Historic Hillwalking

[Mike1939]

Creeping Past,

Interesting links on hobnails. I'll have to give them a try some day if only to honor old Mallory. Hobnailed boots have been on my gear list for a while, just not at the top of the list yet. After my last walk in the rain a tin cloth jacket will be my next purchase.

 

[H.Johnson]

Here is the sole and vamp of Mallory's actual boots from the Rheged exhibition...www.rheged.com

Note that they are not conventional hobnails - segs, cleats and tricounis.

 

[Creeping Past]

HJ, I've drawn a blank on finding out more about these 'hobnails'. Were they made of some lightweight alloy or were they just lighter weight steel?

 

[Creeping Past]

Warmth for winter walking

Silk/wool underwear
String vest
Eastman 'aircrew' jumper
Shetland slipover
Tight-woven cotton anorak
Rubberized rain poncho, just in case
Miltiary surplus oiled wool socks
Hobnail boots
Dachstein gloves
Wool scarf
Therms flask of tea
Brandy
Chocolate
Fruitcake

That's me sorted.

 

[Flitcraft]

Where in the world can you find a tightly-woven cotton anorak that won't break the bank??
I'm in the US, but might be willing to purchase from UK- providing it doesn't involve breaking of said bank...

 

[Creeping Past]

Cotton anoraks

There's anoraks galore in this anorak thread and in the adventurer's gear thread.

In summary, for low-price cotton anoraks...

If you want vintage try the military surplus route and you may find them for just a few £££s/$$$s.

Newer surplus cotton anoraks will cost a little more. Check Ebay, which always has some 'SAS'-style smocks/anoraks at okay prices. These have velcro and zip fastenings. But I prefer buttons and drawstrings.

Re-enactor gear sellers on Ebay offer repro German cotton anoraks at reasonable prices.

You'll find much information and many clues in the links above.

 

[H.Johnson]

I have just spotted a Uniform brand anorak in a vintage shop in a Staffordshire town. It is a dream (the anorak, not the town) - bottom half like a 50s Belstaff Dalesman, top half like a 40s girbergsjager windbluse. The problem is, it's torn beyond repair and the shop lady wants 20 GBP for it. I'll give her 10 to use it as a pattern, but no more. We have a stand-off!

 

[Creeping Past]

Very intriguing. Can you date it, or would that be too speculative a prospect? I've not heard of that brand.

I've a modest proposal. How about offering 15? I'll pay the extra fiver, if you let me have a gander at the pattern... or is this a principled, die-in-a-ditch sort of retail fight?

 

[H.Johnson]

Sir,

You know not of whom you speak! My bargaining blood is up. It is now a fiver or nothing!

Uniform is a (fairly) common brand of 1950s outdoor clothing. They were competitors of Belstaff. I have one of their leather (nappa) jackets and it's gorgeous!

It may not be necessary to bargain, as I have the requisite information to obtain an alternative. Inside the above anorak is a Scout Shop label. This means that the garment was approved and recommended for Boy Scout wear (Belstaff had a similar thing later). So, we need some seventy year old Boy Scouts who have not thrown away their gear. I happen to know an ex-scouts Freemasons lodge with an ageing population among which there may be a few candidates. I smell success...back to you later.

 

[H.Johnson]

I have one! Thanks to a seventy-something ex-Boy Scout who allowed me into his loft, an early 1950s officially-approved Uniform Brand Scout anorak. Not 10GBP, not 5GBP, but...free. It's a little different from the one the lady had for sale (the throat closure doesn't have laces, so I wonder if the other had been modified). It's a bit frayed at the cuffs and has been nibbled by a mice in a place or two, but apart from that it's OK. An interesting item.

 

[bigshoe]

I have made a few pair of these. I could not find a source for the cleats (clinkers) so I had molds made and cast them in malleable gun bronze.

[/IMG]
I have never gone for a hike in them. you would only wish to if your feet were pretty tough. They are triple soled the first and second sole is sewn to the welt and they are both mckay sewn to the insole, the outsole is pegged and hobnailed and the cleats bind all three soles together. They are as flexible as a piece of lumber They are great on ice but play hell with carpets and wood floors.
Tom

 

[H.Johnson]

Brilliant boots, and well done for your ingenuity. Clinkers are getting rare nowadays, have you thought of making some for sale?

If you see the damage they do to carpets and floors, just think what they could do to modern hikers!

 

[bigshoe]

They would give the phrase "stepping on someones toes" a vibrant meaning, especialy if they were wearing those rubber, foam and canvas excuses for hiking boots. .
I do sell them occasionaly
Tom

 

[Creeping Past]

Bigshoe... that's the very thing! What a brilliant idea.

Did you make the whole boot? Very impressive work. I like the square toe and the gebirgs-style felt edging. There's a bit of Italian military Alpine boot in there too, I think, with the two-tone heel piece. I'd buy a pair of those...

Do you have any spare cleats? I'd be very interested in getting a hundred or so.

 

[BellyTank]

They would give the phrase "stepping on someones toes" a vibrant meaning,

Better than a Vibram one.


Put me on the list/last.
Excellent boots.


B
T

 

[H.Johnson]

I take it we are all familiar with the similar Swedish Army boot, with the 'ski heel'? They come up from time to time and are very affordable.

 

[H.Johnson]

Tom

I am as fascinated as I am impressed. I used to have a friend who worked for a shoe company in the UK, first as a clicker and then a closer. After he retired he used to make his own shoes andshowed me some of the techniques so I've had a go at making shoes myself. I'm therefore familiar with basic shoe construction and I understand what you mean by 'triple soleing' and my late friend showed me how to do Goodyear welting and Blake stitching, but not McKay stitching.

I can see how the boots you show are different (in the sole) from those I am used to, but I can't see how it's done. Is it something you can explain (maybe others are also interested) or can you refer me to a good explanation, please?

<Added later> I feel like an idiot! It's the standard sewn sole construction, when you cut a channel parallel to the edge of the sole and stitch through the welt and/or soles, hiding the stitches in the channel. Is that right? I've never heard it given a name before. It is great to learn.

[/IMG]
They are triple soled the first and second sole is sewn to the welt and they are both mckay sewn to the insole, the outsole is pegged and hobnailed and the cleats bind all three soles together.
Tom

 

[bigshoe]

You cut a channel in the insole and stitch thru it, the upper and the welt. In typical germanic fashion the entire upper is sewn the way all around although the welt only goes half way. Then you you glue up the first and second sole and Blake/mckay (same process) stitch them to the insole, Next you sew the two soles to the welt using a goodyear type out sole stitcher, again all around the heel. the third sole is glued on and then wood peged into the second sole. At this point the easiest way to disassemble the shoe is with a chain saw.
I will post some pictures tonight.
Tom

 

[H.Johnson]

Tom,

Thanks - I understand. It's just that I didn't know I understood, if you see what I mean. Same process, different names.

You cut a channel in the insole and stitch thru it, the upper and the welt. In typical germanic fashion the entire upper is sewn the way all around although the welt only goes half way. Then you you glue up the first and second sole and Blake/mckay (same process) stitch them to the insole, Next you sew the two soles to the welt using a goodyear type out sole stitcher, again all around the heel. the third sole is glued on and then wood peged into the second sole. At this point the easiest way to disassemble the shoe is with a chain saw.
I will post some pictures tonight.
Tom

 

[Creeping Past]

Lost knowledge?

I read Invisible on Everest the other day and, spurred on by this wonderful source book on the trade in outdoors kit, started thinking about related subjects I'd like to read more about. One is the development of and changes in the design of natural cloths/ fabrics used to make windproof and, later, rainproof garments. I'm venturing into uncharted, technical territory (for me)...

I know that special, specifically trademarked (?), cotton fabrics like gabardine, Grenfell cloth and Ventile surpassed ordinary canvas in most respects and that Ventile is still the peak of cotton technology. But what of canvas?

I'm looking to make a rucksack and a windproof for myself, so what specifications should I be looking for in cotton, or hemp, canvas? Where can I go to get this information? Does cotton or hemp canvas come tightly woven enough these days? What's the nearest thing to the old-style Burberry windproof gabardine? Am I wasting my time looking for a type of cloth that isn't in production any more?

Does anyone know if the technical specifications of the kit used on the recent-ish Mallory 're-enactment' expedition been published anywhere that's accessible to non-academics?

Is it worth looking at War Office/MOD procurement records in the National Archives for canvas specifications?