Chuck and James,
Thanks for your thoughts on a Head Knife, that was very informative. Sounds like something I would not normally need for most of my leatherwork, except for use in the Artificer’s Impression I am putting together.
There is not a lot of information on Artificer’s assigned to the military, even the British Military, though I have found a few references to Artificers’ Kits that were sent with them from England. Artificers were the “Jacks of all Trades” and maybe/probably “the Masters of none.” Though the military or activated Militia would need repairs done on guns, leather goods (including horse tack), wagons, etc., etc. during a campaign; it is not likely a Master of a trade would have done it most of the time and maybe at most Journeymen. Of course when something “broke” was brought to them, it is probable they teamed up at times to fix things and worked “across their normal trades.” (I realize this is speculation, but I’m trying to make it “informed speculation” and something that could at least be correct for the period.)
So if I may impose further, may I ask your gentlemen’s recommendation on a basic traveling kit needed for repair of leather items “in the field” in the middle and late 18th century? If in the following kit you see something not needed or something I left out because I am not a professional leather worker, I would appreciate it.
1. Leather for repairs/replacement of items as needed.
2. Needles, both straight and curved.
3. Linen thread and beeswax.
4. Maybe two sizes of awls, small and medium? Oh, and of course one or two sizes of curved awls.
5. Straight knife
6. Portable stitching pony. I don’t think a saddler’s clam is early enough, but don’t know?
7. Not sure if they would have had stitching wheels in such a kit, though they did in the 19th century?
8. Blackening or dye
9. Leather “dressing.” I think I may “cheat” on this one and use a modern dressing, but put it in a period container. There is a least one dressing I have that looks like it was made from a “base” of beeswax, but protects the leather better. Any recommendation on that?
10. Head Knife
And this also leads me to ask if there is a particular kind of Head Knife that would be a good “one of a kind” knife for most of such repairs in the 18th century and what kind of handle would be correct? I imagine a set of pinned on wood scales for handles?
BTW Chuck, I found it fascinating you have had at least one copy of a Medieval Head Knife made. That’s really neat. I believe we honor our trades and ourselves when we study the history of our trades and use older tools, as we can find something that was almost lost by not using them.
Gus
