The Most Simple, Multifunctional, "Survival" Waistcoat Anyone Can Make!

[@Cetok01]

Nice project. You might cut short slits at waist level to threat a belt or sash through to keep the sash from slipping down. You could also tie up the back a bit with lacing. I wouldn't advise wearing it in the woods during hunting season, though, especially with the fur exposed.

[@ragnkja]

If you’re out in the woods during hunting season, consider wearing a bright red hat of some sort.

[@stevenscott2136]

Better yet, just don't be in the woods at hunting season. "Buck fever" can be a thing -- "It moved, it must be a deer!" (Bang).

[@user-tu5un8jc9v]

It's a historical clothing...

[@Cetok01]

@@user-tu5un8jc9v I get that was the root, but the premise was for practicality, so I offered suggestions. Besides, who knows if some in the past did such mods? After all, they were each individually made, not stamped out on an assembly line.

[@chipblanc6037]

@@Cetok01 cannot get more historically accurate than rawhide laces of the same pelt....these are made from the pieces removed. Most commonly found with these pieces laced on (with the same rawhide from same pelt to extend the length to proper hunting shirt length of mid thigh

[@justa.american8303]

Good idea, and it looks great . I have a sheepskin bomber jacket. I was with friends for three days officiating an outdoor event during the winter . I stayed warm and dry from rain and a morning snowfall. I had offers from others to sell my jacket to them. I just smiled.

[@cascadiagrove6367]

Nice! You could sew a wool or skin hoodie into that large slit in the back. That would close up the gap as well as add weather protection.

[@LivingAnachronism]

This is a really cool project. I have a very nice white reindeer hide (very expensive) I don't really want to cut it up, but this video definitely gave me a project to add to the list when I get my hands on an oak or brain tanned hide. Cheers!

[@isilion]

Have you thinked in trying to hunt a deer to try to make one yourself? What you think of it? Do you think it is possible to do it all alone without previous experience in doing this kind of thing (hunting, hide treating, etc.)? Love your channel btw man ^^

[@woltews]

I thought of you when I saw this

[@stephenmckay6968]

@@isilion Hunting requires a specialized skillset that takes a while to acquire and is often expensive. If you're in North America, I'd recommend checking in with butchers who do game processing around deer season. They often dispose of deer skins because hunters typically only want the meat, and you can often grab a full hide (or several) for free.

[@foox6101]

Hey fandabidozi! Quite a while ago I made my first staff, using your how to make a staff video and it turned out great! Now I am working on my first bow and so far it’s going great! Without your videos I would not have had ANY of these ideas, so thank you

[@sheilam4964]

PATTERN TIP: You don't need a tape measure for this. Any hand made wilderness string will do or a tough vine. Measure from the back of your neck to your waist and from the front of your neck to your waist then measure from the waist in front to the waist in back as close to the side of your neck as possible to give you an idea of where the top of your shoulder will be. You will notice the front is shorter than the back. That is because the neck opening in the back is very shallow whereas the front opening for the neck is deeper down the front. This should help you find the best spot for the neck opening. To record the measurements you can mark them in the dirt, side by side or notch a stick.

[@battlebrotherlyall5492]

Great content as always brother! The American Trappers/Frontiersmen/Woodsmen made and wore similar hide clothing hundreds of years ago and the traditionalist still do today. I am positive that our Scottish ancestors also made and wore them back then as well.

[@MinhxRQ]

Let me introduce you all to the mock up or toile! This simple thing is the first try of the idea, made of cheap or scrap mateials. Old bed sheets are nice to get a last use out of, and you can even use it in the final product as a lining. And a tip to the poncho and straight vest variant, stop cuting about 10cm/4icn befor you get to the middle and thry it on. This way you get a lite bit of a collar and then you can cut away what you need to make it comfortable around the neck and front. This also makes it slightly longer in the back and this is right, your back is longer. Good luck with everything and best wishes from the sewing and historical clothing side 😊

[@badgermacwillstone9696]

I have a deer hide my friend gave me. He accidentally cut a slit in the middle when he was tanning it. Now I can make a few more cuts and I’ll have the same coat. Thanks for the video.

[@chunguspizza]

Living Anachronism sent me over. Interesting project!

[@kuunda8363]

This is one of the most valuable channels on youtube. And what youtube really was supposed to be.

[@Tiger-789]

You make everything look simple and very doable! thanks for all the interesting info and ideas. Love all your videos

[@KeithBair]

Funny that I just saw this video, I have a deer hide im working on tanning with the hair intact with the intent of making a sleeping mat because its a rather large hide. I think I will go this route with it. Although instead of a sash, im thinking ill tie some ties to the edges on the back to wrap around front and tie off. This will keep the back pulled tight to my body, and some slots 8n the front like belt loops to run the ties through will keep the front held down but allow the front to float as I move

[@williamowens]

A short pelt ruana cloak. Looks so cozy. Hail from Living Anachronism

[@danielalexandermclachlanga3781]

tha picture of tha Highlander wearing a hide vest / waistcoat was in tha house growing up .... and supposedly depicting a Man of Clan Lachlan ..... wore tha Mclachlan kilt with a similar waste coat a few times ..... brilliant work Lad as always

[@julianmac2117]

Always gonna be one of my favorite channels

[@reneelacewell5496]

A very multi- functional and beautiful weskit . Thanks for the tutorial of how to tan the hide. YHS, campdog

[@WageSlave_13]

Love your stuff. It reminds us how ingenious our ancestors were and how much we've forgotten.

[@theevol29]

Awesome. Looks like you rediscovered "lederwams"

[@WARobertsonMMII]

Awesome idea, greetings from the living anachronisms.

[@saffron1996]

my dad is a hunter, we often get 1 deer and the meat lasts almost all year :D now this is a nice way to use the skins ♥️

[@user-qo7qt3wq7h]

And you can also find sheepskin coats! They were still made not a long time ago and our grandparents wore that stuff :)

[@WisdomThumbs]

I was going to draw one of these last night with a cave fort in a canyon. But I procrastinated. And now I have a better idea of how they’re made! It’s for a comic about a bronze age sailor turned grandmother, and the inside of the fur vest needs to be able to hide some of her wealth for trading. The fur stops it jangling so much. Her cloth poncho doubles as a bandolier for supplies. Thanks for making videos.

[@Nyctophora]

That sounds really intriguing!

[@Nyctophora]

That sounds really intriguing!

[@wilfredosoto2722]

You can make some small holes in the back and lace it up with cordage. It will tighten up the back and help give the waistcoat more form, as well as saving heat from coming out from your back. You can loosen it up if you’re overheating too.

[@chipblanc6037]

Laces from the scrap he removed would be cool and historically accurate

[@hollish196]

I will never make this! But I just love the knowledge here. I did indeed love the great kilt video. I love your videos, even though I will never have need for your knowledge!

[@IodoDwarvenRanger]

That intro was just the best ;) [EDIT] I'm a nerd and I can't help it: Convection and evaprorative cooling are technically very different things, evaprorative cooling is the 4th method of heat transfer. Convection is when hot air rises because it is less dense, so convection heat loss is when your skin heats up the air it is in-contact with (by conduction) and because that air is now warmer it will rise away from your skin and be replaced by cold air, instead of staying in contact with it and keeping you warm. That's why materials like wool that trap air are very good insulators. Evaprorative cooling is when you are wet your body heat will evaporate the water, changing the water from the solid state to the gas state requires energy and that energy comes directly from the heat source that is doing the evaporating (your body), this is the reason you can get much colder much quicker when you are wet, the reason you feel colder when you get out of water than you did when you were swimming even tho the air is much warmer than the water you were in, and the reason being wet is so dangerous out in the wild particularly when it is windy and the rate of evaporation is accelerated

[@crunchydragontreats6692]

I was just coming to the comments to talk about the 4th type of heat loss. You already got that covered. Thanks. Also, love your channel. You’re always improving the presentation, recording and editing. Really nice work. Keep it up. Grab your ketchup and crunch away.

[@davidlestrange9153]

so is evaporation technically a kind of conduction? because the body heat is being transferred to the water molecule

[@IodoDwarvenRanger]

@@crunchydragontreats6692 hey, thanks:)

[@IodoDwarvenRanger]

@@davidlestrange9153 not exactly, because the energy goes into something called the latent heat of vaporization of the water molecules, where the potential energy stored within something that is in gas form is higher because the molecules are moving faster, and also you need some energy to split the inter-molecular hydrogen bonding before water can become a gas. The heat isn't conducting to anywhere, it's more like the heat energy is being used up in the process of turning water to a gas

[@caroleelagrone9729]

Add a big patch in the Back where you cut the Head hole. You can patch leather! I like the finished wrap! After you patch the hole! 🤗

[@josephr9551]

Talented guy with a sense of humorous drama! The Scottish scenery in your video is like wearing a cozy wool sweater.

[@pepper3924]

I must say! I love your content and the whole philosophy around it, theres so many skills and tools lost to time that deserve to be known

[@schattenvolkofficial1121]

😯😎 Don't know how KZbin came up with recommending your channel to me; but your content is very cool and inspirational - I'm writing a steampunk novel in which survival in a winter landscape also matters for my characters, and coincidentally I established a current fashion with fur vests / waistcoats worn over normal jackets or leather coats, often showing off a person's wealth with the kind of fur or details like embossed patterns or embroidery. 😁 Story takes place in a Scottish / British Victorian fantasy society, so I freakin love your accent here too! New subscriber! ☺

[@TorchwoodPandP]

Embroidery on fur is highly skilled work. Good luck with your novel!

[@schattenvolkofficial1121]

@@TorchwoodPandP 😊 Thank you! 💕 I have another English writing & worldbuilding channel about here on KZbin, just search for the title "Crowlight" if you want to take a look. 🙈 I learned so much from this project myself!

[@tradways]

Been doing this with an old army blanket a few years now. All I added was a leather half circle at the center where the slit ends to prevent any tearing. I love your comments about adding buttons (or toggles) on the sides. Mine is a bit wider more like a poncho. You can also toss one side over a shoulder like a giant scarf instead of a belt. Oh! ... and a microfiber xl bathtowel poncho-shirt for working in the yard in the warmer weather.

[@Quietluxury83]

i don't hesitate to give you a pass...because your video convinced me.and of course i will be on your next video via alarm. I really like this kind of content. it's awesome..and i have a friend in uk too. His name is Andy and he joined me in a video. I love my British friends. They are great.

[@GavinBisesi]

That starts getting really close in design to an irish ruana cloak. Very versatile!

[@ryanhamley4161]

You are an inspiration God bless you and your family

[@antonwearsakilt5209]

Interesting coat. What I did when I made one, was to cut the hide with a slit up the middle and leave enough of the hide to cover my backside, just below my belt line. This left two bits coming down on the left/ right of my chest. I took some leather strips and reinforced the cut near the neck to stop the hide from tearing out. It can be a bit bulky at times however when sitting in a blind waiting for a animal to come by, my backside stays warm. I must admit your hide covers more of the body as does mine, yet I've found that in wet cold weather it's my backside that's get cold and my chest gets sweaty 1st. Overall good to see others wearing traditional gear. God Bless

[@bcase5328]

You could add a hood to fill the space left by your neck cut.

[@LycaonsMemories]

this is a very good mental exercise. so much of modern society just thinks linearly "this is x, it is used for c and only c"

[@BelegaerTheGreat]

*Would be awesome for a barbarian costume, but I'm afraid deerskins are difficult to obtain nowadays.*

[@SurvivalLilly]

Awesome survival jacket !

[@bayouflats5054]

Ok, so the cut out at back is little more ventilation then needed 🤣🤷‍♂️ Looks like great opportunity to attach a hood. All Scotts are kings! 👍🙏💪

[@JoeSyxpack]

Looks functional and stylish from the front. Shame about the back. I guess you got it figured out for the next one. I usually get a deer or two a year and I don't tan the hide because it's too expensive to have someone do that, but it always seems a horrible shame to throw them away. This year I might save the hides and tan them myself. A wastcoat might be a nice thing to make with one.

[@-whackd]

Brilliant. Im subscribing!

[@adventuresocietyofhoulton876]

I just discovered you and I'm glad I did, this is great!

[@ivan55599]

That's an unusual way to... tan a leather just by putting 3 layers of bark liquid and lard. l'm not expert with tanning, but is that kind of tanning enough to take effect? l mean that wouldn't be fat tanning enough to do the job? With that amount of oak solution it wouldn't penetrate the hide. Or is there something hidden knowledge behind this?

[@ragnkja]

It’s probably got a core of rawhide in the middle (it certainly sounds l like it does), but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

[@GannAinm]

What works works. Pretty and all aesthetics must always be seconday. Makes me think of the Ruana I made a few years back from a bit of scrap canvas, measured out so it would cover my front and my back. Cut out the head for a 'poncho', then the vital slit down the front to make it that much more versatile in how it is worn. Then dyed and treated with wax. Smashing stuff, hope to see more!

[@steveshea7725]

Great waistcoat, which reminds me of the warmest waistcoat I ever wore, an xxxl sherpa liner for a Drover's coat jacket that my dad had.... which I belted around my torso in the same fashion as you illustrated here. Generalizing this concept. you have an overlarge jacket or coat, you can make it much warmer by unzipping it, wrapping the open sides around your body, and tying it snugly to your torso.I typically use a long scarf... you can use s length of rope too. An xxxl canvas overjacket plus two or more layers underneath is my typical winter jacket system... because I can adapt the xxxl jacket to two to four layers. I only weigh about 190 lbs so an xxxl is massively larger than the L or XL someone if my status might normality wear. Another tip is to belt a spare coat around the waist so the zipper is in back... and the front of your hips is completely covered and protected from wind xhill... essential forming a thermal skirt asks the front of your hips and thighs. As I am typically on a bicycle in the winter this can be vital , in some situations at 10F and below. It works for walking into a wind too .

[@dianetheone4059]

Laces. You don't need buttons. Just some little holes and laces.

[@jonathantaylor9264]

with a kilt it makes sense why its so short.... I would have made it though where it goes to the sporan or mabey a little lower than that, i would take the large hole and sew on a hood. I dont mind sewing, extreamly important survival skill, i would use waxed hemp twine(super easy twine with beeswax and wipe off the excess)and possibly reinforce the holes with brass grommets if i could, any spot that needed waterp[roofing i would sew a flap to cover the lashings

[@aniditch2271]

You can make embroidered grommets too

[@leamasson984]

Hi, I'm the French girl from the cancelled survival course. As always, I enjoyed the video. Will there be a skin tanning session in your next course? Keep going, it was an interesting and enjoyable video.😊

[@peterananin2390]

Great video, this bit of historical evidence of deerskin clothing in Scotland might interest you from Banffshire in 1953 known as the wild McAfees. “The McAfees were out for venison on a snowy night. They never wore anything but deerskins. They were sleeping under a deerskin in the snow, and one of the younger sons rolled up a snowball for a pillow. The oldest brother kicked it away, exclaiming, "Luxuries you're wanting! You'll lie like other folk!"

[@scotty2307]

Very interesting. I like the way it looks. Especially with the fur turned out around the neck to form a collar. The side buttons sound like a good idea, though I would use toggles rather than buttons.

[@chipblanc6037]

Maybe rawhide or leather laces cut from the scraps

[@ArtemisDalmasca]

Hello from the Living Anarchism community! Love the project, it looks really nice!

[@tendymancommeth]

this looks really cool. now i want one, but i'de be willing to do a bit of cutting and stitching to make a closer fitting waistcoat. paired with the greatkilt, i imagine it would be very cozy sleep system. especially if you happened to have a large mattress sack.

[@theonecalledstein]

Gonna have to give this a go. Really simple and practical.

[@dustbunny3824]

I like this idea a lot. Do you think It would work as well with a sheared sheep skin? It should be large enough.

[@Nyctophora]

Deerskins are comfy!

[@BoxJoe136]

What a coincidence. I literally just bought a cow hide for absolutely no reason today at hobby lobby.

[@lesklower7281]

I think it looks really good l bet you were nice and warm

[@AriThecraftydragon]

Saw the 1st 30 seconds and I'm sold. (Now to watch the rest of it.)

[@Lou.B]

Looks GREAT!!!

[@willamoore876]

It is a very handsome waistcoat! Have you found that the deer hair is shedding or breaking much? I am curious how well the hair will stay over time.

[@opesam]

Reminded me of this poem... The Modern Hiawatha (Excerpt from "Song of Milkanwatha") by Marc Antony Henderson (Rev. George A. Strong, 1832-1912) He killed the noble Mudjokivis. Of the skin he made him mittens, Made them with the fur side inside, Made them with the skin side outside. He, to get the warm side inside, Put the inside skin side outside. He, to get the cold side outside, Put the warm side fur side inside. That’s why he put the fur side inside, Why he put the skin side outside, Why he turned them inside outside.

[@claireandersongrahamkeller2744]

That looks amazing on you! I love it, and the simplicity is great, but I would love to see it taken to the next level of fit and functionality, with slight improvements. Wonderful video! It looks so cozy!

[@bobnancymiller4931]

You can sew a piece in the back to close it up a bit. Maybe a scrap piece from your trimmings would do ? Just use some leather lacing.

[@Keelsman]

Great work!

[@balasaashti3146]

I'll have to consider this for my bronze age set.

[@brunoboaz7656]

Hmmm....I see many possibilities here. Great video, Fandabi! Well done!

[@peterott9162]

Awesome video Tom!! So simple yet effective...and not bad looking at all!!! Can't wait for the next video brother!! Stay safe.

[@camelusdromedarius3789]

You have a knack for adding projects to my list lol For us taller folks, maybe something like reindeer would give better ground coverage🤔

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

Or simply sew two hides together end to end and make the seam the shoulders. It would only take a single row of stitches and it would double the length of your garment. Then cut one hide up the middle to the seam and you’re finished. You only need a belt of some kind.🐝🤗❤️

[@camelusdromedarius3789]

@@deborahdanhauer8525 Good point! Didn't think about that at all. It'd be worth it to develop a bit more of a sewer's brain ha

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

@@camelusdromedarius3789 Yes! Everyone needs to know a little about sewing. I would bet you know more than you think you do. Many things men traditionally know, can be applied to sewing. For instance, a mitered corner is a mitered corner, whether it’s wood, metal or fabric. The measurements, and the math to make the measurements work are all the same. It never hurts a thing to know how to take care of, and make your clothes. 🐝🤗❤️

[@BasMeek]

Great idea Tom! If I'd ever want to make some animal skin clothing I'm definitely making this one first.

[@panicpills1777]

Can’t believe I just found this amazing channel

[@MichaelBransonCoach]

Have you seen the Ruana cloak? Its the same pattern, just larger. Highly versatile. Gandalf approved.

[@bigwilf1966]

I already have a copy of your staff/walking stick. And got myself a great kilt. It's now my festival/ camping/ outdoor clothing of choice. Will add this to the project list

[@stevenscott2136]

Looks like you could trim a couple of narrow triangular sections out of the lower back, then stitch the edges together. That should tidy up those big folds back there. Then use the leftover bits for belt loops, or maybe to help plug that upper-back hole.

[@poissonpuerile8897]

What a quirky, welcoming, fun and informative channel!

[@monstersmomma8594]

Yes!! I’ve been wanting to make a waistcoat!! Didn’t really plan for this material though?!?😂

[@marcusfridh8489]

It is basically a short ruanacloak

[@rebeccacorbin1590]

KZbin Problem Alert:! I’ve been noticing many of the Thumbs Up I’ve clicked are going away. It’s not only with your channel. If I see a new video of someone I’ve subscribed to and watch it I always hit the Thumbs Up. It’s good for your channel and reminds me if I’ve already watched a certain video. After watching this video I hit Thumbs Up and checked if I missed any other videos. It looked like I did but after starting to watch I remembered seeing it already. I checked further videos I know I’ve seen and the Thumbs Up is no longer checked. This is on a lot of the videos. I suggest you may want to check with KZbin to see what’s going on. It will affect your algorithms. Good Luck with that!!

[@rebeccacorbin1590]

P.S. I rechecked the ones I took a look at but ther are likely more.

[@elenoryn4700]

Hi Fandabi Dozi! Greetings from Living Anachronism, he recommended this video. I think that this piece of clothing looks really nice and cozy. I sadly dont have access to the material you are using, but want to make a similar thing out of fabric - a ruana cloak.

[@davidkerr2945]

Not related to the video, but I just found and have been rapidly consuming your videos. In the staff creation video you talk about adding an attachment to the staff so you can swap out hooks, spear heads or harpoons but not knowing how. Brooms have metal screw caps, if you could manufacture a head that could screw Into the cap that could solve your problem.

[@tuerkefechi]

Funny, all the pros for this vest are perfectly fitting my very old leather/sheepskin vest (1970s style), which I like to use outdoors 😅

[@Thee-_-Outlier]

Cool vid

[@maryannhicks7829]

I would sew to hide together but leave 6inches in the center open for your head then slit the front for a vest. You could also make a hood for it with a smaller hide and stitch it to the opening

[@ListersHatsune]

ah, but does it go with the kilt?

[@unknowuser1843]

Have my own version of this. Got a wool military blanket, cut a head whole turning it into a poncho, then added some ties to it to keep the back closed

[@whysprs]

To hold the bottoms, instead of stitching together, what about a toggle type button or frog? I did a hide earlier this year, that is definately a lot of work to get all the fat off the skin.

[@flyboymike111357]

As soon as I saw the thumbnail I knew it was that picture of the fencing MacLachlan that inspired your vest. Man, I first found that in a library book when I was researching my heritage as part of a high school project back in '07. As a teen I thought it was awesome that my clan had the coolest representation in that book. And being the obnoxious history buff that I am, I used to use that as my profile pic on all over the internet. I think I even had it as my YT profile pic when I first found your channel. I hope you manage to make a fur-out version of the vest at somepoint. You could definitely pull of the Scottish pimp look.

[@katehenry2718]

Always practice before you publish. Now its done with a big hole at the back, you can add another piece across the back from neck to half down. It provides waterproofing and ventilation.

[@casinodelonge]

Love the content as usual, very engaging and beautifully presented, thank you.

[@stevemcdermott6199]

Great project, looks well considering how simple it is

[@Moose_of_the_Ages]

Super cool. I really like this concept.

[@MrCosti2000]

As usual, top quality content!! Good job!

[@aggroalex5470]

Do you have an episode on rationing calories for a week? Rations based both on packed historical food and foraged/hunted foods? Great work!

[@juanrojo1053]

Thanks for sharing your video, most interesting and inspiring actually. take care, Juan

[@journeyman7189]

Great work Tom. You look badass indeed. The form is just like the Irish ruana cloak but in skins instead of wool or linen. Nate

[@cobruh836]

i am having a really hard time finding a shop who will sell me "oversized" wool blankets, can you direct me to someone where i can actually buy a belted plaid sized blanked? many shops i found have "plaids" in their categories and they are 130x190cm at best...

[@allanburt5250]

Another great informative video, always enjoy them been watching for years 👍

[@lesni_panna9930]

This is so interesting, I always thought the hide had to be submerged in the tanning solution when bark tanning, and that it couldn't be used for furs. How come the hair isn't stained or falling out? And does preserved in salt mean it was just rubbed on the flesh side, or was the skin soaked in a salt solution? I don't have access to any big animal skins, but I might try it with a rabbit skin, although they're so thin that the bark solution might soak all the way through and ruin the hair after all..

[@ratsoup1944]

Interesting questions, commenting to follow :]

[@Goldenhawk583]

@@ratsoup1944 I think I will comment for the same reason:) Getting enough bark for this type of tanning, seems a lot easier than getting enough for soaking.

[@Loindeehaa]

Complex topic, but I'll try. 1: yes, if thru-tanning (a few methods for checking that, ex visually checking cross-section of the thickest part) the hide pretty much needs to be submerged along with a number of other procedures. #skillcult for info, I've found Steven's content to be really helpful. 2. Some furs lose hair when submerged while others dont. Deer, reindeer, moose shanks are really hard to get hair to slip. As I've understood, some rabbit hair slips very easily. Thirdly, sometimes thru-tanning isn't needes. The Sami peoples and some Inuits used and still use the shown method of just rubbing the tanning solution to the flesh side. This has its pluses and minuses. I made a hat from reindeer shanks using the rubbing method and the biggest minus is that the raw skin under the tanned skin makes it much harder and it reacts to air humidity very rapidly as such that it shrinks and hardens if kept inside and warm. Oiling helps some.

[@twalk6164]

Add a hood to this and you are another 20 degrees warmer. Good job! Looks good.

[@nickreinbold8703]

Hair is thinning, vest looks good though!

[@jillatherton4660]

Splendid stuff again, nicely seasoned with humour. 👍