The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[Renault]

New addition. Always wanted one, generally never need one. But,,, know how to use one!





WWI era. Attached a non-ferrous chain to it. Fits right in with my 1920's hunting gear!

 

[pompier]

Nice find. I'm always on the look out for things like that. I know how to use one too.

 

[Renault]

Don't we?

 

[pompier]

Don't we?

Indeed.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Renault, that's a beauty! I have a very similar one, and I carry it pretty regularly. I found a pocketwatch belt case for it, but the darn thing has a snap on the belt loop that constantly comes undone.

I also recently picked this little gem up. It's a bit bigger than my brass compass, but lighter (made from some kind of pot metal, I believe), but has the added advantage of having a declination screw. Our declination here in SoCal is 12 degrees E, so it makes the math...interesting. Declination screws make life so much easier!



I've seen Leupold versions of this compass, too, that went for about 4 times what I paid for this one. I didn't bother waiting for a Leupold, since they obviously came down the same assembly line. I was interested in function, not name, though I would have snagged a Leupold if one had been available and within a reasonable price range.

 

[Renault]

I seem to remember the excessive declination at a certain mountain warfare school a bit north of your location too!

Very nice finds!!!

 

[Eric P]

Pickel Meadows?

I seem to remember the excessive declination at a certain mountain warfare school a bit north of your location too!

Very nice finds!!!

 

[Oldsarge]

My maternal grandfather left me a Brunton Pocket Transit. Where I've got it would be a good question but I live in a small house. It shouldn't be too hard to locate . . .

 

[Renault]

Pickel Meadows?

Small world isn't it?

 

[Mojave Jack]

Managed to pick these up on Ebay for under $30 (just the leggings. The boots are my Chippewa Apaches, which yes, I retreated with some mink oil when I saw how shabby they look in this pic! Hey, they're work boots!):



Nick Charles assures me that I'd be a laughing stock if I ever tried to pull these off, even as snake proof gaiters! :loco: well, maybe I'll save them for going to Texas someday and meeting up with Renault and his crew for a pig hunt. They fit perfectly, and are about as comfortable as can be.

I also got a pair of WPG's M1908 wrap-around gaiters. I have an original pair of these, but when Jerry restocked his repros I couldn't resist. Let me tell you, these are an exact replica of the originals. I was astounded at how perfectly they match.



Actually I picked them both up for my classic archaeologist interpretation, though I haven't actually done one in a while. Hmm, need to find an excuse to do that!

Incidentally, apparently the trend towards taller socks is having a pay out for those of us into classic gear. The socks I am wearing under the gaiters are Under Armor, from Amazon, at $10/pair. They are the coyote brown that is still very popular, and are wicking. They have the right amount of elastic, not too tight, not too loose, and are a lot more comfortable than wool socks made for breeks (like the pair I have from Orvis, which cost me about $50, IIRC).

 

[Renault]

Jack,

I do like those m1908 leggings too!



Here's my tactical Boy Scout impression, circa 1916.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Excellent pic, Renault! Great campaign hat.

I picked up a Boy Scout Yucca Pack at a garage sale today for $5, with the optional aluminum frame. The pack was filthy, so I washed it, but the leather stiffened up and cracked. Oh, well, that will be easy to replace. It softened up quite a bit, too, though. I wonder if there is a way to stiffen the canvas back up?

 

[Renault]

Trying to post a pair of pic of an old yucca I fitted to an ancient wooden pack frame.
iPhone or whatever will only let me post one at a time.

Here is one side;

 

[Renault]

Here is back side!



Have to do additional work on this one. Web straps are pretty far gone now and will have to replace them. Should be simple to replicate. And I can use same buckles.

As for stiffening up the canvas, get a large can of Filsons waterproofing like they use on their clothes and packs. Rub it down good and hit it with a hair dryer on low heat. That would be probably the easiest way to stiffen it back up. There are recipes available for the waterproofing wax, but they can get messy.

 

[Mojave Jack]

That's a beaut, Renault! I've had my eye out for a backboard like that for a while now. I've seen Trapper Nelson versions fairly regularly on Ebay, but they look larger than the one you have, which I think is perfect for the Yucca pack. Did you make that one?

 

[Mojave Jack]

Or, alternatively, maybe I could make a packboard. This may sound crazy, but I wonder if I could make a packboard like yours from an old ladderback chair? As long as the sides are straight and the slats curved, I could simply cut it below the lowest slat, and voilá!



This may not be the perfect chair, but there must be hundreds at any given time at swap meets, yard sales, etc. Renault, do you think that would work? Is your packboard similar enough to a chair back?

 

[Renault]

Jack,

I had a photo of an old pack frame made from an ancient chair back. But I lost it in my old iPhone. I believe it's provenance was from Alaskan Klondike days. Looked like one of the old cane bottom chairs was used, with round uprights.

I also have a Trapper Nelson. I'll see if I can find a pic and post it!

 

[Renault]

Ok, here's my Trapper Nelson hanging on my closet door in my bedroom



They are a bit roomier, but still a cool pack!

 

[Renault]

Here is my latest pack. Can't wait to get this one out to the woods!

 

[jmooney]

Ok, here's my Trapper Nelson hanging on my closet door in my bedroom



They are a bit roomier, but still a cool pack!

Nice! Can you tell me about the horn? Looks like a German Hunting horn to me. Been looking for one of them...