Need SA trowser details

[Clark Badgett]

Ok folks, I'm making a pair of SA trowsers 100% hand sewn. I've got the pattern, and cloth, but have missplaced all the old notes I once had on the subject. What I need to know, since I've never seen an original pair of SA trowsers is, did they use drill or polished cotton on the fly facings, or maybe both were used at times. I intend this pair to be an earlier war type, and am wondering if the lower numbered inspectors were using the geometric desings instead of numbers at this time. Thanx in advance for any help.

[Michael McComas]

John Wedeward has an excellent page comparing different trouser contracts and arsenal production. http://www2.inxpress.net/jwedeward/original_trousers.htm

I think you will find much of what you need there.

Cheers,

Michael

[1st Maine Trooper]

Cotton drill, linen, muslin and even domet flannel were used for the peices of the linings and facings. The majority of the garments he examined used cotton drill however. The polished cotton fly facings would be most often found in contractor made trousers and not in SA trousers. As with most things in this hobby, there is no absolutes.
Dave Myrick

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo Kamerad!

"I intend this pair to be an earlier war type, and am wondering if the lower numbered inspectors were using the geometric desings instead of numbers at this time. Thanx in advance for any help."

While I have never encountered documentation for month and year, I believe the general "progression" of SA size and inspector stamps runs something like this:

Pre and Early War: Dot system, with inspector arabic numbers

Mid War: Size as medium arabic number over medium sized "SA," inspector as arabic number- but geometric shape, such as a round cross, for inspectors 1-4 (and possibly 1-8)

Late War Large "SA", with separate large arabic number for size, also may be a paper label.

Deciding what actually constitutes early, mid, and late is a harder matter.

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[Clark Badgett]

Thanx everyone. Now my ??s are answered. Personally I consider early war to be up until the end of the 1st quarter of '62. I'm sure others could argue that point ;)