Correct shade of Butternut

[Danny]

What's the correct shade of Butternut, and what shades must be excluded?

I've been advised to build a Confederate kit.

Dan Wykes

[FloridaConfederate]

Depends on what army. CS had different regulations for element faded vegetable-dyed garment colors for their different armies.

Tuscaloosa or Richmond gray is accurate.

Chris Rideout

[Huck Finn]

Any explanation here cannot do the question justice. Les Jensen's epistle can take you far. Echos of Glory will help. There are many others. Remember, the uniforms were worn in weather and tended to fade.

[Marc Shaffer]

... Cadet Grey and Butternut Brown goes a long way to explain Confederate Uniforms.

[indguard]

There is no "correct shade" of butternut OR gray. So, pick what you thinks looks kewel. They did have proper dyes, of course. They wouldn't have anything that looks completely synthetic, granted. But, there was never any time when colors were so regulated by the CS government (or when they were physically able to assure a uniform dye color, I should say). On top of that dye batches change color as they are used, so even uniforms being made new at the same time can change in color form the first one to the last one.

WTH
The I'mnotcoloredinbutternut Mess

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

As shared...

There is Butternut (White Walnut) and then there is "butternut," meaning it is more of a "concept" than a "color."

As a vegetable dyestuff, the bark and the nut rinds would produce a light yellow to a darker brown depending upon, but not limited to, such variables as:

1. individual tree
2. type of mordant used in the dye bath
3. purity of the mordant used in the dye bath
4. concentration of the mordant
5. the mordanting process
6. purity of the dyestuff
7. concentration or intentisty of the dye
8. individual characteristics of the fabric to be dyed whether wool wool and cotton blend, and variations in the textiles themselves and how they were made
9. temperature of the dye bath
10. length of time in the dye bath
11. skill of the dyer in nailing Nos. 1-10
12. amount of exposure and weathering of the finished dyed fabric when made into uniforms and used
13. length of time uniform items had been used
14. Etc., etc.,

CHS

[NC5thcav]

Keep in mind that most original "butternut" uniforms today started life gray. The tanish colors are the result of oxidation of the natural dyes. I have a Ben Tart jacket that was gray a year ago but is almost khaki now. You can still see gray inside the jacket and even some where the buttons cover the fabric when buttoned.

[Jim Mayo]

If you want a butternut uniform, buy a gray one from a vendor of your choice who makes uniforms from naturally dyed cloth. Wear it a year in the sun and dust and presto! you will have a butternut uniform the authentic way. There is an article on Columbus Depot uniforms that has pictures of original jackets and shows how the they faded. Take a look.

http://authentic-campaigner.com/arti...n/cdjacket.htm

[Phil]

Like I said in another thread, don't take a naturally dyed garment and let it sit in the sun for a month on your porch. It'll fade just fine as you wear it.

[Danny]

Like I said in another thread, don't take a naturally dyed garment and let it sit in the sun for a month on your porch. It'll fade just fine as you wear it.

Phil, here's the problem with that. It's too vague and attempts to make what is subjective into something objective.

But for the rest, thanks I've a got a good idea where to go with this.

Dan Wykes