I want to carry a bandana large enough to use as a Shemagh. Or just buy a Shemagh. I would like one that I could fold up and put in my pocket, hence just a larger bandana.

Afluorescent color would be best, I think, for signaling purposes. Would that be the best color for keeping the sun off my neck or should I use the darker olive drab kind.

Congrats. for considering a shamagh. I own a OD coloured one. I found its a great piece of gear. Due to the size it really is a windstopper.

Testing demonstrates very little actual temperature difference in color, and indeed desert peoples from north african salt caravanseri to arabian bedu dress in dark blues,blacks and browns to the white of T.E. Lawrence. The cooling trick is multiple light layers to trap cooler air. Bandannas etc are usually in bright colors for signalling, but anything that stands out from the natural terrain will work. International orange does me precious little good when the California poppies are in full bloom <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> my largest silk bandanna is a full 42"x42", smaller than many shemaghs and still to big to slip into smaller pockets. Finally, remember this is a traditional piece of clothing. In California I buy my Gas from a Persian, lunch from a Gujarti Indian and hay from a Sikhe. I wear a shemagh and I get shown 6 traditional ways of draping the thing <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> I WILL NOT be buying Austrian Lederholsen for 3 years <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

What are the dimensions of a shemagh? I've been seeing them in the news and think they might be useful here in Texas. Is it just a big peice of cloth or is there more to it? My wife sews for a living, so she might actually stich one together for me if I begged, pleaded, and woo-ed her with chocolate. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-Blast

How I wish my wife liked chocolate. You guys have it easy, I have to buy expensive jewellery!

Andy

1 meter by 1 meter.

The cloth is a mixture of natural cotton and wool. The length is almost the lenght from one shoulder to finger tip on the opposing arm (held horizontal).

Burak

You can get the shemagh & instruction on how to use it from BQM. It's available in OD/black & sand/black.

Shemagh

How to tie a shemagh by Military Moron Username: mm Password: mm

I've got two british shemaghs from the first gulf war. They never had the tassles (great) and come in an orangey-sand colour (if that makes sense). They are excellent for a variety of uses. Just before the second gulf war my local surplus store had got a shed-load of them and knocked them out at £1 each ($1.50). This is where you all shoot me for not buying a gross of them for equipped members - because they're now £6.99 again ($10.50). On reflection, I'm going to monitor that situation and if they do 'sell-up' again I'll buy loads and you can all get them.

]Casual_Hero[

I've the British shemagh, the edges keeps fraying as it is not "overlock" or tassled.

The other thing is that it doesn't absorb sweat as I think that the material used is nyco instead of cotton/wool blend.

The ones I've got certainly fray a bit, but not too much. I've always found them fine on sweat though - perhaps they're different.

]Casual_Hero[

I bought it from a UK military surplus store.

Hey, Chris, there are many types of silk. Can you elaborate on what you prefer and why? (one of our scout's mom works in the fabric dept. at WilMart. I'll place a standing order with her for any end-of-bolt sales) <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Thanks.

Silk could take a whole book to explain. Briefly, there are natural, chemically treated and blends. Silk can be had in all the many weaves as other cloths, from plain weaves of almost gauze like wieght to heavy brocades. Some silks can cost literally thousands of dollars. There was a Japanese silk importer in Berkeley California now closing after years of business. With fewer traditional weavers and declining demand ( a traditional Kimono can cost a small fortune) their business is sadly no longer viable. I won't tell you what I paid for remnants or how many pretty horsey girls rode off into the sunset wearing them <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> I like the lightest wieght and plain weaves. You can fold up larger squares into small pockets and they drape better. Don't forget to have rolled hems sewn for durability. Silk clothing requires skill in care and cleaning. But for a cowboy rag or shemagh hand washing in Woolite and air drying works well. Finally if anyone makes a disparaging remark make them watch Kurasawa's Seven Samurai.

>>> ...make them watch Kurasawa's Seven Samurai

Or the American remake "The Magnificent Seven," which is actually more enjoyable to watch after seeing Seven Samuri. Sort of a Comparative Cinema 101." <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I worked with my dad at a job site once when I was younger at the Chicago Merchandise Mart. We hong a course weave silk on wall panels throughout the entire showroom. That weave did not have any stretch to it at all and was a real bear to try to hang properly, especially since the direction of the weave was very noticable. Then the following year we came back and tore it all out and replaced it with another fabric that was even worse to hang. Dang designers!!! <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I was amazed at what was thrown out, besides the silk (yes, thrown out) as each of the showrooms revamped their displays in preparation to the show (NeoCon).

Getting back to the subject, I recall that you like the silk in the winter as it retains insulative qualities, even when damp/wet. Is that a correct recollection & would you still recomend a lightwieght silt for a winter bandana or shemagh?