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| For short, weekend treks, I carry only a budget (18th c. term for a rolled up blanket stuffed with necessities) (see picture below). This is tied closed with three straps and has a strap through the length of it, called a tumpline (or a hoppus, burden strap, etc.) The tumpline allows it to be carried over the shoulder, both shoulders or suspended with the strap across your forehead. Contents of my Budget: -Tumpline: (hand-woven linen and wool with leather reinforcement for forehead burden area). -5' x 8' lightweight oilcloth: (winter or seriously inclement weather only). (Made of 8 oz fustian and treated with ½ shellac and ½ boiled linseed oil, mixed with some iron oxide pigment and dose of Japan drier). -86"x 66" antique wool "homespun" blanket (nearly 7 lbs!) (After four years, I finally get to retire the French military "mystery wool" blanket. The new blanket is roughly 70 years old and hand-seamed up the center. I've got a pic down below. -extra shirt, socks and pair of mocs -copper boiler: (nested inside are small wood containers of cayenne pepper and salt, a tin of moc grease and my sewing kit). -sewing kit: (braintanned bag with beaded edge, holds turkey wingbone needle case wrapped in linen thread and with two steel and three bone needles that I made, bone buttons, period "thumb ring styled" thimble, hank of sinew, length of stout linen cord, some leather thong, period scissors and ball of beeswax for waxing the thread.) -small hank of hemp twine -chocolate and chunks of muscavado sugar in small bag -1/2 lb jerky and 1/2 lb parched corn, each in a small bag -wooden spoon -hemp canvas sack for various bits (has ties on it; I empty and stuff for use as a pillow at night) -fire starting kit in pouch (holds my tin with char cloth, a small bag of grapevine tendrils {&/or} fat wood, small beeswax candle, and tinderbox with flint and steel striker). |
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| Contents for Knapsack (for a bit longer trek):Contains the above cited list of items, plus: -small folding skillet-whetstone(s) (flat creek stones- 1 rough, 1 smooth) -lead ladle and bullet mold (extra lead if hunting small game) -small bit of leather for repairs and some thong-three straps (with buckles) for securing blanket roll (also used to tie off ends of blanket when sleeping "Odawa" style). -journal -tobacco kit: sliding top box with braintanned kinnick-kinnick bag, clay pipe, racoon baculum (penile bone...weird, but a popular pipe tamp in the 18th century), porte-crayon and a pair of antler dice (for "farkle!!!") -1 or 1 ½ lb salt cured/smoked salt pork -small amount of dried fruit-small bag of green coffee beans -30 feet of ½" hemp rope (I plaited this from strands of 175 lb. hemp cord, and, when needed, use it with my oil cloth to do shelter, but mainly to help haul my rifle up when hunting from a tree {also, for securing me to said tree!...dangerous, not recommended}). *** Even when using a knapsack, I have an extra pair of mocs and shirt (or two) rolled up in blanket. A half-blanket can be added in cold weather to be used as an upper half covering using a blanket pin, or skewer. General Advice: A shot bag and powder horn weigh about 5-6 lbs. I try to keep my knapsack, or budget down to the following weights: summer: 10 lbs. winter- no more than 15 lbs. Also, remember that, besides the straps from your shooting bag, powder horn, and possibly a belt axe sling, you will also have straps from your haversack (and/or tumpline, knapsack, belt axe sling, etc.) across your body. When "kitting up," remember to put things on in the order of their importance. This way, if ever necessary, you can quickly dump extra stuff, you can do so and still have the essentials (horn, bag, etc.).Finally, budgets and knapsacks were not the only way to tote one's kit. For a fantastic page on period "wallets, haversacks, etc.": |
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| Click on Picture for a Closer Look |
| Knapsack (front) (I made this from hemp canvas, with rough-tanned cowhide bottom reinforcement.) |
| Knapsack (rear view) (I used oil-tanned leather straps and period styled buckles.) |
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| My Firemaking Kit |
| My Pipe BoxContents |
| My Sewing Kit |
| Budget with Tumpline |
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| My Copper Boiler, Maple Burl Plate, Fork & Spoon |
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| My Canteens |
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| Toothbrush, Horn Comb, Castille Soap, Wallet, Journal & Porte-Crayon |
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| My "new" antique blanket. Homespun wool, seamed up the center and measuring 86" x 66" (nearly 7 lbs) |
| Tumpline (Sixteen feet of handwoven, hemp cordage) done by my friend and Masonic Brother- Bob Norment |
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