Blanket

[ole]

Heehee. I'm not all that smart, but I do know enough to not sleep on the ground. Outdoors.

Hey, I'm not saying that reenactors are stupid, but I won't never sleep on the ground, outside, without my air mattress and tent. Whatever floats your boat. Go for it!

 

[James B White]

Heehee. I'm not all that smart, but I do know enough to not sleep on the ground. Outdoors.

Hey, I'm not saying that reenactors are stupid, but I won't never sleep on the ground, outside, without my air mattress and tent. Whatever floats your boat. Go for it!

For some reason, this really is a thing. Like on threads about vegetarianism where people will always jump in and announce how much they like eating meat, there seems to be an urge for people to jump into threads about how to reenact more accurately and announce that they would never do it. It happens in person, too.

 

[ole]

For some reason, this really is a thing. Like on threads about vegetarianism where people will always jump in and announce how much they like eating meat, there seems to be an urge for people to jump into threads about how to reenact more accurately and announce that they would never do it. It happens in person, too.

We all have our "thing." I will never make fun of those who do theirs. I've done some weird things in my life and enjoyed every second of doing it.

In no way would I know what it's like to have one, two or three blankets with a rubber whatsis.

Oh, geez. Someone just shot up a small college campus in Oregon.I really need that nap.

 

[HardeeBoy]

I am going to purchase a new blanket. Is there a difference between the $135 and $80 one that justifies the more expensive one?
Thanks,
Tim.

I'm a huge fan of the old Hudson Bay Trading Company type Point Blankets. They hold their value well. I believe they where issued to Revolutionary War Soldiers as well. 3.5 size. New ones are crazy $$, but used ones can be had on eBay for the numbers you listed. I prefer the ones from T. Eaton's or Whitneys. They all came from the same English mills anyway. The used ones, once dry cleaned are awesome and these suckers where made to last.

Soldiers on both side of ACW soldiers used these. 2nd paragraph from bottom.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/point_blanket.htm

 

[HardeeBoy]

Here's one of mine. It's from the 1940's. Eaton's was a Canadian Department Store. Again, they haven't changed the basic way they construct these in 300 years....obviously machinery became a part of the story along the line, but you get the picture.

 

[Package4]

There have been exhaustive discussions and studies on the Hudson Bay Blanket and reenacting:

• Northern forces had blankets issued either from the state or federal government-the Tan "emergency" blanket and the regular gray issue US blanket, were most prevalent.
• Hudson Bay blankets were never issued to Civil War soldiers, that said a northern officer might bring one from home
• The Woolrich Mill, which made issue blankets during the CW is still in operation and now makes a Hudson Bay, which may be part of the confusion.
• This mostly comes up when someone is trying to justify their choice of blanket in re-enacting and the "hard core" forums have discussed and researched ad nauseam.
• Again this is not to say that they were not used, but they were not issued. There are no records to indicate and their Website makes no claim as such, in fact they had supply issues as the blankets were used to trade for pelts and fur from trappers and aboriginal peoples.

 

[Dave Hull]

I love wool blankets and own several, which I have employed in the field. I use the tan emergency blanket dubbed "the loincloth" (at 6'4" the thing is fine for covering me from shin to mid chest" as my display blanket, on my knapsack and as a cover to my bedroll in the field. It is light, rolls well and looks great. Unless one is 5'7" plus or minus an inch, I would not recommend it for anything other than summer use to keep the bugs off yourself.

My farby blankets of choice are my 6 pound 100% wool Filson in gray black plaid and a 5 1/2 pound 100% wool 1870 Hudson Bay red with black stripes. These are warm blankets, which cover my large frame well and are large enough to wrap myself top and bottom. The Filson is pricey, but I got the HB fairly cheap, $55-65ish.

I also have a 100% wool white with green, red and yellow thin stripes in a box pattern made in Canada blanket from around 1900. It is a great blanket, lighter than the Filson or the HB but almost as warm as it is very large, nearly covering a king sized bed. This was also in the same range as the HB.

My next blanket will probably be the Sekela issue blanket.

If it is cold, I do not care if the blankets are exact for the period. For any campaigning event, I will not use the warmer non period blankets, but at large events with a correct cover blanket I have no trouble.

As JS pointed out, a good Great Coat makes a world of difference.

All that being said, if it is cool or cold and everything you own is dripping wet, expect to not get much sleep.

 

[yellowthornoftexas]

This is all fascinating, even Ole! LOL. good info on blankets. This past weekend, I did my first event without the missus taging along, so I 'campaigned' it. I took two of my gum blankets and, being 'texas', I had my old Mexican wool blanket from home rolled up. I had a spare gum/tarred for a pard, who, didn't show up. The weather was nice, not bitterly cold, just a little chilly. One pard who was there Thursday night, said he woke up Friday a.m., there was heavy dew. So, since I had an extra gum blanket, I laid out a ground sheet, then a gum folded over for a little extra padding, then my blanket and I had my poncho over that. I used my knapsack as a pillow, and my coat over my head to keep my head warm. I need to invest in a sleep cap for sure. Possibly some fingerless gloves as well.

 

[Grayrock Volunteer]

I just posted this question on my topic, "farbiness at its finest". It's been noted in books, articles and letters that men would use quilts from home. Has anyone seen them used at re enactments? The lil missus picked up a couple for me at a second hand store.

The cost of correctly reproducing a war time era quilt makes them deters most folks from owning one. Given that a huge proportion of folks balk at $150 blanket there aren't many takers for a $400 to $500 quilt. The cotton batting also wicks water, is slow to dry, and gains considerable weight when wet makes them unpopular for field use.

-Garrett

 

[Beltplate53]

Looking at the posts so far I've decided to get another gum blanket along with the wool. By the way, I happen to have two Quilt's that were made by my great- great grandmother during the 1860s that were passed down from my Mom, but I don't think I will use them in an encampment.