Caring for your Equipment

 

So you’ve decided to get into this hobby of Civil War re-enacting. Welcome to the ranks. You’ve already made a big investment. The following is a guide to help you maintain your equipment. With proper care your equipment should last a life time.

 

1.     Uniforms.  I’ve learned over the past 25 years that you don’t need to wash your uniform after every single event. Remember that wool is a natural fabric, and the best way to care for it is to just hang it on the line and let it “air out”.  I’ve been to many event where I’ve “stunk up” my uniform and after a good couple of hours of “airing it out” it was as good as new. There are those that feel you should dry clean your uniforms after each event. To me I feel this is a mistake. One the constant washing will take a toll on the material; two you have the cost, and three no matter how many times you tell the dry cleaner “no creases in the pants” they seem to always forget.  Of course you should always wash your cotton shirts and socks after each event. They don’t “air out” as well.

 

2.     Leather gear.  This is where it is important to buy good quality leather gear over the cheap foreign imports that are being sold today. I’ve had my leather gear for 25 years and it’s still in good shape. One thing that I do is to use the paste form of shoe polish on my leathers. There is a wax built in that will help protect leather. If your leather gear and you brogan (shoes) get wet I would suggest to dry them off good and to let them dry well before putting them away. Just a little bit of dampness can form mold on your leathers.

 

3.     Muskets. As a NCO there is nothing worse than having to inspect a musket that is dirty. A dirty musket can not only keep you from enjoying the re-enactment but can be a hazard to other re-enactors as well.  I know that it is a pain to have to clean your musket after each event but if you think of it your musket is quite a large investment. I am from the old school of using hot water to flush out my musket. One trick that some of us “older fellows” use to use is to use a little bit of “Dawn” dishwashing detergent. “Dawn” is good for grease and can be effective on breaking down the black powder. Always make sure that your barrel is 100% dry on the inside. I will run a number of patches down the barrel to make sure that the barrel is dry with the last patch sprayed with “WD40”.  “WD40” is good for displacing moisture and for any of us who have a misfire due to a damp barrel we know how embarrassing that can be. I will often spray my whole musket down with “WD40” to displace any moisture followed by whipping it down with a clean dry cloth.  Special attention should be paid to the nipple of the musket. It should be removed and cleaned after each event.

 

I hope that some of the tips will help you to care for your equipment. Never be afraid to ask questions especially of those who have been in the hobby a while.

 

See you on the firing line.