Making the perfect daypack for kilted jaunts..

[GMan]

Very nice!

[Elizabeth]

Love the conversion! Canvas bags with leather bits is a favorite look of mine!

[tpa]

It's not a bad pack as is... but the quality definitely screams "made quickly".... the duck canvas is a pretty loose weave, but the wax helped stiffen the feel.
Here's the pack:
http://Rothco Canvas Mini Alice Pack

For wax, I found good reviews on an offering from Otterwax... you really only have to smear it on like a bar of soap, but heating with a blow dryer and rubbing it in works better. I put a LOT on, and hand rubbed it. The consistency is about like butter from the refrigerator. Otter Wax Fabric Wax

Lovely job on the bag and great choice of tartan and pleating.

Thanks for the tips on waxing, I'm going to try using them to waterproof one of my canvas camera bags. I assume the wax does not subsequently rub off on clothing?

[Mike in Dayton]

Wow! Outstanding work. Looking forward to more pictures with the pack and kilt in action.

Mike

[Hipbilly]

......I see there are small fabric bands between the outer pockets, which your leather main straps slide under for holding.
Were these present in the original.....

Yes, they were sewn on crooked too (vertically), and I used them as a location reference for the buckles, so my buckles are crooked, so I need to re-work one of them..... Oh well.

.....I'm going to try using them to waterproof one of my canvas camera bags. I assume the wax does not subsequently rub off on clothing?

Not so far as I can tell; but you have to get a lot of wax on cloth for it to show up, so it may a little bit; It should come off with laundry detergent and heat in the wash, but if it comes off on the fell of a kilt, its there to stay, I suppose.
I did, however, Leave the back panel un-waxed for breathability and absorption of... sweat...


KILT update: 11 of 21 pleats sewn down last night, both aprons basted... should finish pleats tonight, hope to wrap up the lion's share of it this weekend!

[Smallpipe]

The work you did to upgrade your rucksack is amazing! It must have taken a lot of time. Did you take the measurements of the leather bands from the existing canvas webbing or did you have to re-measure everything?