Was period tack hand stitched?

[Dingus]

Pards, if I could bother you to share your knowledge on a topic of concern to me, were saddle bags hand stitched? Are reproduction bags accurate in this regard?

While researching the history of sewing machines, I noted mention of using lubricated thread for sewing leather, but I'm not sure from what I've seen so far if that included leather as heavy as needed for tack or luggage. Obviously, I don't have access to any originals.

I'm planning to purchase a set of civilian saddle bags.

[tmattimore]

All military tack I have seen including JQMD dated 1937 headstalls had buckles. loops, keepers hand sewn. The earliest saddle bags I have seen inside of are 1885 models and they were machine sewn on the inside. The 1859 models bags are sewn inside out and then turned this is conducive to machine sewing. The billets were most likely to be sewn by hand as sewing them by machine is almost impossible. Where the bag, flap and center gusset come together it is possible to sew by machine but even the RIA and JQMD bacgs I have seen are sewn by hand with very heavy possibly 9 cord thread. Having sewn 59 bags by hand I can say it is quite a chore. I would be more concerned with the correct weight and type of leather. The spec was bag leather which is hard to determine in modern parlance but should be no more then modern 2-3 oz.per sq. ft well stuffed or tallowed to make it waterproof, vegatable or bark tanned. .Early arsenal made bags had a welt in the bag seams which seems from the photos to have dissapered during the war. In post war bags the welt returned. The rear gussets seem to vary from 8 to 12 oz. leather. One of the earliest uses of sewing machines in the shoe trade was to sew the side seams of boots which are sewn, like the bags, inside out and turned.
As to machines early machines used a wax pot with either candle stands or kerosene burners to melt the wax. The thread passed thru the wax pot. This proved a major problem as no method for keeping the machine warm allowed the wax to cool as it went thru. I have not found a patent as to when liquid waxes were first used. I have an american straight needle machine which has electric heaters inside the machine to keep the area the thread passes thru hot as well as the wax pot. Early drawings of the mckay and goodyear machine are not clear but having sewn a lot of heavy linen I can say with out a lube the stuff tends to break This occurs more in machines with Take up arms that put greater stress on the thread then in machines with a single take up lever( singer types).
Tom Mattimore

[wavey1us]

The answer would depend on what type of bags are you talking about. Are you wanting to know aboout Confederate or Federal bags? Good source of info on Confederate bags is Ken Knopps books.

[CJSchumacher]

All military tack I have seen including JQMD dated 1937 headstalls had buckles. loops, keepers hand sewn. The earliest saddle bags I have seen inside of are 1885 models and they were machine sewn on the inside. The 1859 models bags are sewn inside out and then turned this is conducive to machine sewing. The billets were most likely to be sewn by hand as sewing them by machine is almost impossible. Where the bag, flap and center gusset come together it is possible to sew by machine but even the RIA and JQMD bacgs I have seen are sewn by hand with very heavy possibly 9 cord thread. Having sewn 59 bags by hand I can say it is quite a chore. I would be more concerned with the correct weight and type of leather. The spec was bag leather which is hard to determine in modern parlance but should be no more then modern 2-3 oz.per sq. ft well stuffed or tallowed to make it waterproof, vegatable or bark tanned. .Early arsenal made bags had a welt in the bag seams which seems from the photos to have dissapered during the war. In post war bags the welt returned. The rear gussets seem to vary from 8 to 12 oz. leather. One of the earliest uses of sewing machines in the shoe trade was to sew the side seams of boots which are sewn, like the bags, inside out and turned.
As to machines early machines used a wax pot with either candle stands or kerosene burners to melt the wax. The thread passed thru the wax pot. This proved a major problem as no method for keeping the machine warm allowed the wax to cool as it went thru. I have not found a patent as to when liquid waxes were first used. I have an american straight needle machine which has electric heaters inside the machine to keep the area the thread passes thru hot as well as the wax pot. Early drawings of the mckay and goodyear machine are not clear but having sewn a lot of heavy linen I can say with out a lube the stuff tends to break This occurs more in machines with Take up arms that put greater stress on the thread then in machines with a single take up lever( singer types).
Tom Mattimore

Tom,

Thanks for the info. I agree completely with leather weight being a very important factor. All saddle bags, and even valises, i've examined have been constructed from leather that was in fact fairly light in weight. At least lighter than expected. I'm talking about the bags themselves now. I've even seen origininal civilian bags, much like ones that people call "CS" bags, with even lighter weight inner flaps. (fairly large, fair or to "russet" in color, black enameled top stitched to outer flap and fair "Y" billet closure. Not sure about the remainder of the bag, but the black enameled leather was most definitely hand sewn at somethine close to 12 to the inch. Very well done.

I'm glad you brought up welts in the Fed bags as that is something I've also noticed in originals. You have better eyes than me if you could notice a welt was missing from photos!! IMHO, this welt really is a nice touch and something missing on most reproduction bags today. The other missing piece is really nice "pebble-grain" leather. I've noticed more than one set of origininal '59 bags using this for the outer bag construction.

[tmattimore]

CJ
Personaly I think the welt, besides giving a much more finished apperance, adds greatly to the strength of the seam. Also most of the repop bags I have seen are chrome tanned chap leather and do not have the tapered bag gusset so the ends of the bag stick open to collect dust and rain.
Tom Mattimore

[Dingus]

... Also most of the repop bags I have seen are chrome tanned chap leather...
Ow. I was hoping that at least I could count on vegetable tanned leather, for the obvious reason but also because my skin reacts strongly to chrome tanned leather. I can't wear a leather watch band or have a leather wallet in my pocket (if I sweat, the chemicals leach out). I negligently wore a golf glove during a fencing class 8 weeks ago and my hand still hasn't completely healed. At least I can see my knuckles now:)

If I don't attempt to make my own civilian bags, which isn't entirely out of the question since I've done some leather work before (small bags), who are the favored manufacturers? (Hopefully not using chrome tanned leather).