Well there is always that segment that wants as modern as possible for events.
At Rondee voue there is always someone with a radio, a coleman gas stove hissing away, gawdy modern candles, women in make up, and panty hose, guys with stetson hats, and of these they will swear all their stuff is accurate to the time their camp is.
Either you strive so far as is possible to be historically correct and common or you don't.
There is tons of things no one can get.. You can't buy spermacetti for love nor money. You can't buy easy to find hemp line for boats. Most of the time you are not going to find wooden boats any more, much less birch bark boats..
A purist will try to get the right items.. My canoe is WW-1 vintage and is painted to look like bark..
My canvass is canvass, and so modern as I can not buy Irish linen, for tentage or sails..
I see synthectic lines on tents but that doesn't make them right. I see sliding wood block tent cord adjusters because no one knows how to tie knotts, but that doesn't make it right.
There are groups to get started in, and then there are groups you had better be pretty much 99% correct...
So far as I know brass grommets didn't exist in 1865, so no tents should have them.
In 1756 LL Bean was un-heard of, and so you should not wear LL bean hunting boots in the snow for F&I, but some folks do..
Since I have been at this over 25 years I have come to learn the arts of a purist. I wasn't always one, but I am now.
The point being that I spent money on the wrong things, before I knew I would be into the F&I, and Fur Trade.
My point then is if you think you want to be involved with these things, then you should do what they want.
CAS isn't very historical, it is more a game. You get dressed in wild fantasy clothing, and roll a golf cart like assembly around with all the guns. You shoot these so-called historical guns, and when lunch time comes you saunter over to the cook shack and buy a cheese burger with fries... and Ketchup!
There was no such thing as Ketchup, as it was KNOWN tomatoes were poision!
So CAS you can probably have just about anything you like...
In War between the States events they appear to me, to want historical accuracy to portray an image to the public. I can't say about ALL as I have only been invited to 2 events, and all I own that is correct is 1 Colt clone.
So the 2 times I went I was in all borrowed stuff, with just my 1 gun and another like it on loan.
I was known as a re-enactor for F&I, just to get the invite. The first thing I said was I don't have anything to wear, no tools no camp, nothing but a Colt clone..
Amoung re-enactors it is a sin to use a real antique, that more belongs on the wall in a museum. At many events you may have a real Bess, but are not allowed to use it in action on the battle field!, For that you must have and use a repro.
There is a big difference in time and what is left of the real guns between 1750 and 1860.
The group known as American Mountain Men is by invite only, and then you are a prospect, and must preform certain acitivities, to become a member. This continues as you being a prospect untill the group is comfortable and you have EARNED full membership the hard way, and still the activey never stops.
Just to get the invite means you are doing well under the terms of being authentic. You can't ask to be a prospect, you must be discovered.
Someone must take note of you and so has watched what you are as a man, and what you strived for on your own as to camp and details.
It isn't for everyone.
