Making a cotton duck haversack

[wet willy]

Any advice on making a cotton duck haversack water resistant?

I'm interested in historically correct methods, as opposed to modern sprays and chemicals.

[Pete G.]

Saturating w/beeswax is traditional, if you don't mind having a top notch fire starter hanging from your neck.

[pathfinder]

  


just about any traditional water"proofing" will have a certain amount of risk. Knives's also have sharp edges!

I'd go with the Bee'swax. I have a haversack made by Duane,sorry,forgot the last name,from Wisconsin,that is fairly waterproof. Was really stiff at first,but the more it's used,the softer it got.

[James Rogers]

Willy,
What period of history are you looking to for correct methods of waterproffing a haversack?

Saturating a haversack with beeswax seems to be traditional to the 1990's reinvented longhunter era.
It has not proven historical to the 18th century to my knowledge. I would also use linen canvas.

For war of northern aggression era maybe tar? and possibly some kind of red paint for an 18th century pack. I would not wax or paint a haversack at all but leave as is to be able to wash it periodically to get the meat grease out to prolong the bottom from eating thru.

[T*O*F]

For war of northern aggression era maybe tar? and possibly some kind of red paint for an 18th century pack.

To simulate either one, use black or brick red latex paint.  This simulates gutta percha or "Indian rubber"  Don't paint it on.  Rather totally soak it, squeeze it out, and then squeegee off the excess.  The tar finish was also used in nautical applications.

Alternatively, use authenic oilcloth to make the bag from....and not the kind soaked in linseed oil.

[Clark Badgett]

The US Army was using black tarred cloth to make knapsacks from at least as far back as the War with Mexico. Linoleum, used to cover and protect wood floors, (linseed oil soaked sheeting) goes back real far. I've seen advertisements for it in papers in Louisville, KY from the 1850s and the process seems to have been well established by then. I'm not too certain tarred havesacks go back much farther than our Civil War.

I've never found a definative answer on exactly what was used to make oil cloth, but it's use goes back a good ways.

[Habu]

The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly Vol 24 #1 had an article describing original manufacture of oilcloth.  If you try this method, don't skip the sizing, and keep in mind the end product is rather flammable. 

[Luke MacGillie]

Survivng Late 18th or Early 19th Century British Haversack captured by Americans

http://www.najecki.com/repro/misc/Nannos/HaversackDetails.html


Surviving Mexican War Haversack
http://www.historicalimagebank.com/gallery/main.php/v/album02/album30/PW202d-+Mexican+War+period+US+Haversack+copy.jpg.html

Despite waterproofed haversacks being all the rage within certain elements of the greater buckskinning/reenacting/trekking hobby, there is no documentation, that I know of proving that waterproofed haversacks are any earlier than the 1860's

But since very few people use their haversack as a food bag, instead of a carry all for wallet, keys, camera ect I understand why such farb has crept into the  hobby, and now, since folks are making money off of these creations, your a really, really bad guy to bring up the fact that the Emporer is wearing only a haversack.....

[pathfinder]

I agree! I dont worry about water"proofing" anything. If it's THAT wet out,I dont go,or I stay under the tarp or in the lodge. I also dont belive a lot of waterproofing was done "then".

I think the study of waterpfoofing would probably get better info from a nauticle site that specializes in the age of sail. I recall a lot of those types of discussions when I was heavy into building model sailing ships. They NEEDED waterproofing!

[Chris Treichel]

The "new improved haversack" that has some scant evidence for the Rev war period was painted with oil paint on the front... which helps keep the contents dry during about the first 2 minutes of a light drizzle.

That said you could use oil cloth or tar the bag both of which have some documentability (naval use) but I doubt you would want to eat anything stored in a bag that had been waterproofed by means of linseedoil or tar. 

I would suggest the best historical option would simply be the British hair on goatskin knapsack... might actually stand a chance of keeping your things dry andnot tase like oil.  Here are some period paintings and research on that http://www.33rdfoot.org/knapsacks.html

[markwi]

Pathfinder, was that Duane Heim you were trying to think of? If it was I know him.  We are in the same club.  Mark

[pathfinder]

I'm thinking yes. He sells a lot of 'em. I bought mine in Oshgosh. He also sets up in Kalamazoo. Wish i had need of another one,great guy to deal with!

[Luke MacGillie]

The "new improved haversack" that has some scant evidence for the Rev war period was painted with oil paint on the front... which helps keep the contents dry during about the first 2 minutes of a light drizzle.

That said you could use oil cloth or tar the bag both of which have some documentability (naval use) but I doubt you would want to eat anything stored in a bag that had been waterproofed by means of linseedoil or tar. 

I would suggest the best historical option would simply be the British hair on goatskin knapsack... might actually stand a chance of keeping your things dry andnot tase like oil.  Here are some period paintings and research on that http://www.33rdfoot.org/knapsacks.html

Lots of evidence of painted knapsacks, nothing so far on haversacks.......

[Chris Treichel]

Had to double check to make sure I wasn't smokin something.... see pg20 http://1va.org/Quartermaster/Uniforms_and_Clothing.pdf of course he had to take a picture of one that wasn't painted...

The painted "haversack" I am referring to is the "New Invented Knapskack-Haversack" that was found in Maryland Archives dating to arround 1777-80 based on an advertisement by a sutler trying to sell his wares. It is also sometimes called a double knapsack-haversack as its a knapsack that has two compartments.  Painted red on the front its what many rev war reenactors use.  Still barely keeps anything dry on a damp day.   

[Luke MacGillie]

You hit on a key point, Advertized, no proof that they were ever purchased.......

But they were put in Sketchbook 76 and there are hundreds, if not thousands of them floating around in reenactorland.  They had just about been put to bed, but then Natty Bumpo used one and they got a new life with the Deedles.

[wet willy]

Thanks to all who responded regarding a duck haversack.

I used the term "water resistant," in my post, which is what my Swiss wristwatch says on the back, knowling that "waterproof" is only a dream. But, as some have said, the linseed oil, etc, is good for a few raindrops before it leaks into the contents.

Have a large piece of cotton duck, and I'll make a plain haversack and see what happens, knowing it, and the contents, will get soaked in the first rainstorm. I'm thinking 200+ years ago, folks either carried stuff that didn't matter if it got wet, or put it it some pouch that kept it dry.

I've learned much and your responses have been very helpful.

[Luke MacGillie]

Willy,

If you are carrying stuff that you dont want to get wet, well, put 2 straps on it, paint it like numerous surviving examples and descriptions and wear it like a knapsack. 


 

[Chris Treichel]

Some units pretty much require those double knapsack contraptions for late war wear... They were very similar to a british pack.
My solution is still to just use a bed roll tumpline with a piece of oil cloth wrapped arround the blanket and on the inside a oil cloth bag to keep socks and small bits dry. On the outside a standard unit issue type haversack of osnaburg junk linnen (aka cheapest bidder made look) and that holds the rations.  There is some research (which I would have to dig up) that postulates that haversacks would have been unit issue items and you would have not kept personal items in it as they were strictly for food.     

[Clark Badgett]

I once made a painted haversack from proper drill cloth and as close as I could get period paint formula and nothing ever got wet in it. When I announced I was leaving reenacting I had acquaintences calling me to buy that haversack. Of course it was Civil War period though.