Middle-Earth Tool Roll
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 12:28 am
Greetings!
I've been mulling over ways to help orgaize my debris (ie. kit) for some time now, particularly in a way that would make the whole shebang more manageable in the field, in low-light (at camp--when the gear's really being used the most--in mind). Tried to solve a few problems with this one.
#1) In weather (and, frankly, in the midwest), tools around the fire get wet and/or muddy when in use...even after you've set up a shelter. Because, you know...the ground is still wet/muddy. This is how we go home with rusty forks, and mud-caked knives.
#2) In the twilight/by firelight, most of our gear (particularly forged iron pieces) blends into the ground. Because...earthtones. We kinda do it on purpose, but have you ever dropped a piece of flint (or your striker) in the dark...BEFORE the fire is lit? Good luck.
#3) After that article I wrote in the last MERS 'Edge of the Wild' newsletter, On Form and Function...I had better put my money where my mouth is on making my kit a cohesive unit that works together.
SO.
Solution to Problem #1:
Oilcloth. Protection from dampness, don't care if it gets muddy. Check.
Solution to Problem #2:
Light-colored workspace for high contrast. Neutral/undyed linen? Huh. Yeah, let's try that. Check.
Solution to Problem #3:
"Everything in one place." Uhh......try this?
So what's going on here, is an oilcloth covered linen Tool Roll, common in the carving chisel, lathe tool, and other similar industries. Unfortunately, I don't have a solid historical precedent for this, much less a solid Middle Earth tie-in, but I'm hoping something shows up. I have a tertiary source that places tool rolls (conceptually similar to this one) at the battle of Waterloo, which is a little late in Shire Tech, but hopeful enough that I might find an earlier example someday. If you have any guidance in this area, it'd be much appreciated. In the meantime, I remind myself that this is still fantasy, so if I keep myself at or above 90% documentable in kit, I'm still plausible enough to be taken seriously, and not going way off into the blue.
It's finished, and yet it's ongoing. It functions, but it only carries one item at present; my wooden spoon. As I decide what items will go in it, I will stitch in additional slots for them to live, such as my coal tongs which are pictured in place but don't yet have a permanent home. I left space for plenty of newcomers in addition to deciding where pre-existing parts of my kit will go. This will NOT contain food items, nor any part of my fire kit; that will live on my person in a less removable context. Things like nonessential cooking/eating implements, repair kit, fish hooks, and other expendables, however, will find a happy home here. The cool thing about the interior being fabric is that I can ditch needing a needle case...my needles can simply be stuck into the fabric in a row, and rolled up. Other similars such as brooches/pennanular clasps as the like can be stuck into the fabric as needed and stowed away easily, in addition to the tools that have a more permanent residence inside the roll.
When at camp, the whole thing will be unrolled and used as a workspace so that no items are easily lost; even in dim lighting, forged items show up in stark contrast to the linen on the ground and, thanks to the cover, nothing sits on the moist ground for any length of time.
Here, we see that the top and bottom flaps of oilcloth fold over the interior of the rool, protecting the contents from having ends exposed, etc. before being stowed away.
And then, once rolled, we can see that the inside is virtually impervious to moisture. It ties with a simple leather thong that I haven't attached to the end yet. The one end is tapered in to avoid confusion, so it gets rolled the same direction every time. Consistency is always good. The roll will grow in diameter as more items are added, of course, but it's still darned compact.
Sooo...
Does it use much more material to make than just a bag to throw it all in? Yes.
Do the items jiggle when I run anymore? No.
Did the old drawstring bag o' goodies have any other purpose? No.
Does it seem to fit the cultural texture of my Ranger impression? I'd like to think so.
Does this solve all 3 original problems? Pretty much!
The linen was hemmed all the way around with matching waxed silk thread, and then the main construction was assembled with a heavier brown waxed linen, which is visible. I chose to put my faith in the oft-avoided running stitch because of the lack of stress on these seams, and I've been very pleased thus far. I'm kicking myself for backstitching the hems on that oilcloth surcote last year because this went so fast and worked so well, but what's done is done. I'm pleased with this, and will update this thread as items are selected, ordered around, and slots are stitched into place.
Cheers!
I've been mulling over ways to help orgaize my debris (ie. kit) for some time now, particularly in a way that would make the whole shebang more manageable in the field, in low-light (at camp--when the gear's really being used the most--in mind). Tried to solve a few problems with this one.
#1) In weather (and, frankly, in the midwest), tools around the fire get wet and/or muddy when in use...even after you've set up a shelter. Because, you know...the ground is still wet/muddy. This is how we go home with rusty forks, and mud-caked knives.
#2) In the twilight/by firelight, most of our gear (particularly forged iron pieces) blends into the ground. Because...earthtones. We kinda do it on purpose, but have you ever dropped a piece of flint (or your striker) in the dark...BEFORE the fire is lit? Good luck.
#3) After that article I wrote in the last MERS 'Edge of the Wild' newsletter, On Form and Function...I had better put my money where my mouth is on making my kit a cohesive unit that works together.
SO.
Solution to Problem #1:
Oilcloth. Protection from dampness, don't care if it gets muddy. Check.
Solution to Problem #2:
Light-colored workspace for high contrast. Neutral/undyed linen? Huh. Yeah, let's try that. Check.
Solution to Problem #3:
"Everything in one place." Uhh......try this?
So what's going on here, is an oilcloth covered linen Tool Roll, common in the carving chisel, lathe tool, and other similar industries. Unfortunately, I don't have a solid historical precedent for this, much less a solid Middle Earth tie-in, but I'm hoping something shows up. I have a tertiary source that places tool rolls (conceptually similar to this one) at the battle of Waterloo, which is a little late in Shire Tech, but hopeful enough that I might find an earlier example someday. If you have any guidance in this area, it'd be much appreciated. In the meantime, I remind myself that this is still fantasy, so if I keep myself at or above 90% documentable in kit, I'm still plausible enough to be taken seriously, and not going way off into the blue.
It's finished, and yet it's ongoing. It functions, but it only carries one item at present; my wooden spoon. As I decide what items will go in it, I will stitch in additional slots for them to live, such as my coal tongs which are pictured in place but don't yet have a permanent home. I left space for plenty of newcomers in addition to deciding where pre-existing parts of my kit will go. This will NOT contain food items, nor any part of my fire kit; that will live on my person in a less removable context. Things like nonessential cooking/eating implements, repair kit, fish hooks, and other expendables, however, will find a happy home here. The cool thing about the interior being fabric is that I can ditch needing a needle case...my needles can simply be stuck into the fabric in a row, and rolled up. Other similars such as brooches/pennanular clasps as the like can be stuck into the fabric as needed and stowed away easily, in addition to the tools that have a more permanent residence inside the roll.
When at camp, the whole thing will be unrolled and used as a workspace so that no items are easily lost; even in dim lighting, forged items show up in stark contrast to the linen on the ground and, thanks to the cover, nothing sits on the moist ground for any length of time.
Here, we see that the top and bottom flaps of oilcloth fold over the interior of the rool, protecting the contents from having ends exposed, etc. before being stowed away.
And then, once rolled, we can see that the inside is virtually impervious to moisture. It ties with a simple leather thong that I haven't attached to the end yet. The one end is tapered in to avoid confusion, so it gets rolled the same direction every time. Consistency is always good. The roll will grow in diameter as more items are added, of course, but it's still darned compact.
Sooo...
Does it use much more material to make than just a bag to throw it all in? Yes.
Do the items jiggle when I run anymore? No.
Did the old drawstring bag o' goodies have any other purpose? No.
Does it seem to fit the cultural texture of my Ranger impression? I'd like to think so.
Does this solve all 3 original problems? Pretty much!
The linen was hemmed all the way around with matching waxed silk thread, and then the main construction was assembled with a heavier brown waxed linen, which is visible. I chose to put my faith in the oft-avoided running stitch because of the lack of stress on these seams, and I've been very pleased thus far. I'm kicking myself for backstitching the hems on that oilcloth surcote last year because this went so fast and worked so well, but what's done is done. I'm pleased with this, and will update this thread as items are selected, ordered around, and slots are stitched into place.
Cheers!