Double ball or shot bag

[EricEwing]

This is my attempt at a copy of one of the more unique bags from Karl Z Smith's book "Gettin' The Lead Out".  Figuring out how it was made stumped me and fascinated me to no end and took me a long time, working from the two photos in the book.  Eventually I just started making one out of cheap fabric until I figured it out and then made this one from veg tan pigskin.  The spout was made by Orville Mumma which I aged and colored a bit.  It was a fun learning process for this newbie.  The second picture shows more or less how its put together.

[gizamo]

Eric....

You have found your talent!  That is most excellent!

Giz

[EricEwing]

thank you Giz!

[skillman]

I think this is kind of a neat little bag and well done. I'm kind of torn as to how useful it would really be. Maybe shot in one and ball in the other?  How difficult would it be to dispense the desired load?

Steve

[EricEwing]

Steve,
Thanks.
I don't know how useful it is out in the field. I have tested it with a combo of ball and shot and both sides dispense easily when you close the other with your fingers. In that regard, dispensing lead from it isn't as straightforward and effortless as with a single compartment bag, but that's really not the point of it I guess.  What combos of ball/shot or shot/shot you carry in it would only be limited by your needs and the diameter of the spout.

[Tim Crosby]

  No matter what, Nice bag Eric, looks very well done.

    Tim C.

  

[skillman]

I never thought of two sizes of shot. If using a fowling piece it would be very handy to have different sizes available. I always think round ball but shot may well have been as common.

Steve

[Kermit]

GTLO is a fun addition to one's library. The double bags catch my eye, but I fail at understanding the"why." Nicely done, by the bye.

[Tim Crosby]

 Could the design come from using animal scrotums or ?

   Tim C.   

[EricEwing]

Could the design come from using animal scrotums or ?

   Tim C.   

t

Aside from the obvious superficial resemblance (which of course elicited a few jokes in my household upon its completion), I'm not really sure.  The construction method doesn't seem to indicate so, but perhaps the idea behind the design came from that.  There is at least one animal scrotum pouch in the book but its not two compartments, just one large one.  I actually wondered if the creator of the original bag suffered a few early 19th century cracks at his expense when he completed this pouch. My guess is that the designer was an inventive or rather different individual...I'd like to see what other things they made in life related and unrelated to shooting implements.