|
|
Post by soldataltengarde on Mar 25, 2009 15:16:22 GMT -8
Hessen has 1910 feldgrau uniforms... I just ordered a some other items from them.. they have excellent delivery time and the uniforms look pretty good. Funny, they didn't have them advertized two days ago..
Do you think they will be a good buy? WALT
|
|
|
|
Post by oskar2ndchev on Mar 25, 2009 15:18:26 GMT -8
Just a reminder- be sure to check with IR23 first before buying anything.
|
|
|
|
Post by soldataltengarde on Mar 25, 2009 15:24:22 GMT -8
ANY IR 23rd members out there to give an opinion? Please examine on the HESSEN website..
I will check with IR 23 authenticity ofcr at the trench battle. If I get the ok
I'm going to order a uniform ASAP! It beats waiting 12 weeks from schipper!
WALT
|
|
|
|
Post by oskar2ndchev on Mar 25, 2009 15:32:29 GMT -8
I believe Phil is currently filling in.
|
|
|
|
Post by hwolf on Apr 10, 2009 12:17:59 GMT -8
Hi Gents,
I just got one. So here is the review from the the authenticity Officer. It looks good but the fit a a little to be desired. It fits in the chest (I wear a 40R) but is bells out SIGNIFICANTLY at the waist. I'm going to have to get it tailored to remove the 8 inches of extra wool (yes I said 8 inches!) The cut is also a bit short in the skirt and the side pockets are not a angled as they should be. I personally think that these are seconds from Schipperfabrik (it has their annoying FR 73 stamp on the inside.
So there you have it. I would still recommend ordering from Schipper directly.
Cheers
Dan Sutton
|
|
sturmkatze
New Member
Alteris renumera duplum de quoquo tibi numeraverunt
Posts: 12
|
Post by sturmkatze on Apr 12, 2009 19:41:12 GMT -8
Hi Gents, I just got one. So here is the review from the the authenticity Officer. It looks good but the fit a a little to be desired. It fits in the chest (I wear a 40R) but is bells out SIGNIFICANTLY at the waist. I'm going to have to get it tailored to remove the 8 inches of extra wool (yes I said 8 inches!) Ecept that WWI Feldblusen DO have a bell shape to them and are not tailored like a WH Jäcke. Nor should they look like a Silly War shell jacket, they should be long, crotch length almost. The cut is also a bit short in the skirt and the side pockets are not a angled as they should be. I personally think that these are seconds from Schipperfabrik (it has their annoying FR 73 stamp on the inside. So there you have it. I would still recommend ordering from Schipper directly. Cheers Dan Sutton Dan, do you really think Rick would just buy Paul's seconds?? Sorry, but for one thing, there just is NO "standard" WWI German Feldbluse. They're not like the Amis... stuff was built in a cottage industry and if you really wish to get nitpicky, I'd say NO ONE has the right pattern except Lost Battalions and they're not going to be making them unless one HELL of a lot of ask. And event hen they'll be really pricey due to all the hand work necessary. And yes, I've talked, at length w/ both Ed and Ray. Go here to see a great diagram detailing how much work it really is. Still, I will reserve judgment until I have one of Hessen's jackets in my hands. |
|
|
|
Post by hwolf on Apr 14, 2009 13:00:19 GMT -8
Marsh, Its all good man, settle down... You are preaching to the choir here. I am aware of the fit etc etc. I'm about as thread Nazi as a WWI reenactor can get. But even you have to admit that a bell shape that equals 16" of extra wool around my waist is a probelm in pattern (I have no beer gut  ). anyhow...The idea is to provide a good tunic at a reasonable price thus I just don't spout crap out of my ass and not do anything about it. I am actually in contact Rick as I write this and we are going to work on a prototype together based upon my research to make a better product for ALL of us. One that will be historically accurate and cheaper than Schipperfabrik. Dan |
|
|
|
Post by oskar2ndchev on Apr 14, 2009 14:03:14 GMT -8
Maybe we can talk them into making a decent ulanka (naturally in Chevauleger configuration)...  |
|
|
|
Post by trooper1127 on Apr 16, 2009 16:10:04 GMT -8
Or not. If someone takes the time and effort to produce a good Ulanka (Schipper's is way off the mark), then they'd want to appeal to as many potential customers as possible. Numerically speaking, there were only eight regiments of Chavaulegern in the AKO, and it was a uniquely Bavarian thing. Contrastingly, there were 22 regiments of Uhlans from Prussia, Hanover, Saxony, Thuringa, and even two regiments from Bavaria as well. Then there are the Red Baron/ German aviation fanatics who would buy them for manniquins. Finally, the movie industry: every time they show German cavalry or aviators (Legends of the Fall, the Blue Max, Young Indiana Jones, etc), they show them as Uhlans, never as Chevauleger. Strictly speaking, the Prussian-style Ulanka just looks better than the Bavarian one, in most people's opinion. Whereas the Prussian Ulanka is piped down both sides of the front, the Bav. one is annoyingly only piped on the wearer's right side. The Prussian version featured a smart-looking stand-up collar, while the Bavarian version has a dumpier stand and fall collar, closer to a late-war Bluse. Amongst reenactors, there's unfortunately no real market for either version of the Ulanka. The GWHS's 2.Chavaulger makes their own, and they're quite close in cut and quality to what real examples look like. Neither the GWHS or the GWA has an Uhlan unit. The only other mounted German Kavallerie unit to speak of is the GWA's 8.Kürassier Reg't: www.8thkurassier.com/But the Kürassiern don't wear Ulankas, they wear a Kohler-style tunic, which is a rather long tunic that buttons up the front in the conventional manner, and features a rounded, stand-up collar and Swedish-style cuffs. I'll cover the problems with Schipper's Ulanka in a seperate thread, if anyone's interested (and probably even if they're not). Gil |
|
|
|
Post by oskar2ndchev on Apr 16, 2009 20:47:47 GMT -8
Yeah...just don't feel like shelling out $600 or more.
|
|
|
|
Post by soldataltengarde on Apr 17, 2009 18:31:34 GMT -8
Well, I ordered a transitional tunic. Size 46, (I'm a 44...) The arms were about two inches too long...
I then washed it in warm water in the washer, dried in the dryer (oh my gosh, what a sin!) and the fit now is perfect! No major fuzz problems to report.
I guess Dan Sutton really is skinny or the coat he got was missized.. or whatever... As I said, my coat fits perfect... I must admit I am a little stocky, but in my defense.. since I started working the graveyard shift I have been running a mile everyday on the treadmill, like a hamster.. and I am determined to slim down to my
"before marriage/3 kids/promoted to Sgt/Supervisor weight!"
Just my two cents.. I also just got a WWII fallschirmjaeger fliegerbluse from Hessen and the color/cut is perfect!
WALT
p.s. If anyone is wondering, I usually order my wool coats/clothes one size larger and wash them for the following reasons..
1. If stuck in a downpour, the uniform shouldn't shrink or bleed on you (I know, real quality wool clothes never do that!)
2. After rolling around in the dirt, and mud, if the uniform gets REALLY soiled, you can wash it to keep it resembling something a soldier could proudly wear.
3. Finally, soldiers did wash their uniforms occasionally in the field or in the barracks (remember the scene in the original All Quiet on the Western Front, the last day of training, Himmelstoss makes the rekruits lie down in the mud.. afterwards a scene showed them washing their... don't say it.. WOOLS!)
Tschus!
|
|
|
|
Post by hwolf on Apr 18, 2009 11:38:49 GMT -8
Walt,
Glad to hear it fits you well. Out of curiosity, how long is the skirt of the tunic? Does it extent below the sleeve length? WWI tunics were normally cut longer than their WW2 counterparts where the tunic skirt is the same length as the cuffs. That was the other pet peeve of mine.
Thanks
Dan
|
|
|
|
Post by soldataltengarde on Apr 18, 2009 18:09:50 GMT -8
Dan, the skirt is about three inches longer than the cuffs. This is after I washed/shrunk it down. The skirt is unhemmed (as I believe the originals were). Lost Battalions has a great article on why the WWII tunics were made the way they were to make everyone look taller...
As I said before, I'm new to WW-I but not to reenacting or to the various vendors out there. It seems Rick's business model is very sound and I like his customer service.. this venture into Great War should help his business a lot!
WALT
|
|
|
|
Post by riflecpl on May 5, 2009 9:01:54 GMT -8
Gents,
First of all, there is a guy out of China that is knocking off Schipper's tunics to include the stamps. How stupid. They are not the same quality at all. I would beware of anything from ANT-Z off of Ebay. Schipper has been trying to fight it. If you truly want to help a fellow reenactor you wouldn't buy something like this.
I haven't seen the Hessen tunic yet either. If you want something quick and a little cheaper than he is probably the place to go but his uniforms are stock sizes and you may have to do some tailoring (which isn't cheap if you have to have it professionally done). That is the trade off. You can't expect it to fit you if you have an atypical build.
Beginning of my rant.....First I am a member of Schipper's unit. I have known Paul since high school. This is a secondary business for him and I can tell you that he does painstaking research and copies off originals in his own collection. I was there when he decided to go into business. He wanted to come up with an item for Germans that was lacking in the repro department. That was the leather gas mask. It was a huge investment and risk. You know what happened? People bitched. I am amazed he is still doing this for the hobby. Who needs that aggrevation. He is also one of the few vendors that hasn't ripped people off in this hobby, which has become an alarming trend.
I paid $325 for my 1915 bluse in 1988. Rick Keller at GWM used to be the only game in town and sold converted Swedish greatcoat tunics for $300 before he got his wool made and then it cost even more.
I just wanted everyone to understand how things got to this point. It is your money and your decision. I just wanted to arm you with a little background to make a decision.
Cheer
Chris
FR 73
|
|
|
|
Post by soldataltengarde on May 6, 2009 23:23:08 GMT -8
Good points Chris.. I too like to support reenactors.. Rick at HESSEN is one of those.. and a us veteran!
I've been waiting 12 weeks for a 1915 Bluse from Schipper..
I also had to wait 4 weeks for Schipper to send me some stone gray puttees...
AND I didn't cancel my coat order from Schipper after getting the coat from Hessen..
So please, understand... anything a company does to remain available in these crappy times for business is good for all of us..
P.S. I have never been fond of SM wholesale... AND What Price Glory has both good stuff and poor stuff..
So let's keep it in perspective.. WALT
|
|
). anyhow...The idea is to provide a good tunic at a reasonable price thus I just don't spout crap out of my ass and not do anything about it. I am actually in contact Rick as I write this and we are going to work on a prototype together based upon my research to make a better product for ALL of us. One that will be historically accurate and cheaper than Schipperfabrik. 
