Keeping warm in Low Temperatures & a Good start for Period Clothing.

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Jonathan talking about his Witney trade blanket brought back memories of a discussion we had within the AMM about keeping warm in low temperatures.  a few years ago.


Rating for trade blankets in the catalogues.

They rate them as follows:

   Trade blankets to 50 degrees
           Ingenious and Lachine to 35 degrees
           Point Blankets to 30 degrees
           Buffalo rug (HBC - Witney) to 20 degrees
            __________________________________________
            This rating is misleading because it does not take into consideration age, wear, condition,
            etc., - then you wash it in cold water and cool  dry it's different. Wash the blanket in hot water
            and dry hot (will shrink 4-5 inches length and width) but your rating will change greatly, as
            the weave has been tightened up many times.
                         
            Hold up your blanket to the light before washing, take a good mental picture, then do the same
            after washing - you'll be surprised at the difference in the tightness of the weave.
           
            Later,
            Buck Conner


This thing about "rating" blankets is real questionable according to several reports I have read and I tend to go with what they say. Everyone has different temperatures they consider uncomfortable to them, I don't mean body mass - like we first think of, a heavier person is warmer than a thin one and so on.
             
            A 1960's US Army report claimed when trying to
            rate blankets for different climates, it was
            found that some individuals temperature would
            be lower when sleeping than a like person in
            the same conditions. One may be comfortable and
            the other is either cold or too warm, both using
            the same blankets and bedding. After several
            years of testing all over the world they threw
            out their rating system and decided to make additional
            blanket available to those that needed them.
            Another report done by a Canadian firm was much
            the same with the same results.
             
            A good example is Pat Surena mentioned sleeping very comfortable in 15 degree weather with a
            buffalo robe and  a pair of 6pt wool blankets. I happened to be on that outing with several      
            others, I used my Wilde and a Witney horse blanket and a bedroll with the blanket covers (3)
            stacked light blankets under me, in an open faced lean-too. Several others knowing it was going
            to go to a possible -10/15 degrees brought that much or more, I think three of us slept good, a
            couple where cold and one sat up and kept a fire going most of the night.  
             
            The reason some slept better than others we figured was the ones with loose weave blankets
            cooled down the fastest and never did regain their body heat, those with tighter weave and
            heavier wool blankets seemed to fair better, Pat with the buff robe faired the best with less heat
            loss due to the hide and hair of the robe. You could see the steam coming up off that lump in the
            snow.
             
            The rating idea whatever it would have been good for goes out the window with the age,
            condition and care of each blanket, I've talked to Jim of Blue Heron Merc. about this several
            years ago, nice chart, for a chart. But how does it apply to used blankets, new blankets and so    
            on!
             
            Later,
            Buck Conner


This will continue ....

Be back later

I can relate to the Army report that some folks sleep warmer than others with the same covers.  I sleep under a sheet and throw it off because I'm too hot while my wife is staying warm under her sheet, electric blanket and down comforter in the same room. Oh yeah, I'm a hottie!

Winter Hawk wrote:I can relate to the Army report that some folks sleep warmer than others with the same covers.  I sleep under a sheet and throw it off because I'm too hot while my wife is staying warm under her sheet, electric blanket and down comforter in the same room.  Oh yeah, I'm a hottie!

Same here Buck.
90 outside and I'm sweating bullets, wife is finally getting warm!!
Now Jonathan's girlfriend completely opposite. I'm freezing my ass off at Kit Carson Rendezvous, and she's in a short sleeve dress, no jacket, and she's comfortable Go figure.

You just roll with the flow, and do the best you can....never give up.
"Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome"

Thank you, Gentlemen, for making me feel young again!

~Kees~