Blakeslee Box Finally Arrived!

[rbertalotto]

I ordered a Spencer Blakeslee Box from "Blockage Runner Inc" www.blockaderunner.com about two months ago. They called me and told me they were getting more in a few months. Well a few months have passes and here it is. Amazing quality and extremely "period corrrect" right down to the soldered steel tubes!

All this for $99.95 !!!

[rbertalotto]

[Two Flints]

Any idea who actually makes it?

Two Flints

[rbertalotto]

Not a mark on it with country of origin or who made it. It came in a thin blue cardboard box that I've seen other things from China or Vietnam shipped in.

The workmanship is superb. The stitching is machine, and perfect.

The leather is very thick and edge finished.

Everything is leather, including the strap. Rivets are copper and all hardware appears to be solid brass. A magnet will not adhere to the hardware.

The tubes look like they came from 1863....rolled and soldered on the base and the seem is soldered.

Anyone have an idea what the small pocket on the front is for. It looks like it was designed to hold a credit card! But I think not!

[Two Flints]

The pocket may have been for storing the combination tool or cleaning brush on a thong.

See this link:  http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,39188.msg498745.html#msg498745

Two Flints

[treebeard]

Looks great!!  I'm betting it was made here in the USA as I believe country of origin has to be marked if
made outside the U.S. I'll have to save my allowance . Two Flints is blessed with patience.

[Arizona Trooper]

It looks like it might be Jim Kenner's work. Jim had a shoe repair shop in Tucson when I was at the U of Az. We were in a local CW/IW unit together and discovered that the Arizona Historical Society had a bunch of cartridge boxes in the basement. We managed to make patterns from most of them. Jim started making a wide variety of boxes and selling them through various sutlers. Here's a shot of the first Blakeslee he made, ~22 years old and still in service. Jim is a very talented craftsman.

[Jack Wagon]

On Blockade Runners web site it says made in U.S.A.
This box was originally designed and patented by Colonel Blakeslee. This was a six tube cartridge carrier with a wood block, bored with longitudinal holes to hold six tin tubes which are included. Each tube held the correct number to reload the butt stock magazine. The wood block was encased in smooth black leather, with a hinged leather lid to protect the open tops of the tubes. A leather strap held the loaded box under the trooper's left arm, close to his body.
This reproduction is a nice copy of the original design, made in USA.

SPENCER CARTRIDGE BOX & SLING # 2196 $99.95 BUY NOW!

I've had mine for years and couldn't be happier with it. On the lid I stamped an approximation of the stampings of the original with the lettering I had on hand. If you dampen the implement pouch with water and stretch it out a bit, then let it dry with an old sock in it will be more useable. Now you can shop for a Spencer combination tool and cleaning thong!    JW

[rfd]

I was told the side pocket was to hold extra revolver cartridges.  However I was never about to fit anything in mine except the Spencer combo tool.   This  box looks like the same one I bought from S & S Firearms several years ago.