Six Tube Blakeslee Box from Coon Creek Old West 2022

[Jim W]

I added the following to a different thread, but thought it might be useful as a "standalone" thread.

I called Coon Creek and got right thru to Leta and ordered a 6-tube Blakeslee Box. She was friendly and helpful on the phone and it arrived promptly.  I figured I'd post photos in this thread, with a "review" of sorts.

First, here's the photo from the Coon Creek website:



Overall, the box was not as nice as I'd hoped, thin leather, so much black polish that the thread was very dark stained. It has the smell and feel of "overseas" leather.



The big brass hinge seems out of place, I think just a leather hinge would have been more accurate and maybe cheaper, and the leather hinge is in the single photo at the website. There's also a single rivet above it in the lid that serves no function that I see.



The strap is very thin, and not really an attempt to look like buff or bridle leather to me, just like split cowhide; and a lot of the dye/polish coming off on your hands as you handle it. The construction at the "big hook" end seems poorly done, not just folded back and stitched but a second piece added, The stitching pattern is pretty poor as well IMHO. This looks very different than the photo on the website.




The "small hook" end, I thought it would be done more like I've seen musket slings, folded over and stitched with the rivets thru both thicknesses of leather instead of this



An interesting method of making the wooden block, gluing up many layers of pre drilled blocks.



All in all, I'm debating whether or not to leave it in my display. It adds a nice bit of detail, helping to "match" the painting above it, but in ways it's really poorly executed.

[Blair]

Jim W,

I can only hope you paid for this with your credit card.
You will have some recourse with getting a refund and returning the object?
My best,
 Blair   

[Jim W]

Blair,

That's a tough call in a way. Where is a better one? I want the box, and is it just a case of this is all there is, so kinda stuck.

The one on S&S website has it's own issues, albeit for less $$.

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[kendudley]

I just received mine from S and S yesterday.  $160
  ok for the price.  If want to use it at the range and it will be fine for that.
  six tubes, a little rusty but cleaned up fine.
   the stitching is white and I intend to darken it some. 
    the top of the tubes just 'ends' and I plan to put a round edge on it like the originals. 
   I did this once before (sold it bummer) and will post picts when I get it done.
   all in all, worth the $160 rather than another hundred and not perfect  at that price.
  NO lettering by the way.  just plain black leather.   
  Ken

[El Supremo]

Hello, on reproduction Blakeslee boxes: 

The "old days, U.S. leather craftsmanship" usually costs big bucks, and is difficult to find.  There are several fine leather workers that can do the leather portion, but they struggle to find the box inserts that are another category of specialized skill.  Making the wooden Blakeslee insert without serious flaws is not simple! Some originals clearly present layer edge seams that indicate they were milled and glued instead of being drilled, probably to avoid tube holes running together. 

A truly high quality U. S. Blakeslee box by a recognized craftsman will be at least $400, if it can be found.  At that price, it will be a labor of love.  Think about a realistic shop hour rate of $75/hr, plus materials.  Ouch.

From reports here, the quality of Coon Creek's varies, perhaps due to who they had make it.  Mine was a museum grade work of art, but when I tried a couple years later to buy another, I was told that artisan was out of the picture.  The brass hinge shown on Coon's latest one is not the work of the fellow that did mine, unless he's slipped a lot. 

Another, maker (deceased) of superb Civil War era reproduction cartridge boxes, including Blakeslee's was Bob Stanley of Buffalo, NY. He had a source for flawless wooden inserts and thin, well finished aluminum tubes.   Bob's are unmarked, but some N-SSA skirmishers can spot it because of quality.  I suggest placing a Want To Purchase THREAD on the N-SSA Forum.

John Holland, Chairman of The Small Arms Committe ("SAC"), told me he can ID Bob's stuff.  Another testament to Bob's quality is Larry Romano's use of Bob's work.  I have several pieces from Larry with distinctly high-grade leather and stitching.  They are Smithsonian grade.

Very respectfully,
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[kendudley]

ok, working on the S and S Box,  I used, like I said, black shoe polish on the white stitching, and it came out great.
  NOW>  the tubes go all the way in the box.  hard to pull out.  So, according to the book, they used felt to cushion the bottom and the pictures clearly show the tubes coming out of the top to make them easy to grab.   I'm going to put a piece of cork, inside to raise the tubes.   
   more to come.  where is the wine bottle?   Ken

[El Supremo]

Hello, Ken:

What might be a Bob Stanley Blakeslee of mine has no markings.
It is clearly not an import and has six, seamless and well finished aluminum tubes with the following approx. dim's:

Wooden block is 11" OAL.
The block is three pieces glued end-to-end with no runout of the six holes. 
The block has no base plugs or layer of material at or under its bottom. 
It rests directly on the inside of the leather box bottom.
Tubes are 11 5/8" long.
Block top protrudes 5/8" above top edge of leather box.
Tubes stick out above top edge of block 5/8" with another 1/2" of clearance under the lid, perhaps to allow a cork/wood plug to also fit under the closed lid.
Tubes are tightly plugged at bottoms with 1/8" wood plug, leaving 11 1/2" for the 7 ctg's.
With 7 ctg's having individual OAL's of 1.56", there is 9/16" left at the top of the tube, possibly for a cork/wooden top plug to fit under the closed lid.

An avid skirmisher uses a similar box with the same dim's during timed Spencer team events and has no issues removing tubes, biting and pulling the top plug and carefully sliding rounds directly from the tubes into the magazine.

With SAFETY in mind, when loading, hold the tube and Spencer at a shallow angle so ctg's slide SLOWLY into the Spencer mag tube with little chance of significant center-fire.primer contact.  Smiles.

El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[kendudley]

neat info thanks. 
   mine is probably an import, but price was right. and I'll only use it at the range.
   Ken