Knife on hunting/shot bag?

[Uriahs]

Been seeing alot of contemporary designs while looking for inspiration to make some new bags, and I was wondering about the accuracy of carrying a knife. Specifically sheath stitched onto the bag of the bag or on the strap. Do you all have any experience or recommendations for this thread? My first bag I made I still use the most, I used to have my knife stitched to the bag, but I found it uncomfortable and noisy against my powder horn, now it is on the face of the strap up by my chest. What do you all think? Yall have any pictures!?

 

[DixieTexian]

There are plenty of examples of old hunting bags with knife sheaths sewn to the back, but there are also plenty of examples of them being attached to the strap. I think it may be a matter of preference, but there may also be something to the period you are trying to reflect. For reference, here is a portrait of Stephen F Austin made during his 1833 trip to Mexico City. Note the knife of the strap and the cape-less hunting shirt.

 

[Colonial Boy]

Here’s a photo of my hunting bag with leather knife sheath inside the strap

 

[Rifleman1776]

I've seen a lot of knife sheaths attached to the shooting bag. Sometimes on the strap, sometimes on the front. Do yer own thang.

 

[hawkeye2]

The first pouch I made had a sheath on the back at a 45 deg. angle. I thought it looked cool and it was easy to draw the knife. I built that one to give a friend who used it briefly and moved on. I have since assembled a very few with a sheath on the back of the pouch including my last one which had a vertical sheath centered on the back for my patch knife. In every instance one had easy access to the knife but it was difficult to resheath without looking and in some circumstances required two hands. My patch knife goes in a sheath on the front strap of the bag and any other knife in a sheath on my belt.

 

[Loja man]

The first pouch I made had a sheath on the back at a 45 deg. angle. I thought it looked cool and it was easy to draw the knife. I built that one to give a friend who used it briefly and moved on. I have since assembled a very few with a sheath on the back of the pouch including my last one which had a vertical sheath centered on the back for my patch knife. In every instance one had easy access to the knife but it was difficult to resheath without looking and in some circumstances required two hands. My patch knife goes in a sheath on the front strap of the bag and any other knife in a sheath on my belt.

Thought I have not carried a knife on a shooting bag your description of trying to sheath one on the back of the bag makes total sense!

 

[Freedom]

There are plenty of examples of old hunting bags with knife sheaths sewn to the back, but there are also plenty of examples of them being attached to the strap. I think it may be a matter of preference, but there may also be something to the period you are trying to reflect. For reference, here is a portrait of Stephen F Austin made during his 1833 trip to Mexico City. Note the knife of the strap and the cape-less hunting shirt.

Notice the leopard-skin bag too!

 

[Notchy Bob]

Notice the leopard-skin bag too!

Maybe jaguar? I think in the 18th and early 19th centuries the could be found in Texas and the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona, and I believe I read somewhere that the may have ranged eastward into Louisiana. There were, and still are, jaguars in Mexico. As a resident of Texas, Mr. Austin could have probably gotten ahold of a jaguar pelt without too much trouble.

Notchy Bob

 

[tenngun]

I like a plain sheath with ties at the top that ties to the strap. Easily removed if needed else where, but hanging free it move easily
My belt knife is likewise tied on. I was worried it wasn’t historical but can across this early nineteenth century

tavern cartoon

 

[tenngun]

For some reason I posted the cartoon twice and not the bag

 

[Artificer]

The first pouch I made had a sheath on the back at a 45 deg. angle. I thought it looked cool and it was easy to draw the knife. I built that one to give a friend who used it briefly and moved on. I have since assembled a very few with a sheath on the back of the pouch including my last one which had a vertical sheath centered on the back for my patch knife. In every instance one had easy access to the knife but it was difficult to resheath without looking and in some circumstances required two hands. My patch knife goes in a sheath on the front strap of the bag and any other knife in a sheath on my belt.

Really good and practical info.

Since this is the "historically accurate equipment" forum, perhaps it would be good to list what was more likely in different historic periods.

Generally speaking for 18th century hunting/shot pouches, IF there was a knife at all attached and most had NO knife attached, the strap mount was far more common.

19th century hunting/shot pouches seem to usually have a patch knife attached to the strap, rather than no knife attached.

Now I'm not saying that knives attached to the back of the pouch were not done in either period, but I have yet to see an original 18th century shot pouch with a knife attached to the back of the pouch (as originally made and used) and for 19th century pouches, it seems it was not common to attach a knife to the back of the pouch.

Gus

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I have a bag without a patch knife and one with it. When I carry the bag with the patch knife, I still carry another knife, go figure? The patch knife is actually big enough to handle a deer etc. It is 3.5 to 4 in and razor sharp. Handmade by Running Fox forge.

 

[DixieTexian]

Maybe jaguar? I think in the 18th and early 19th centuries the could be found in Texas and the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona, and I believe I read somewhere that the may have ranged eastward into Louisiana. There were, and still are, jaguars in Mexico. As a resident of Texas, Mr. Austin could have probably gotten ahold of a jaguar pelt without too much trouble.

Notchy Bob

That's certainly possible, but bobcat would have been more available. Whether or not I is more likely, I don't know.

 

[Brokennock]

Really good and practical info.

Since this is the "historically accurate equipment" forum, perhaps it would be good to list what was more likely in different historic periods.

Generally speaking for 18th century hunting/shot pouches, IF there was a knife at all attached and most had NO knife attached, the strap mount was far more common.

19th century hunting/shot pouches seem to usually have a patch knife attached to the strap, rather than no knife attached.

Now I'm not saying that knives attached to the back of the pouch were not done in either period, but I have yet to see an original 18th century shot pouch with a knife attached to the back of the pouch (as originally made and used) and for 19th century pouches, it seems it was not common to attach a knife to the back of the pouch.

Gus

I think there is a painting of Daniel Boone,,, late in life, so early 19th century I think, with a bag that has the knife attached to the back. I suppose it could be a prop.

I've tried a knife mounted to the bag a few times. Mounted in different places and with different methods, including tied on and dangling like yours. I never found it practical.
I am right handed and carry my shot pouch high on my right side, if I were to want to cut a patch for a patched roundball I would have to draw the knife with my left hand and transfer it to my right hand, make the cut, switch hands again, and place the knife back in the sheath. Too much trouble.

 

[RanchRoper]

I looked at doing this too, but I prefer my knife cross draw on my belt.

 

[DuncNZ]

I have read where hunters had their rifles bags and horns stolen when they were having a nap , I can see how, in such circumstances , having a knife on your belt could be a lifesaver , having a belt knife on a thong of some sort is a way to help prevent the knife sticking yourself if you fall or sit on it ,as it less likely to cut through the sheath and do some damage . A lot of Scandinavians carry their Puukko knives this way .

 

[Artificer]

I think there is a painting of Daniel Boone,,, late in life, so early 19th century I think, with a bag that has the knife attached to the back. I suppose it could be a prop.

This is why I wrote " and for 19th century pouches, it seems it was not common to attach a knife to the back of the pouch."

"Not common" does not mean unknown; rather by the majority of the extant pouches and period paintings, it was not done that way nearly as often as the knife on the strap in that century.

I've tried a knife mounted to the bag a few times. Mounted in different places and with different methods, including tied on and dangling like yours. I never found it practical.

Nock, I think this was intended for someone else?

I am right handed and carry my shot pouch high on my right side, if I were to want to cut a patch for a patched roundball I would have to draw the knife with my left hand and transfer it to my right hand, make the cut, switch hands again, and place the knife back in the sheath. Too much trouble.

Which demonstrates one possible/probable reason why it was seen much less often than having the knife on the strap, where it would have been easier to return the knife for a right hand person wearing their pouch on the right side like you do.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Again because this is the Historically Accurate Equipment forum, I'm reposting the following information. Now please don't think I'm even suggesting one HAS to do things the following way to be historically accurate. Rather it is one way it was done in the period.

This may be the earliest and most complete description of loading and firing a flintlock, yet there is no mention of a short or straight starter.

Forum Member Elnathan provided the following quote.

James Audubon, c1810, describing his host preparing to go raccoon hunting:

"… He blows through his rifle to ascertain that it is clear, examines his flint, and thrusts a feather into the touch-hole. To a leathern bag swung at his side is attached a powder-horn; his sheath-knife is there also; below hangs a narrow strip of homespun linen. He takes from his bag a bullet, pulls with his teeth the wooden stopper from his powder-horn, lays the ball in one hand, and with the other pours the powder upon it until it is just overtopped. Raising the horn to his mouth, he again closes it with the stopper, and restores it to its place. He introduces the powder into the tube; springs the box of his gun, greases the "patch" over with some melted tallow, or damps it; then places it on the honey-combed muzzle of his piece. The bullet is placed on the patch over the bore, and pressed with the handle of the knife, which now trims the edge of the linen. The elastic hickory rod, held with both hands, smoothly pushes the ball to its bed; once, twice, thrice has it rebounded. The rifle leaps as it were into the hunters arms, the feather is drawn from the touch-hole, the powder fills the pan, which is closed. “Now I’m ready,” cries the woodsman….

Journals, Vol. 2, (1972 reprint), page 492.

Gus

 

[Brokennock]

Nock, I think this was intended for someone else?

Yup, I think your right.

Even on the strap, I find it a pest.
Unless one finds a way to mount, and retain, the knife "Rambo style" with the handle down, it wants to come out of the sheath in the wrong orientation for cutting.
Cross draw belt carry has the knife in my hand exactly as needed.
But, you know this. Hopefully someone else will think more on it from our rambling.

 

[Uriahs]

Yup, I think your right.

Even on the strap, I find it a pest.
Unless one finds a way to mount, and retain, the knife "Rambo style" with the handle down, it wants to come out of the sheath in the wrong orientation for cutting.
Cross draw belt carry has the knife in my hand exactly as needed.
But, you know this. Hopefully someone else will think more on it from our rambling.

Guess I never thought about it but my knife i carry everyday is crossdrawn from my back.