I have to admit I have a sickness. I have never been a reenactor, but I just can’t resist collecting Civil War kepis and forage caps. At first, I bought some el cheapo versions, made in China (natch) as a funny novelty when I’d get together and drink beer/play cards/shoot guns with my friends.
Those cheapo caps turned out to be a “gateway drug” to a full-blown addiction. I soon did some research and found out those cheap Pakistani and Chicom caps are “farby”, or in reenactors’ terms: not historically accurate and therefore unnacceptable.
I began a journey to acquire only Confederate kepis and Union forage caps that are mostly authentic. I’ve owned caps from Dirty Billy’s, Greg Starbuck, and others. I just acquired a used forage cap made by Old Sutler John in the 1980’s. Mostly the “authentic” sutlers are pricey, but their caps are definitely quality.
Recently I discovered an “unknown” cap maker whose work is pretty darn good, considering the fact that he charges just over 1/3 of the $120 price tag of a Dirty Billy’s cap. Plus I don’t have to wait over a year to get one from him.
The Old Sutler John forage cap fits me so well that if anyone has an Old Sutler John Union forage cap in size large and near new condition: PM me.
I also cruise eBay looking for bargains.
So what started as a cool novelty when I hung out with my friends grew into a full-blown collectors’ addiction.
If you attend a gun show in the Southwest and see a guy over 6-feet tall wearing a Civil War cap: it could be me.
I worked one summer mowing lawns in my youth to buy a buddy’s guitar. A crappy one at that but it’s what started all. I had some nice vintage stuff back in the 60s early 70s and let it go to upgrade. Lesson learned is that never let anything go unless absolutely necessary. I sold a 59 les paul tv for $200 to get an awesome showman cab… Not a bad deal back then, I paid $70 for it. Now worth a few thousand. Recent shots of the gear room… Always liked old Marshalls obviously.
Ok Will, now that you brought that up… here’s wifey…
Decided both were far too expensive addictions/hobbies and backed way off of that when I realized the type of $$$ going into it and sold my speakers (B&W 803Ds) and all but a few watches.
Need to collect Pez dispensers or something like that.*
= know a chick that does. She has an entire room dedicated to the goofy things.
I used to hang out with this dude who owned a used record shop.
Colored vinyl was his addiction. I brought him a transluscent purple 45 single by ELO one time and I thought he was going to wet his pants.
As for Hammer films…I finally got to see ‘Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell’ the other day.
I wasn’t impressed. I guess I saw too many horror films made in the ‘constant action’ genre. I thought it was kind of slow.
I actually sat through “Trial of Billy Jack” the other day. Probably the only scene I could stomach is where he tells the guy he’s going to “take this foot and put it on that side of your face.”
The “Kent State” style massacre at the end was laughable. So that’s where the hippies learned to hate guns.
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell was hardly the best offering from Hammer, in fact the only reason to watch it at all was Madeline Smith. Track down “Dracula: Prince of Darkness” (1966).
And ALL the Billy Jack films were largely hippie fests. The only watchable ones are Born Losers and Billy Jack, and even those two are very C grade films.
I always seem to go back & forth between buying parts for this or guns and or ammo…
Bought it new, and it’s more than likely going to end as an all out drag car soon. I’ve got an aluminum block, heads, & a tranny (and associated hardware) just sitting in the garage waiting for me to get off my butt and do something about it. Looking for north of 4 digit power with the new setup. Just need to decide on the fuel system now…
Honestly it’s been years since I’ve actually watched a Billy Jack movie. As for Hessemen, I think my favorite film with him was “Private Lessons” (1981). But that probably had more to do with Sylvia Kristel than Hessemen and of course the fact that I was in the 8th grade.
