Mountain Men

[DimitriS]

Hey,

Well after talking with hunters I know about me wanting a Whitworth and not a modern in-line they started to say I wanted to be a mountain man

So tell me how does one dress up to be a 1800's person ??

I figured since this forum is about black powder and cowboy shooting if any of you get into "charator" and reinact someone might know

I want to look kinda like a mountain man/person from the 1800's when I go hunting for the first time with the Whitworth so I can mess with there minds

Thanks in advance

Dimitri

[Hafoc]

If you don't want an inline you're a mountain man? Pffft. Why don't these guys stick with cartridge guns and be done with it?

As for dressing like a mountain man... the classic get-up for one of those who had been at his trade a long time is fur, fur, fur, put into hand-made garments. Are you really sure you want to be wearing fur when you go deer hunting? This seems kinda dangerous to me. I'm just sayin'.

[DimitriS]

Hafoc,

Thanks for the reply

Yes I think they should stick to modern weapons but doesnt matter what ever floats there boat.

LOL yes I guess it would be dangourus to wear fur on a deer hunt but then agian I still need to wear a vest of hunter orange. Mind you that probrobly wont help!

What I was more or less looking for is a semi-mountain man outfit you know ?? Not quite looking like a mountain man with a ton of fur on me, but yet not looking like a mid to late 1800's man. More like a "just starting out" Mountain man or something after all after I start this I can add more fur/leather clothing to my suit from the hunting

I am seriously thinking though to put together a outfit that makes me look like a mountain man but I still look good enough so it doesnt seem that I have been at it for too long.

What do you think ??

Dimitri

[Hafoc]

Well, in that case you'd want some 1830s style work clothes and a broad-brimmed "farmer" type hat, not the cowboy style hat, as that one hadn't been developed to its current form yet. I have no idea what period shoes would be. Not fully decorated cowboy boots, certainly.

'course, I'm not sure I could tell the difference between 1830 and 1890 cowboy action-style clothing myself, and I'm aware there must have been a difference. Probably some cowboy stuff would suit to perplex your friends, especially if you topped it off with a historically incorrect coonskin cap. But there's that fur again. Might do for a joke, but I still wouldn't wear it while actually hunting.

Maybe if you just showed up at the camp with a coonskin cap, a bear trap, and a tommahawk hanging from your belt?

[yorec]

Mountainman attire for the 1830s...

Try a pair of buckskin or wool breeches and mocasins. Top with a handmade muslin shirt and a capote - do a search for them all, lots of directions on how to on the net. (Capote is a jacket made from a large wool blanket, sometime brightly colored)

Oh yeah and most importantly - grow a bead!

I knew a guy who dressed all in buckskins and hunted the back counrty while leading his white mule and carrying his .45 Hawken every year. Lotta fun and never a problem. (Course me was a mile or three from the nearest road were all the out or state drunkards "hunted")

[DimitriS]

Thanks for the tips you 2

Whats funny is out of the whole 1800's the clothing I have found is from the "60's". I guess Civil War reinactors really get into it seeing as most of the stores I find online have stuff from that time period. And it is between 1830's and 1890's

Maybe if you just showed up at the camp with a coonskin cap, a bear trap, and a tommahawk hanging from your belt?

That sounds like a plan thanks!

As for the wool I love the stuff it keeps you nice and warm even in bad storms in Northern Ontario (Thunder Bay to be exact I used to live there ).

I am going to look around for a wool blanket to make that jacket As for the beard I am still kinda young will take ages for it to grow.

Dimitri

[yorec]

Out of curiosity I did a quick search on Ebay for capotes... A Few I found:

http://cgi.ebay.com/mountain-man-bla...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/mountain-man-bla...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/BLACK-POWDER-MOU...QQcmdZViewItem

There were more, but you can search 'em all out yourself.
They ain't cheap, but the point is that there are folks out there still making them.

And here's a site on how to make your own out of a wool blanket: http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/winter/gear/capote.htm

One thing I'd want is a blanket rifle scabbard out of the same blanket as my Capote - That Whitworth would sit right well in one...

[DimitriS]

yorec,

I found that site that tells you how to make them but thanks anyways

As for buying on Ebay I have only ever bought 1 item I belive and that was a game for my brother. I dont like buying off Ebay to be honest.

Not because I think they are going to rip me off most are great sellers but I still like walking into a store and being able to see what I buy before I buy it you know ?? Plus I like the fact buying from a store means I can return something that isnt 100% ok for another one of the same type maybe different size. Thats why I'll buy from online stores but not ebay too

Anyways I think I know where I can get a wool blanket so I am almost there

Dimitri

[yorec]

...the point is that there are folks out there still making them.

No problem - next you'll need some buckskins - lemme know when you want resources for that too!
The buckskin process will make your Capote making look like a blanket party...

[DimitriS]

yorec,

Know how to make leather out of a deer skin ??

I still got my tag to fill in the extended Archery season up here Maybe I'll bag myself a deer before the seasons end to make into a jacket!

Mind you this will also be my first deer seeing as its the first season I ever went hunting

Dimitri

[yorec]

But of course... you'll need more than one deerskin though - more like three of them. When you get to cutting into pattern parts a deerskin just doesn't go all the way! Course I'm not gonna give you the whole process right here - not into writing a book this morning...

But for further resources and jsut because:
my leathercraft page - though no buckskins up right now...
And - http://www.braintan.com/ If these guys don't know it about the leather process - it was forgotten long ago in the mists of time!
And Tandys - always the premier place for leather supplies.

[DimitriS]

yorec,

Thanks for the links. I figured I could atleast make a vest with the skin of my first deer Well I might be wrong but thats ok. I just want to try and do it.

Have any of you made colthing out of wool ?? How thick wool do you think you'll need for Northern Ontario (-40 or lower) ??

See I like the whole idea of a capotes but a well built Range Coat slightly modified would keep me warm better I think.



See how its long to his shoes well I was planning on getting that cut down to the knees so it wont get too wet in the snow. Its design made of some thick wool will keep me nice and warm while moose hunting better I think then a Capote

What do you think of my Range Coat type idea yorec ?? And know where to get wool by the yard online ??

Dimitri

[yorec]

Something like this coat? I was wearing it many years ago when trouble struck - my truck broke down after a long day out chasing elk. I was 15 miles from the nearest highway, 20 miles from the nearest ranchhouse, the snow was knee deep and I was soaked with sweat from tromping around all day in it - not to mention tired, and it would get to be -30 degrees F that night. Recipe for disaster right?

Luckily I was smart enough to syphon gas out of the truck's fuel tank and could wake up to light a warming fire when I got too cold - too exhausted to actually stay awake all night though... Search and Rescue found me a little after three in the morning - shared my fire with them, I was in better shape than they after all. They were quite suprised if not downright amazed. Got my truck going and went home. (Preparedness helps, they knew where to look for me becasue I'd laid out my plans with my folks and I was prepared to stay outside - though I wish I'd thought to throw a sleeping bag in the truck to crawl into!)

Swandri's moto goes something like: "If you wear your Swandri long enough it will save your life." Mine did.

This coat's about a half inch thick - but where to buy that kind of wool in bulk I have no idea. Swandri is a New Zealand brand - Woolrich would be right along the same lines here, I think and they might have something similar.

The key to staying warm with such wool coats is layering. Not only did I have that coat on that night, but a wool bush shirt of the same brand, a flannel longsleeve shirt, and regular t-shirt. Jeans and long johns under and Sorel pacs with wools socks (probably two pair though I don't remember for sure)

[DimitriS]

yorec,

Yes I know with wool you got to layer, Wool is also the only meterial that can keep its protection factors while its soaking wet as well.

I plan on having a few layers on me. I am just thinking that after I lived up in Thunder bay with insane low tempuratures that a range coat might be better as it will be longer so I can be more protected from the winds that kill up there

Buckskin is water proof right ?? If so a jacket of buckskin underneath would be good too because if the wool is soaking it will stop me from getting too wet, and underneath that I will have a wool shirt on, I always wear one when I am out in really bad cold anyways

I am trying to figure out a good way to be pratical in my dress so I am nice and warm but yet still mid 1800's. That way I can shock and aw my hunting friends everytime I go hunting showing that older is better

PS They sell a "Confederate" dismounted over coat at the same place I want to get my BP rifle, its 22 oz wool and from what I know thats a half a inch thick maybe that will work too need to figure out how thick it is though and how low the lower part gets. If its kinda like how I want my Range Coat to look like and wool in bulk costs more then getting it premade I might just go with that.

Dimitri

[Old Dragoon]

Real Hudson Bay Blankets are almost that thick, though costly today. I made a capote in 1968 and wore it till it wore out. It was extremely warm build the one with the hood and full length. You might be able to find an original (newer Hudson bay cheaper but they still sell them at Hudsons for $400.00 Mine cost $100.00 in 1968.
Might be able to buy one cheaper on Ebay or other auction site, even though you don't like those sites. I agree but have had good luck on various auction sites.

[DimitriS]

Dragoon,

You can get Hudson Bay blankets for about 200 to 300$ nowadays depending on the size. Well you can get them from Dixe the only supplier of old type clothing and materials I know of anyways with a half decent website

Mind you I dont like auctions but if it comes down to it I might buy. But same logic behind my no-auction policy makes me not like some of thouse sites with older clothing I find because they werent well made and set up. Its just me I like to buy off a place I know are selling alot to know that they are not going to con me. I am overly worried yes I know but thats the type of person I am

Dimitri

[yorec]

Nope - buckskin is not waterproof. It's actually fairly porous and will only keep ya warm if it's dry. Wet, it's slick and cold and if it wasn't sufficiently smoked, will turn hard upon drying. That's why the indian and mountain men wore furs in the winter - the fur was a great insulator and kept the water off the buckskin.

Moccasins were a good example of this - inner pair were of buckskin, only worn in the tepee or close around - an outer pair of furred skin was work over them to keep the wet off that would be inevitable in any jaunt out in the snow farther than a dozen yards.

I think there were methods to make buckskin more water resistant - they involved soaking in talon or wax, kind impregnating the buckskin fibers so they'd shed water instead of soaking them up. Not familiar with any of that.

With a setup of wool, buckskin, wool layering, you might stay pretty warm as long as the first layer of wool kept the water from the buckskin and the inner layer kept the sweat off it too... Don't think I'd try it - for winter it'd be either furs or wool or combo for me. Buckskins are for summer or sheltered wear.

[4V50 Gary]

You might want to go to the library and check out the various copies of, "Book of Buckskinning" published by Scurlock Publishing in Texas. They're excellent for clothing and survival material and how-tos of the Buckskinning era.

[DimitriS]

Yorec And Gary,

Thats for both your reply's.

Yorec I never knew buckskin wasnt water proff I assumed it was

I guess I'll just wear fur, it feels softer too. I prefer fur over leather to be honest.

Gary, I'll look for the book.

Dimitri