[TheForge] Re: Blacksmiths and UtiliKilts/ John

[John Husvar]

On Sunday, June 12, 2005, at 12:43  PM, Dann Johnson wrote:

>
> John,
> Barefoot / barelegged blacksmithing  might be a step up from welding 
> in tennis shoes...   but the worst burn I got was when a bit of hot 
> metal dropped inside a  cowboy boot I was wearing.. held the heat in 
> pretty well, and seemed like it took me forever to get that boot off.

BTDT
It HURTS! :)

Got a nice glob in an ear one time too. Ya know, the sound of sizzling 
meat then doesn't seem nearly so appetizing as when it's steak on a 
grill.

If I'm smithing at an SCA event or the like, I usually wear a pair of 
knee-height leather moccasin-style boots; not so modern looking as to 
be glaringly wrong, but keep the scale off the legs. I also very rarely 
wear a kilt; most often just a denim or other cotton or woolen material 
tunic and a leather apron.

Don't like synthetics where any heat is involved: Natural fabrics may 
burn, but synthetics melt and burn there way into your skin! :)

> Did some more research.. on the "great kilt".   Many Americans are 
> probably Scott wannabees...  Even my great great great..grampa was 
> Scotch-Irish.. came from Ireland to  Colonies in 1754.  Wonder if they 
> wore kilts on the ship across.

Doubtful. Have a lot of Scots/Irish on my mother's side of the family, 
mostly Drummonds. Probably, like most folks, the Scots and Irish wore 
what worked best for the job at hand. Leather apron and/or high 
shoes/boots seem most likely for smiths.

>
> I have no family photos of anyone in Kilts except my Norsky father.. 
> who dressed up while visiting Scottland while on leave before the WWII 
> Normandy Invasion.
> Catching up on kilted google reading..
> http://www.ealdormere.sca.org/university/greatkilt.shtml

Yes, Ealdomere has a lot of good info on the site. Oops, can't imagine 
why I perpetuated the "9 yards" myth. Great kilts are more usually 3-4 
yards of material as that site says. (Probably failure to engage brain 
before typing.:)

> Dann
> John Husvar writes:
>> On Friday, June 10, 2005, at 07:25  PM, Daniel Crowther wrote:
>>> Hehe, you should try pricing "Traditional" kilt.  Think $350-$700 
>>> depending on tartan and pleat type. Dan
>> Yes, I know. And none of those are really kilts as in "Great Kilt." 
>> They are mostly "wee kilts" or dress kilts and aren't all that 
>> historically accurate before the 18th century, IIRC. You should try 
>> getting into a real great kilt sometime: It's a trip! (Start by 
>> laying a belt on the ground/bed/whatever, then laying out 8-10 yards 
>> of 60" wool, pleating it correctly, etc, lay yourself atop the whole 
>> mess. Then apply contortions, magic, and a lot of luck.:) There are a 
>> lot of people making a lot of money from Scots, other Celtic folks 
>> and wannabees. Bagpipers, too, pay a premium for their uniforms, 
>> especially if they join a pipe band. It's a specialty market and 
>> vendors are taking full advantage, which is not necessarily 
>> objectionable. They aren't in business for the mere fun of it like 
>> blacksmiths. :) I just think Utilikilts are overpriced for their 
>> intended use. If the guy makes a $million, more power to him: He 
>> won't miss my $185 much. :) 
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