I'm currently making a haversack and am wondering if it should be lined. From all the past threads and pics I've seen, I can't tell if they are lined or not. Thanks for the help and I apologize if this has already been answered and I missed it. If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
Rumba Rue Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 You didn't state what you were making the haversack out of. If leather, don't line it. If material, might be wise - will add extra strength
Lily Alexander Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Right now I'm playing with cotton twill but will be making it out of hemp canvass. I'd rather screw up cheap fabric. lol If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
michaelsbagley Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Right now I'm playing with cotton twill but will be making it out of hemp canvass. I'd rather screw up cheap fabric. lol I have a cotton canvas haversack that is.... oh.... at least 5 or 6 years old. It is not lined nor has it ever been lined. It gets used fairly frequently, and used hard, I am really not kind to that poor thing. But my poor old haversack has a lot of character for it's age.
Misson Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Would this be a good thing to use for a portable surgeon's kit? "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” -Oscar Wilde "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -Orville Wright
michaelsbagley Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Would this be a good thing to use for a portable surgeon's kit? I see no reason why not. As stated in the thread on Twill, a ships medic would not likely be very mobile, so by making yourself mobile, your stepping into the realm of speculative re-enacting anyways.... But I believe it was also mentioned that battlefield medics would be more likely to be mobile and have their kits in something more portable... Maybe doing some research on what the battlefield medics of the age used would be a little less speculative? On the other hand, my haversack is just that a sack on a shoulder strap, and things get very disorganized very quickly in there, which might not be condusive to medical instraments (specially pointy ones, ouch!). A custom haversack that is more compartmentalized or has some other organizational elements added to it could do the job. And guessing that many of the medic tools may be sharp, going with a leather haversack rather than a canvas one might also be a good idea. There's a lot of different ways you can go with your concept....
William Brand Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Would this be a good thing to use for a portable surgeon's kit? It all becomes a question of semantics. Is a ship's surgeon's kit portable? Yes. By definition. The ship is portable. The large wooden box which carries all the bottled medicines is portable. The small leather satchels and instrument cases bearing surgical instruments are portable. The question you're asking, here and in twill, is this... Would a haversack be appropriate for carrying a few small items for a Doctor ashore? Yes. That is what a haversack is for. You are looking for something 'compact'. The word portable is too broad a term. The large box is portable, but you want something small, lightweight and 'convenient'. If a Doctor had to go ashore in the short term, then a haversack is a reasonable carrying case for a few necessary tools and small medicine bottles. It is period, lightweight and convenient.
Lily Alexander Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 I have a cotton canvas haversack that is.... oh.... at least 5 or 6 years old. It is not lined nor has it ever been lined. It gets used fairly frequently, and used hard, I am really not kind to that poor thing. But my poor old haversack has a lot of character for it's age. Thank you Michael. I ended up making two. One lined and one unlined. I took a few pics but am having trouble downloading them to photobucket. (Old computer). I'll try again later. If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
Patrick Hand Posted July 31, 2007 Posted July 31, 2007 Lining a haversack would be a kinda "personal" discision.... It would look nicer, but isn't really nessicary. If you are waterproofing the outside, you might want to line it. I have an American Civil War (reproduction) that had a linining that is buttoned in. The original idea was to keep your food cleaner... I don't know about earlier haversacks if they were lined or not. Haversacks were suppost to be were you carried your rations... but they are so dang handy, that you carried all kinds of stuff in them..... and things get very disorganized very quickly in there, Yah... the heavy stuff falls to the bottom, and everything gets jumbled up, so a buncha drawstring bags to keep stuff together inside the haversack is a good idea.
Lily Alexander Posted July 31, 2007 Author Posted July 31, 2007 Here are a couple of pics of the haversack I made. I think it looks about right. The dimensions are 15x15. Thanks again for the help. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...aversack001.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...aversack002.jpg If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
Patrick Hand Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 It looks good.... but the webbing for the straps looks kinda narrow..... It's no problem, unless you start to carry heaver stuff in it...... Wider straps are more comfortable........ <Yah... I know...."great.... I hear this "after" I made the thing."...... OK...call it a learning experience (truthfully, I didn't remember to say anything untill I saw the pictures..... sorry..... for light loads it won't be a problem....)>
Lily Alexander Posted August 1, 2007 Author Posted August 1, 2007 Thank you Patrick. It's not a problem at all. I appreciate any suggestions you may have. The ones I'm working on now are for practice. Considering I don't know what the heck I'm doing anyway. I ordered hemp canvass and the rest of the materials from Kass for the ones that will be used at PIP. Now I'm trying one of your suggestions for making one with dividing pockets and buttons on the inside. So, please comment and suggest away. If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
William Brand Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Wild Weavery makes good straps for haversacks, and I agree with Patrick. Wider straps. You don't want them digging into you shoulder during the day. Those are very handsome haversacks for 'practice'. Beautiful work. http://wildeweavery.com/
Patrick Hand Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 On the straps..... make them outta the same fabric.... but fold over the fabric almost like bouble fold bias tape, so it make four layers..... then stitch both edges.... and a fancy serpentine pattern up the center of each strap..... what this does is make the strap thicker, so it won't roll into a small band, right across your shoulder...... it helps distribute any weight in the haversack.... Also.... when you sew the straps to the body of the haversack..... first sew in a squairish block with an X inside.....(.The route of the stitching) Rats... that dosen't sound right..... you sew a box of stitches, and then cross from corner to corner.... so when your done, it looks like a squaire with an x in it..... Then.... just above that.... you sew another line of slightly loose stitching..... I don't know why it works.... but it holds the haversack up better..... the box with an x holds it together... the row of stitching just holds it kinda up..... Also... if you want to make it bigger..... don't make it wider... make it longer.... Another Also.... when worn.... the haversack should be just below your ribs.... not bouncing offa yer butt.....
Lily Alexander Posted August 1, 2007 Author Posted August 1, 2007 Great suggestions & descriptions Patrick. I'll try them out with the one I'm working on now. Again, many thanks. Those are very handsome haversacks for 'practice'. Beautiful work.http://wildeweavery.com/ Thank you William. The haversacks and other items on that site are beautiful. If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
Lily Alexander Posted August 2, 2007 Author Posted August 2, 2007 Well, I finished another "practice" haversack. This one is lined and has 6 inside pockets, 2 long, 2 small and 2 with buttons to hold it closed. I also tried Patricks strap suggestions. I think I did it right. In any case, that sucker isnt going anywhere. LOL. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...ersackStrap.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...aversack005.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...aversack004.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v289/klc...aversack003.jpg If you're gonna give me a headache, please bring me an aspirin! http://www.forttaylorpyrates.com/
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