Waterproofing Canvas

Myakka

Myakka

Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
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I have a nice natural cotton canvas Haversack, does anyone know a good way to waterproof it?
 
I've got a waxed cotton coat that is about as waterproof a raincoat as I ever had. I imagine if you rub it down with the same stuff the waxed cotton coats are treated with you'll have a rainproof bag.

I think the main ingrediant is beeswax.
 
Parraffine and flat iron is the old school way. Or you could soak it in a solution of Parraffine and Turpentine, again old school.

More modern method would be Scotchgard.

If you don't have the book Camping and Woodcraft by Horace Kephart I suggest you take a look, it sounds like you like the old style camping of the late 1800s early 1900s. :)
 
1/2 boiled linseed oil , 1/2 beeswax and dash of turpentine . You heat the beeswax slowly till it melts . Take AWAY from heat source then add the boiled linseed oil . The linseed oil can catch fire so be careful. The turpentine is not essential and much more flammable.
 
How would these methods work on an old field jacket? Any other suggestions?

Vaquero
 
I'll take a guess that the waxed coat jackknife is referring to is a Filson or Key. Filson makes high quality old-style garments out of their "Tin Cloth" and other materials. I have some of of both brands. It is pretty weather resistant and tough. You can usually find Filson work wear at decent prices in shops that sell forestry related products, if you have that in your area. Ordering direct is a little spendy. Key isn't so bad.

Filson also sells tins of the wax for $8.25: http://www.filson.com/1A.HTM and I suspect you can get some from Key too.

You have to be careful about getting the wax on things at first, but after some wear it isn't really a problem.

Scott

PS: I think the cloth in a field jacket is a little light for the wax treatment. I have a lighter Filson jacket that seemed to wear out because of it (tends to always flex in the same spots).
 
I wonder if Nessmuk's shanty-tent waterproofing recipe of lime and alum is still a viable solution. POOL
 
The filson wax application is good, however these coated natural fibers do require re-coating after extended usage, just like shoes. They are heavier and not a waterproff as modern synthetics like gortex, however the Filson style 'tin or shelter" clothes is much much tougher
Martin
 
Waterproof... no. Water REPEL.. yes.

Thompson's Water Seal (yep, the stuff for decks and patios)
Straight out of the can, brush into the fabric, let dry, repeat.

I've used this for canvas bedrolls, gear vests, etc.
 
Well, about 20 years ago, I came across an article, re: the Colonial and Revolutionary War period. The Author mentioned in passing that the reason that so few of the original leather cartridge boxes, haversacks, etc were still surviving, and so many linen ones survived, was that the linen, denim and canvass ones were painted. As were most of the surviving leather accouterments.

Of course that would have been a lead based paint.

Anyhow, I obtained some exterior brown latex paint, color of course does not matter, I just picked a nice mud color, diluted it with half water, and painted several items, three coats as I recall, a haversack and a thin canvass muesette bag, all "surplus", and a very useless thin cheap canvass machete sheath.

All three have held up beautifully.

Highly water resistant if not totally water proof.

All three items did stiffen substantially. but after 20 years, of regular use, none leak, none have worn or abraded through!

I still consider it a good solution for some items. (The machete sheath is okay but certainly not a substitute for a good leather or G.I plastic "real" sheath.)

Just my experience with an experiment.

Regards

P.S. The linseed oil and beeswax treatment (as well as linseed oil thinned with turpentine), is an old, old "waterproofing" method , (Oilcloth!), it works!

So does carnuba wax mixed with beeswax, but the ptoportions need to be exact, and I don't know them!
 
Searching Google, this seems a popular recipe:

Waterproofing Canvas
Mix 3 cups soybean oil (available from grocery or health food store) with 1 1/2 cups turpentine.
Paint on and let dry.
Reapply after a year or two of hard use or outdoor exposure.
This is great for tents, awnings and camping equipment.
 
I met a guy over the weekend that does an 1820s re-enactment of a trapper's camp. He had a canvas shelter and said smoking it made it water resistent. He also said stretching it tight made all the difference.
 
Thanks for all the replies, I'm going to play around will a older canvas sack first, before treating my nice bag

Thanks - Ron
 
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