I think of this type of bag as a forager bag, mainly because it is the type I carried in the late 80s while working on a High Adventure summer program teaching outdoor skills. It’s really just a classic shooting bag; the type that could be found just about anywhere in North America or Europe for the past three hundred years in similar form.
7 ounce Hermann Oak leather is thick but supple. Antler toggle closure keeps contents secure.
Double needle saddle stitching for flap and pocket.
Interior pocket to separate small items.
Heavy, harness brass buckle and pure brass rivets complete the bag.
These have been my most popular item over the years but they are fairly time-consuming to make. They also use a lot of leather and generally a fair bit of hardware, especially if the strap is leather with a buckle. However, they are a lifetime investment and have made quite a few people very happy as they break in and age with use.
My take on the 18th Century English shooting bag.
Interior pocket.
Pocket stitching.
Vintage belt buckle and keeper from heavy solid brass. It’s good to comb thrift stores for unique findings.
It takes a lot of work to prototype a new bag design. To get just the right shape and proportion, find the right materials, and choose the appropriate construction technique is a big deal; especially if it’s going to be done well.
The completed prototype. I’m very happy with this design.
I wanted something that looked like it appeared out of the preindustrial world of the 18th century or before. As an archery person, I think I take my personal style from the “what would Robin Hood wear?” collection. But honestly, this one owes much of its design to the military belt pouches of the early musket days.
What do I plan to use it for you ask? I wanted something that would accommodate a few essentials including a fire kit, compass, notebook, spoon, whetstone and the like.
So if you follow along here you have seen several bags just like this one posted in the past year and so far, they have sold like hotcakes, as they say. It is a popular shape, size, and design so I think this will become a mainstay in my shop.
It is a very adaptable design as well and could be fitted with internal pockets, a wrist strap or d-rings and become a clutch purse or removable backpack pocket in its own right.
Sometimes it’s nice to have the security of a bag strapped closely to the body and not swinging around your neck and shoulders. This little 9 x 5 x 2 inch design has done quite well over the past year and has been a popular seller in the shop.
Made from 7 oz. veg-tanned leather it will last through a lifetime of hard use.Solid brass hardware will never rust and patinate beautifully over time.If you like this kind of work, please consider clicking the “like ” button and follow my shop on Etsy.I worked to give this pouch a distressed look for a little extra character right out of the box.Double needle saddle stitching will provide security and strength for many years.
Colored saddle thread was on sale at my supplier last month so, guess what? I’m going to try it out on some upcoming projects and see what the reception is. Nothing too flashy, just a bit of red, yellow, or blue on the horizon.
Since I’m also a fan of mixed materials, this next bag is two-toned; Hermann Oak natural and drum-dyed in brown. To my eye it is a good match.I think this combination will age beautifully and settle into a nice two-toned patina. Stacey found this nice pewter vintage button for a closure. The photo above shows it on the workbench stuffed with a rag an drying after wet-forming and burnishing. Tomorrow, it will be time for a coat of dubbin and off to market.
Few words are needed to show this project. It is a Kentucky Hunter style pouch of a style popular throughout the 17th and 18th centuries in America. Its antecedents come from Britain and mainland Europe but changed with the times as North America was colonized.
Most of the components cut out and ready for sewing.
In the days before the common man had trouser pockets he still had a fair few things to carry, especially while out foraging in the forest. Men and women have carried some sort of bag to hold their essentials for as long as we have supplemented our inadequate selves with tools. Things such as food, fire making supplies, sewing kit, or ammunition.
After lining with a medium-weight cotton fabric, the interior pocket is sewn in.
The poor man’s hunting pouch is essentially a single pocket bag with one or more internal pockets to separate out the smaller items.
Closing a bullet hole in the hide.
I chose some bark tanned elk from Joe Brandl as it is sturdy but with a very soft feel.
When using real linen, I often soak it overnight in a hot cup of tea before drying and waxing. This gives a nice reddish-brown color.
Pocket complete.
The body is sewn with a welt to create a tight seam and edging is added to stiffen the pocket and flap.
Edge-binding and the reveal of the interior pocket.
The inside pocket makes small items accessible that might otherwise be lost in the bottom of the bag. When shooting black powder, this pocket is a must.
Hand-pinked and pierced binding at the top of the bag.
People have been adding fringe, ruffles, and other decorations to seams and edges for as long as there have been makers.
This type of bag is designed to stay closed without any fastener but it is good to have a way to really secure the flap when traveling. This simple closure is a type that I like for a rustic bag. The toggle is carved from antler and is secured by a simple loop.
Completed bag with strap and buckle.
Finally, a shoulder strap is added. This one is 7 oz. veg tanned cowhide and adjusts by more than 12 inches. This will accommodate most people but more importantly will adjust with the seasons as heavier or lighter clothes are worn. The buckle is solid brass and will never rust.
Typical attire of the early frontiersman. Nearly always armed for hunting and protection, our gentleman here sports three essential items; gun, powder horn, and hunter’s pouch. “Western Hunter.” Illustration credit: Lewis Collins, History of Kentucky, 1850.
This bag and others are available in my Etsy shop linked here:
Another possibles bag completed and out the door. This one was designed, at the request of a customer, to fit a specific case that would fit inside. This is clearly my favorite “go to” design and will make an excellent bushcrafter’s kit.
This one is about 3 1/2″ deep and a little over 12″ by 9″ inside the body. Front and back are 7 oz. leather and the gusset is about 5 oz. to give some flexibility.
All the hardware and rivets are solid brass for all weather use and this one features a flat pocket inside and out to organize small items.
The gussets are cinched to keep the top contracted but can be opened if necessary.
The security strap is left open so that objects can be tucked under if desired.
Obviously, I like this design and all its variations and I hope the new owner can put it to good use for many years.
I’m currently working on a custom order. Projects are coming to an end for a few weeks with the impending surgery. The dimensions of this bag are suited to fit a specific waterproof map case already owned by the customer.
The components clicked and punched the old-fashioned way but with the aid of some modern measuring tools.
Double-needle stitching. It may not look perfect yet, but a little trimming and burnishing will clean the edge up beautifully on this bag edge.
The double-needle work creates a tight, strong seam.
A sewing awl and needle are used to hold aligned pieces for stitching.Â
More shameless promotion from the workshop. This is my new, deluxe model possibles bag for the right mountain man or woman. This design has proven to be practical and popular. The leather is veg-tanned Hermann-Oak and all sewing is double-needle saddle-stitch. The hardware is premium solid harness brass. This bag will only get better with time and wear. I’ve been carrying the same design for a decade and it is just getting more beautiful with age.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 