Materials

"Each bag is constructed with the finest and most seaworthy materials, including real duck canvas, oil-tanned leather and genuine New England Rope..."

Real Duck Canvas... the original sailcloth.

Duck canvas is made from the densely woven fibers of spun cotton. In the old days, this rugged material was used for almost everything aboard the ship including sails and sail covers, cargo covers, sun shades, hammocks, slings, water buckets, pipe berths, and even foul weather gear.

With modern advancements beginning around the 1940's, various types of synthetic materials became available to the mariner... most notably Dacron for sailcloth, and blended acrylics for lightweight covers and awnings (i.e. Sunbrella, Acrylan, etc.). By the 1960's, these petroleum-based alternatives had all but replaced the use of duck canvas aboard recreational craft, mainly due to their weight savings.

However in the commercial shipping and fishing industries, and even aboard military vessels, heavyweight duck canvas is still the preferred material for many on-board applications. That's because real duck canvas offers a unique combination of properties that are still unmatched by the best synthetics - even to this day -

Real Duck Canvas Is:

Breathable. Prevents condensation and moisture buildup. No greenhouse effect or 'plastic' feel. No coatings or laminates to peel or wear off.
Naturally water repellent - water beads off the tightly woven fibers. In case of extreme wet conditions, including immersion, the fibers swell to form a watertight seal, just like a canvas water bucket.
Extremely rugged. Abrasion resistant; doesn't scratch or tear easily. Firmer and stronger than acrylics, but never "crackly" or stiff like modern sailcloth.
Natural, non-toxic composition, not "sticky" in hot weather... doesn't irritate skin or emit gasses when exposed to tropical UV light or heat.
Virtually maintenance free. Doesn't require chemical treatments like silicone or scotchguard.
Can be waxed, if the 'antique' look is desired

M&B SHIPCANVAS stocks only the best quality Duck Canvas, which is sometimes known as Double-Filled (a.k.a. "Plied Yarn" Duck). It has a tighter weave construction with a smoother texture than single fill cotton ducks.

M&B SHIPCANVAS CO. / shipcanvas.com

Leather Hides: From our prized stock of genuine leather hides, each piece is carefully selected according to what's best for the item and the application:

Our Oil-tanned, American cowhides are thick and durable, with a medium-soft temper. Their smooth finish is minimally processed, showing some natural variations of the cow. These hides offer slight 'pull-up' characteristics which means the surface lightens up when creased and darkens again when rubbed. Our standard color is "British Tan" which is a deep caramel with golden hues that closely resemble teak lumber used in traditional yacht and shipbuilding. It makes beautiful bags and accessories.
Our Latigo leather hides come from the famous Horween Leather Co. in Chicago, Illinois; one of America's oldest tanners. This is a vegetable-tanned, firm-temper leather when we receive it, but then we re-tan it to our own specifications, right here at the M&B shop. The result is a slightly denser body yielding a high tensile strength, soft handling and rich, golden-tan hues.
We also stock some of the world's finest Sailmaker's Leather from the Napa Valley, CA... beautiful, clean hides in classic Pearl Gray for chafe patches on sails, spreader boots, turnbuckle boots, wheel and tiller wraps, etc.

Threads: All M&B SHIPCANVAS bags are constructed with waxed polyester sailmakers thread, size 138 (Mil Spec FF). This thread is much stronger than its nylon counterpart, and doesn't break down under exposure to harsh (UV) sunlight. All zig-zag stitches are hand tied, never backstitched, which means no unnecessary holes or weakening of the materials.

Spur Grommets: We use marine grade, rolled-rim type "spur" grommets which are common to sailmaking. The inner ferrules are extra thick with smooth, round radii to prevent damage to the canvas. The outer bezels have 'teeth' to prevent slippage. They are constructed of rust-proof, non-magnetic solid brass, available with or without bright nickel plating.

Lanyard Sliders: All M&B bag lanyards are fitted with a copper slider, which can be used to keep the bag securely closed in every position (even upside down). Each slider is custom made to fit, right here at the M&B shop. They are 100% pure solid copper; which is rustproof and non-magnetic.

Ropes: We carry several types of rope, which are normally selected depending on what's best for the item and the application.

Vintage New England Rope is a premium, 3-strand yacht rigging rope with a traditional hemp color. It has a 2000# average tensile strength, yet it's very soft to the touch. Because of it's consistency, this rope interacts well with our copper sliders and runs through grommets smoothly. It is standard on most of our bags.
Natural Hemp: Our hemp rope is 100% pure, manufactured by Langman Ropes in Holland (est. 1638). This rope is very soft - not scratchy like sisal rope or manilla. Hemp has a fuzzy texture that tends to shed fibers during the 'break-in' phase when new, but it is the oldest and most traditional type of rope available.
M&B SHIPCANVAS is also an authorized New England Ropes dealer, stocking a quality selection of Spun Dacron, Premium Nylon and other variations, which are generally used for our Heaving Lines and other rigging projects.

Shackles & Hardware: Our entire inventory of snap shackles, anchor (bow) shackles, split rings, pull tabs and hardware is Marine Grade #316 Stainless Steel, which is non-magnetic. So these items won't affect the ship's compass if used near the helm.