Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I finished my "New Invented" haversack/knapsack!

This isn't really for MERF/MERS - I just always thought they were cool and have wanted one to play with myself for ages.
Mine is hemp camvas, with a linen lining inside the top flap cut to make a pouch. The leather's Hermann Oak vegtan dyed with that same commercial walnut dye I've been using, then finished with mink oil. The dimensions are straight from one of the 18th c. Reenactor sketchbooks I ran across in the '80s/'90's (Sketchbook '76 I think?) - mostly out of nostalgia. I think the real things were actually made quite a bit differently - though I like the reenactor version better.

You can see more about the real things here if you've an interest -

https://www.academia.edu/21701404/New_I ... rsack_1776

Again, I don't think it really has much use for Middle-earth reenacting... it's more a general natural-materials-immersive-forest toy. Still I can absolutely imagine this pattern working for a Bounder of the Shire - if perhaps in different colors.

... and here's that hooded ruana I've been working on. This is as it was a couple months ago before I pulled the hood off and re-centered it:
... and this is what I was talking about with the seams just disappearing into the weave. Here we're at at the hood joining the main body:
(I've since fixed that loose bit on the hood hem - eek!) .... and a size comparison with my long-unfinished Bocksten and my finally-finished Andy Watchcloak:
I'm still not quite settled about the hem - I think probably I'll cut it knee-length front and back, then round the corners. That will make for a good point of comparison with the Pictavia burris (which finally shipped! woo!)

Right on Elleth! That knapsack is really great!

really nice stuff Elleth

As of right now my MERS kit is taking a small hold while we get settled in our first house “rental sadly”. But it allows us to have a garden and a yard for our dogs, and a little spot to practice archery. Once that is settled I need to refine my Snapsack and add a quiver to it

I know it's not really for Rangering but I still really love that knapsack, Elleth. Rustic in all the right ways! Plus it's kinda fun to see some tartan! Looking forward to the cloak comparison review thread that I'm sure will be along at some point haha.

Iodo wrote: ↑Fri Jul 08, 2022 11:18 am Quite right however at work I'm a fire marshal/indecent controller and I'm having trouble understanding how I can be expected to safely search a factory building and identify a fire without the ability to smell? but I guess I cross that bridge when I come to it LOL

Just go to where all the people are running away from


I always admire your work Elleth, the more so once I got to see your tiny precise stitching up close.

Awww... thanks guys.

Next item out of the "postponed projects" box - a knapsack loosely based on Mark Baker's in his "Pilgrim's Journey" book. I did all the stitching on this late last year in the quiet time before Christmas, then it just *sat* as work and life demands took over. Now I've time to wrap it up.

This evening I waxed the outer shell -
Whoever it was that recommended the crock pot and hairdryer method of waxing cloth - THANK YOU! This way was loads less messy than my old way. There's no drops all over the kitchen to clean up!

... I still need to mount the buttons, cut and stitch the buttonholes, and get the straps and top and bottom leathers sorted out. I don't know if it'll be ready for this fall, but the one after almost certainly.

Elleth wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 1:08 am Whoever it was that recommended the crock pot and hairdryer method of waxing cloth - THANK YOU! This way was loads less messy than my old way. There's no drops all over the kitchen to clean up!

Eh what's all this then? I usually use sandwich bags in the oven. There's a better way?

Elleth, yet another awesome looking project, nice

Elleth wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 1:08 am Whoever it was that recommended the crock pot and hairdryer method of waxing cloth - THANK YOU! This way was loads less messy than my old way. There's no drops all over the kitchen to clean up!

if that is when you melt the wax a bit and rub it onto the fabric (or use a product like gold label wax), then heat the fabric with a hair dryer to make it soak in? that would likely have been me, that's the wax I've always made waxed canvas

Eofor wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 10:29 am

Iodo wrote: ↑Fri Jul 08, 2022 11:18 am Quite right however at work I'm a fire marshal/indecent controller and I'm having trouble understanding how I can be expected to safely search a factory building and identify a fire without the ability to smell? but I guess I cross that bridge when I come to it LOL

Just go to where all the people are running away from

That could work

Eofor - what I had been doing was sticking the piece in a low oven covered with wax, then when all is melted work it in with a brush (and fingers - ouch!)

Someone - and let's say it was you Iodo, so thank you! - mentioned melting the wax in a crockpot, brushing it on, then using a hairdryer to remelt it into the fiber. That was much less bother, and I think the forced hot air also helped to really push the wax into the fiber. I've also seen references to using an iron for this step which I'd like to try.

Oh, and needless to say, for the crockpot I just got a tiny one off of Amazon, and it's now a dedicated wax pot. I can't imagine the work in trying to clean it out after every project to use it for food again.

Elleth wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 11:37 am Eofor - what I had been doing was sticking the piece in a low oven covered with wax, then when all is melted work it in with a brush (and fingers - ouch!)

Oh I was doing the same but in sealed bags, the impregnation process worked a treat but you couldn't do larger pieces that way. Crock pot and a heat gun may be an option.

I'd wondered about heat gun - but I've never really used them and was afraid I'd scorch the fabric (or ignite the wax!)

The hair dryer method is very nice, and it's very satisfying seeing the fabric just soak up the wax! Still, at least with the little one I have it took a while, and I did blow a few little flecks of wax off onto the counter. There was still way less cleanup than I had with my old method, but I figured better to mention it so you're not surprised.

Working on a linen tunic and cloak (wool turned out to be too hot), and was wondering - do yall just wax cloaks, and does anyone do oilcloth for a cloak?

Turgolanas wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 7:16 pm Working on a linen tunic and cloak (wool turned out to be too hot), and was wondering - do yall just wax cloaks, and does anyone do oilcloth for a cloak?

I would suggest that if wool was too hot then a waxed or oiled cloak will likely be too.
How often do you get rained on?