Carpet bags

[Skeeter Lewis]

Do any pards know where I could get a proper folding frame for a carpet bag? Skeet

[St. George]

My only advice would be to salvage one from something like an old Gladstone bag.

If you have an older, established luggage repair shop in your area - they might be able to help.

Good Luck!

Scouts Out!

[Oregon Bill]

Seems like it wouldn't be hard to fabricate one either. Could find an old brief case at Goodwill ...

[St. George]

Except that a briefcase that old, with the wide-opening frame would've hit the Goodwill 30 years ago, so maybe an estate sale.

The carpet bag has to open pretty wide in order for a roll of clothing and toiletries and more - back in the day - they held pretty much everything a man would need while travelling.

I've seen them made of bent wood - but don't remember where.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[1961MJS]

Hi

Home Depot sells Mason's Bags, they have the correct frame.  You MIGHT contact Klein Tools, who make them and see if you could get the frame.

Just an idea.

[Major 2]

1961MJS  beat me to it 

http://www.amazon.com/Klein-5105-24-High-Bottom-Canvas-24-Inch/dp/B000ODQRUK/ref=sr_1_12?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1392672675&sr=1-12&keywords=klein+tools+tool+bag

Try a Pawn Shop for plumber's bag

[WaddWatsonEllis]

HI,

For reenacting. I use these:

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/33381?feat=35198-ppxs&dds=y

Their history goes back to when they were used to carry blocks of ice to tenement apartments in big cities ... that is why the carrying straps were made to go all the way around the bottom and were sewn into themselves (though I sincerely doubt that they are made to that hardiness today) ... to carry the weight of an ice block ... same with the two bottoms of canvas ... made to carry the weight and abrasion of a large block of ice ...
I custom order them in blue and green to avoid the white sides ....
Just my 0.02 ...

TTFN,

[ChuckBurrows]

You can get several types of just frames here http://www.sunbeltfastener.com/PurseFrames6.html
including the Doctor aka Gladstone bag type

[Major 2]

Bingo

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thank you all, pards, for your great suggestions. It looks as though Chuck gets the cigar....(again)

Photos suggest a wooden frame inside, just to hold the carpet in shape - perhaps, as suggested, bent wood.

[River City John]

Skeeter,
I had a carpetbag made by Rock Creek Leather here in Nebraska out of a 2' X 3' hand-tied oriental rug because it was a stiffer body than the upholstery fabrics used in most commercial manufactured carpetbags. Those kept collapsing on me and I wanted the stiffness of a rug which keeps the bag open and free standing.
An internal frame to me means something more prone to break . . .

I've seen machine made small area rugs at the street merchants who sometimes set up at a corner gas station that were very reasonable, and had just the right amount of stiffness to be self supporting.
(I used what I had on hand at the time. A slightly damaged corner on the rug made no difference. In retrospect probably should have used a cheap machine made rug.)

RCJ

[Tsalagidave]

Blockade Runner makes them. $50 and no after-market modifications needed:
http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg9b.html

Carpetbagger Sutlery makes them super authentic if you don't mind the pricetag: http://www.thecarpetbagger.com/category/Carpetbag-3

River Junction makes one also: http://www.riverjunction.com/Bag--Post-Civil-War-Carpet-Bag_p_1876.html

-Dave

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, Dave.

[Tsalagidave]

Thats what friends are for mate. I can't wait to see the impression you're working on.

-Dave