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Topic: Buff coat

Hob
Member
Member # 46

posted 11-02-2000 03:22 PM

Does anyone know of a decent pattern for recreating a circa 1600 buff coat?

Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

chef de chambre
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 4

posted 11-06-2000 10:35 AM

Hi Hob,

To the best of my knowledge (and I was doing some looking into this for a 17th c. portrayal that never got off the ground), Buff coats generaly follow the cut of the civilian coat. They are bloody thick buff leather of the highest quality for a person of importance.

I don't have any detailed information, but I reccommend you get in contact with the American English Civil War groups (Ruperts bluecoats springs to mind in NE), and they should be able to either supply you with a pattern, or the location of where you can find one.

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Bob R.

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Jeff Johnson
Member
Member # 22

posted 11-07-2000 10:38 AM

There's a buff coat at the Jamestown, VA settlement museum that the curator claims is an exact duplicate, down to the stitch count. They have it hanging where people can actually touch it.

They are very nice folks & may be able to supply info on the pattern used, or at least who made it for them. E-mail me & I'll send you the info on who to contact.

JLJonsn@erols.com

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Chris Last
New Member
Member # 76

posted 11-07-2000 10:43 AM

A member of our Elizabethan reenactment group has taken it upon himself to write up a brief essay and diagram the stitches for the buff coats he makes. You can find his info at http://communities.msn.com/TheGunDeck.

Hope this helps,
Chris http://www.gsmbristol.org

Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

Hob
Member
Member # 46

posted 11-07-2000 12:26 PM

Wow, thanks for the help folks. Now, as to the leather, I've read that the two most commonly used leathers for this were european bison (which I'm pretty sure is endangered) and elk hide. I've tracked down a place in Canada that will sell me ranched elk hide, and I'll post something about the quality when they send me a scrap sample.

Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Seigneur de Leon
Member
Member # 65

posted 11-07-2000 01:02 PM

Aren't European biso called aurochs? If so, the last was killed in Poland in the 17th C.

Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

Hob
Member
Member # 46

posted 11-07-2000 02:35 PM

Just in case anyone ever pulls up this thread looking for info on this topic, here's the other pattern I found.
http://members.aol.com/maist/hampdens/bbuffpat.htm

Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Fire Stryker
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 2

posted 11-07-2000 03:13 PM

The European Bison still exists, but only just, so no using their hides for buff coats.

For those interested in a brief history and current status of this relative of the American Bison, check out these two websites:

http://www.ultimateungulate.com/wisent.html

http://www.cbsg.org/bisong.htm

Jenn

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

hauptmann
New Member
Member # 0

posted 11-07-2000 07:01 PM

Since it's generally reported that 1600's buffcoats could stop a musket ball, and knowing the kind of elk skin that is available today, I think it unlikely that Elk is the right choice. I use elk for my thigh high boots and it's much too thin for a buff coat. Now it may be possible to get thicker elk than I get, but I wonder if an elk's skin is even thick enough for a buff coat before it's split and split and split, as the leather industry is so wont to do to thick animal hides.

I have found american buffalo hide in appropriate thickness and this would seem a reasonable alternative in acheiving the "musketproofness" necessary, without bumping up against the european bison's predicament.

------------------
Cheers,

Jeffrey

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Chris Last
New Member
Member # 76

posted 11-07-2000 07:45 PM

I just realized that there was a period in the url for the community page. Whoops, here's the real addy.
http://communities.msn.com/TheGunDeck

The Buff coat info is in the File Cabinet. And I agree American Buffalo is the best way to go.

Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

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