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Lots of good advice gleaned from the experiences of loculus owners and makers.
Loculus - Pack Satchel
Mithras
I am intrigued by this marching pack. I've seen it on the Column, I've seen it on Legio XX's site and on countless re-enactment photos. It looks damned impractical. Is it? Why a satchel instead of some all-purpose bivvie bag? What's in it? Does the envelope shape suit those contents? If not, then what the hell's going on?
Hibernicus
One of the tricks to making it more secure and more weather resistant is a series of ties under the flap:
http://www.rlqm.com/3LoculusVer3open.jpg
Or a more secure closure system keeping in mind that the hook ring closure is speculation. You can also tie it closed. Buckles work:
http://www.rlqm.com/2LoculusVer2front.jpg
We also like to use bronze rings to which you attach leather thongs in order to secure teh loculus to the furca:
http://www.rlqm.com/1LoculusVer1back.jpg
You can tie loops in the things that fit over notches on the furca, Slip the loop over the pole end and into the the notch:
http://www.rlqm.com/furca03poleend.jpg
Notches on all three pole ends:
http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org/08furcacrossmember.jpg
scythius
The linen loculus was an experiment, and I don't think a very sucessful one. Typically, what I carry in my loculus are things I would rather keep out of the elements - spare tunic, socks, clean underwear, salt ration, tinder and firekit - all things that work better the drier they are.
When we took our hike in the rain last year, I took the linen loculus along with as a 'bread bag' - I carried several largish loaves of flatbread in the loculus which very quickly got wet (not a surprise since linen has no natural water repellency).
Additionally, the conjectural way that the IX packs the sarcina uses the loculus to provide some stability to the pack/furca setup - which the linen bag lacked.
I'd say that the leather wins in one more aspect in my opinion - cloth is a relatively 'high-tech' (and therefore expensive) material - especially when compared to something like goat leather. Growth and processing time and costs are much less in this case.
I'll still use the linen one as a bread and rations bag occasionally, but wouldn't depend on it too much...
Hibernicus
A pic of Scythius's linen loculus, with some of the contents spread out on his sagum...
http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org/14.jpg
scythius
let me add that there really isn't that much you NEED
Hibernicus
... a loculus that's packed tight rides against your upper back well, helping disperse some of the weight of the sarcina, reducing or eliminating swaying, keeps other gear form banging against or resting on your armor and a well packed, proper packed loculus keeps the sarcina from sliding forward.. it contributes greatly to balance and stability.
Anonymous
(editor's note: I'm sure this is Titus Licinus of Legio XXX)
I can't wait to go on my first campaign! Here is the furca, made from ash, the dolabra from Albion, and the loculus, made from goat skin:
66.66.131.145/roman/marchingKit.jpg
Detail views of the loculus:
front:
66.66.131.145/roman/loculus_front.jpg
and back:
66.66.131.145/roman/loculus_back.jpg
I wasn't able to locate a supplier of vegetable tanned goat skin in the USA. I had to order the goat leather from the UK. The studded ring I obtained from Raymond's Quiet Press.
A good reference on the roman marching kit is the article by N. Fuentes in JRMES Vol. 2 (1991). In this article it is hypothesized that a kit might of been carried on the end of a dolabra without the use of a furca pole. They also show the carrying of a scutum using a shoulder strap.
Hibernicus
Excellent!
May I suggest that you reinforce the area around the hook ring slot. We've started to oversew the perimeter of the slot as you do a button hole. Strengthens the slot, lasts longer with less stretching. We tend to pack our loculii FULL of stuff
Magnus/Matt
My loculus...
is going to look like an abomination. I bought one new piece of leather for the back and flap part, and then canibalized a satchel i had made before for the front part of the leather. It's cow hide, but both pieces are VERY different in colour. THEN, my reinforcing straps are made from 3-5 oz leather scraps I had, which are a tad thick.
You guys must have put all the reinforcing stitches on first right? That's what I'm doing. But because my leather is all thicker, I have to pre-drill the holes, which is quite a bother.
Hibernicus
I've attached reinforcing straps while the loculus body was open and flat and when it was sewn up... I prefer flat..
Try a stiching awl or use a glover's needle.. three sided... and stitching palm (sail maker's palm..). You 'll be able to push the needle through the 3-5oz leather with ease
Yours will look perfect by the way... perfect because you used the resources at a hand... perfect becasue it's not perfectionist!
Anonymous
I made my loculus from a single piece of goat skin, the front, the back, and the flap. The reinforcing straps were then stitched on with the front, back, and flap layed out flat.
For attaching the edges together I layed the front and back together, overlapped the edge reinforcement, and stitched the three pieces together with a single length of stitching. I did not turn the edges in. Either method works.
Crispvs
I made mine from cowhide. I sewed all of the reinforcing straps on flat and then sewed the sides up, keeping the edges about half an inch apart and ovelapping both with the side reinforcing strap, which bridges the gap. I therefore have quite a stiff loculus which nonetheless still allows me to get to the small objects which end up in the corner of the bag.
Mithras
Oh, excellent responses. Thanks greatly for all the photos. I have just enough leather left to make a satchel 11" tall by 16" across - slightly smaller than Legio XXs, how big are yours? I'll pick up some saddlers rings and see how I get on.
Has anybody put in a 'bottom' for the satchel (to hold more gear?) or are yours all the classic envelope shape.
A final question if I may ... why this very flat shape for bulky gear? Is it practical?
Hibernicus
I have one with gussets. inserts along the sides and bottom... but I use that as my Centurio valise..
12x18 is sort of minimal, anything smaller and you'll be hard up to cram your peronsal kit inside. There's no hard rule about size becasue no one knows
Some of ours are larger... the size is based on how large the goatskin is... interstingly a flat loculus pattern that makes a 12x18 loculus just about fits perfectly onto a whole goatskin... same reason the papilio sections are about 18x24.
Mummius
A slightly different approach that I have considered (although not yet tried) is to make the loculus as a rectangular bag with the top corners folded in to make the well known envelope shape. This would definitely help with waterproofing the contents which I have found to be a bit of a problem with the usual pattern.
I should be experimenting with this pattern over the summer, watch this space.
As for contents, I would have thought keeping things to a bear minimum would be appropriate. Grain/daily rations are definite. The relative benefit of anything else versus it's weight has to be borne in mind. In other words, what can you do without.
Quintus Florentius
Here's how I made my loculus: 2-3 oz cowhide, (still trying to find a vege tanned goat source), with linen thread. I used the width of the side straps for a little internal gusset space, I punched the holes before stitching. I did all the X strap work before sewing the sides, and kept it each side seam open until it was stitched. I guess my cheat is use of barge cement but it's water proof and a lot easier to sew if it's preglued together. I will replace the lame modern rivets with copper or bronze belt rivets. The ring is obviously from Quiet Press. My only concern is that rain could get in at each end, where the flap is inside the ring strap, but this may be prevented by using Hibernicus internal tie idea. Someday I'll find out I guess (I live in Southern California).I've also just made the carry sack, a deerskin experiment, for the non loculus items. The string bag was crocheted for me by my wife (me efforts at creating a net failing rather sadly). It currently contains a blue glass bottle, which I use to carry extra water.
My photos can be found at www.florentius.com. Go to gallery. |
