W. K. Osman Forage Caps

[DaveGink]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with these forage caps: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~foragecaps/

Thanks!

[RLee]

Yeah,dont waste your money!!

[AZReenactor]

Yeah,dont waste your money!!
Wow, such a high quality, informative review...

I'm sure that is exactly what Dave wanted to know. Heck, why didn't you just tell him to look at the approved vendor list and go no further?

[RLee]

The truth will set you free....the cap is garbage what more do you want!!

[JimKindred]

RLee,

Please sign your posts or you will be set free by one of the moderators. Signatures are required.

[roundshot]

I haven't seen one of her caps, but I wouldn't be so quick to judge. As curators at Ft. Snelling for many years, the Osmans do produce some high quality officers embroidered goods and other first rate uniforms items. They are on the approved list for many fine LH groups. If you've seen some of their goods, fine. Otherwise, I suspect you are an authority without portfolio.

[rogue]

I haven't seen one of her caps, but I wouldn't be so quick to judge. As curators at Ft. Snelling for many years, the Osmans do produce some high quality officers embroidered goods and other first rate uniforms items. They are on the approved list for many fine LH groups. If you've seen some of their goods, fine. Otherwise, I suspect you are an authority without portfolio.
I have one, wear it, like it! It has a polished cotton liner, properly embossed sweat band, and good wool, but yes, it did not cost an arm/leg. Seems they are closing out on this item, so no need to register as an approved vendor.
For the money, a great buy, even if not on the approved list.
Steve Sullivan
46th Illinois
Co. Mil. Hist.

[AZReenactor]

The truth will set you free....the cap is garbage what more do you want!!

Well, how about the basis of your opinion for starters. Is it made of polyester with a cardboard visor, vinyl chin strap, and plastic buttons? To say it is garbage is a pretty strong statement but not exactly informed or informative. It would also be beneficial for you to provide your background and source of knowledge. If you are going to make such a statement, back it up soemhow. I mean for all we know you are some fruitcake who doesn't like the cap because it doesn't match the Pakistani cap that you really prefer.

Not trying to pick a fight, but kinda sick of people stating opinions without providing any basis of support for them. We need more knowledge in the hobby, not more baseless opinons.

[texfed1554]

I used to have one, and i thought is was comparable to originals.

Thanks,

__________________
Alex J Belhumeur
The GawdAwful Mess
SC Society

"one strap goes into the grbage and the other goes into the fire" -B.K.

[John McPherson]

I am very happy with the hat that I recv.'d. It arrived promptly in the mail and its construction is generally consistent with the originals I have seen in museums. I was most impressed with the wool fabric used for the exterior of the cap and the polished cotton in its interior. On the other hand, the bill of the hat I recv.'d had a rough rather than the painted (varnished?) smooth finish of original caps that I have viewed. Additionally, the leather sweatband featured a pebbled texture rather than the cross-hatch embossing I had expected. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see the inside of original caps, so I cannot speak with authority as to the correct finish on leather sweatbands.

The only comment that I have received from my pards is that the hat doesn't match the color of my fatigue blouse! That really doesn't bother me much; I doubt too many soldiers had the option of color-coordinating their issue uniform items nor cared that much. The hat is much darker in color from those produced by Chris Semancik and Greg Starbuck that I have had the privilege of viewing.

I'm curious, did the Osmans actually produce their hats in-house or did they commission a production run by somebody else? At the price point that they have offered their hat, I'm curious as to how they were able to cut costs.

As for RLee's post, I hope that his estimation is the product of inside information and first-hand experience on his part. If so, I would be delighted to hear him elaborate on his reasoning in greater depth and perhaps with some cogent analysis.

John McPherson
a.k.a., Capt. Lewis Cass Hunt, commd'g
Fourth Infantry, Co. "C"
Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory
1859-60
"The Lost Towney" Mess

[Ken]

I am very happy with the hat that I recv.'d. It arrived promptly in the mail and its construction is generally consistent with the originals I have seen in museums. I was most impressed with the wool fabric used for the exterior of the cap and the polished cotton in its interior. On the other hand, the bill of the hat I recv.'d had a rough rather than the painted (varnished?) smooth finish of original caps that I have viewed. Additionally, the leather sweatband featured a pebbled texture rather than the cross-hatch embossing I had expected. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see the inside of original caps, so I cannot speak with authority as to the correct finish on leather sweatbands.

The only comment that I have received from my pards is that the hat doesn't match the color of my fatigue blouse! That really doesn't bother me much; I doubt too many soldiers had the option of color-coordinating their issue uniform items nor cared that much. The hat is much darker in color from those produced by Chris Semancik and Greg Starbuck that I have had the privilege of viewing.

I'm curious, did the Osmans actually produce their hats in-house or did they commission a production run by somebody else? At the price point that they have offered their hat, I'm curious as to how they were able to cut costs.

As for RLee's post, I hope that his estimation is the product of inside information and first-hand experience on his part. If so, I would be delighted to hear him elaborate on his reasoning in greater depth and perhaps with some cogent analysis.

John McPherson
a.k.a., Capt. Lewis Cass Hunt, commd'g
Fourth Infantry, Co. "C"
Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory
1859-60
"The Lost Towney" Mess
I believe the hats were produced in India using an original as a prototype. The first cap they produced actually had a snakeskin sweatband (the picture was sent to me when I inquired about the cap). That really looked bizarre to say the least. Overall, in the price range they charge, not a bad cap, but also not a ************, Starbuck, etc.

[Terry Sorchy]

Ken,
I believe you are correct on the area of manufacture for this item. I do not believe they are made in the US.
Cheers
Terry Sorchy

[Boy of '61]

They are made in India or someplace in that region. THe hat is based of an org. in the Minnesota History Society's collection. The hat belonged to a soldier in the 1st Minnesota.

Andy Miller

[paulcalloway]

I've emailed the Osmans, alerting them to this discussion.

Thanks for the suggestion, Chris.

[ney]

I own one and feel it is serviceable, but I have not had the opportunity to compare it to any originals, at least other than online. I must agree with Mr Raia "not a bad cap, but also not a ************, Starbuck, etc."

[W. K. Osman]

Well boys, here's the lowdown on the caps. We own a dozen or so original late war contract caps, most found in costume shops 30-40 years ago and of course never issued at war's end. Some years back we undertook to replicate these 1864 regulation caps to offer the mainstream community (and our own Minnesota recruits) a reasonable alternative between $29.99 garbage and the $125 hand made replicas. <p>We purchased bolts of fabric here and shipped them to NE Pakistan for hand manufacture, based on a "perfect" prototype we patterned ourselves. Our pattern, material and prototype combined with the Pakies' cheap but experienced labor was intended to produce very good hand made replicas at a decent price. Like Dale Jarnargin - who despite his early pattern flaws, must be given full credit for putting our new Union Army into wool back in the 1970s - we hoped to improve the mainstream hobby. <p> The cap project more or less worked, but with us eating the usual mistakes and aberrations. And yes, we do have an early prototype with a genuine snake skin sweatband - any takers out there for a real conversation piece around the stitch counting campfire? Because of sizing difficulties, nit picking, postage increases, etc. we no longer offer the caps except for a couple of tiny ones left on hand.<p> It was an interesting project with the best of intentions, but I think Wendy is now content to stick with shoulder straps and mess kettles!<p>
Stephen Osman

[Edmund{Road Apple}]

I am really dissapointed to read that the forage caps were not made in America :mad:, If I would have known at the time of my purchase that they were made in N.E Pakistan it would have swayed my decission to buy one.

[AZReenactor]

Stephen,
Thank you so much for the clear and direct answer to questions regarding this cap. I appreciate the work you have done to attempt to improve the hobby for us all. While I'll never have need for shoulder straps, the kettles I got from you for my unit are top rate and doing good service.