Roman \"Canteen\"

[Draconis]

water slowly soaks through terra cotta, thats why I had asked if the inside might have been glazed to prevent this.

[Cavok]

I am just doing a leather one......it will be lined with bees wax though I could have got a liner made. (The firm I work for makes Automotive pneumatics so I can get Air-cells made by my prototype guy).

I just wanted to try it the old fashioned way!

Anyway I have been taking photo's as I go along....it is just going through the dryout phase after stretching with a grain filling tamped in.

here is a teaser (should hold a bit over a ltre hance the elongated holes for small straps instead of thonging):

[attachment=3881]IMG_0451.JPG[/attachment]

[Paul Elliott]

Does the leather waterskin have a liner? Have you treated the leather to waterproof it?

http://www.saddlersden.co.uk/page4.html

[John Conyard]

These water bottles are indeed great, using a plastic liner.

I would coat the inside of pottery water bottles with bees wax making them waterproof. Water can still soak into the outside of the pottery slowly evapourating to keep the water cool. Using a material cover has the same effect.

[Cavok]

Thats a modified Bota I think Paul.....good idea though

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

The water soaks through a leather water skin too.
this sweating process also helps keep the contents cool.

A shot of my canteen. I would suggest making a felt cover for it to protect it from damage, as they can break.
[attachment=3889]559368_10150662354852132_679432131_9714192_1814312263_n_2012-04-29.jpg[/attachment]

[Cavok]

Was that the shortest tunic competition?

[DECIMvS MERCATIvS VARIANvS]

The water soaks through a leather water skin too.
this sweating process also helps keep the contents cool.

A shot of my canteen. I would suggest making a felt cover for it to protect it from damage, as they can break.

Looks good, but doesn't it get irritating hanging right there? I find that if I have things hanging low like that, they bounce around and keep hitting me in the ass, which is annoying. Sad but true. :razz:

[Draconis]

what about using Cuir bolli? Boiling the bottle in hot oil and wax, soaking it throughout and hardening it to maintain shape? I would think it would make a more or less waterproof and sturdy bottle.

[Cavok]

Be carefull when heating leather up, even with oil and wax.
It can shrink like crazy.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes, I was going to mention that the strap could have been adjusted a bit as, as you say, hanging low like that is irritating.
I think it was the fear of breaking a second canteen that prevented me from shortening the rope too much, but this is still too long.

[Cavok]

Right as threatened how to make a leather water flask. This is part one.
By the way if you try this do it at your own risk, take precaution hotwax is not fun.

Patterns:

I downloaded the small one that I found on the web. I then put it into CAD and stretched it out to a point where I thought it would give me a Litre+ of water/wine insert beverage here.......


[attachment=3892]IMG_0435.JPG[/attachment]

Cut out 2 blanks.

[attachment=3893]IMG_0436.JPG[/attachment]
I used contact adhesive to hold them together but this is optional (keep it close to the edge then the beesway used later will cover any glue

[attachment=3894]IMG_0437.JPG[/attachment]
MArk the neck out with pencil or in this case a saddlers silver pen. (it comes off)

[attachment=3895]IMG_0439.JPG[/attachment]
Sew it up using a saddle stitch (I used 2 rows here....you can do it with one if you want) Then soak it completely immersed in water....I chucked it in water overnight.

[attachment=3896]IMG_0441.JPG[/attachment]

Blow it up a bit then pour in either Pearl Barley or wheat corns

[attachment=3897]IMG_0442.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=3898]IMG_0444.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=3899]IMG_0448.JPG[/attachment]
Once filled and tamped down insert a cork or your finished stopper.
Leave to dry either overnight or maybe 2 days if its cool.

Continued in a bit.

[Cavok]

I replaced the stopper at this point for a hand cut Hazel wood piece I made.


[attachment=3900]IMG_0450.JPG[/attachment]

Get enough beeswax if possible to fill the whole thing...I actually did not have enough but was able to swirl it around the inside.
Never put the wax pot directly on the stove! I melt it one pot inside another filled with water.
a: you can't heat it hotter than 100°C that way...avoiding flashpoint issues and a burnt kitchen...Not popular with the wife)
b: If the wax is too hot the leather will sgrink and crack.

I put the bottle in an oven at 80°c at this point for 15 minutes to open the pores for better wax impregnation.

[attachment=3901]IMG_0452.JPG[/attachment]
Its a good idea to wear gloves at this point to avoid 1st degree burns...I also wear eye protection in case of wax splash....do not use the wifes best funnel beeswax sticks like crazy! Get your own!.

[attachment]IMG_0453.JPG[/attachment]
Swirl the wax around inside and you will soon see the effect of the wax coming through.
Keep this going for a while.

[attachment:4]IMG_0454.JPG[/attachment]

Empty the wax out, insert the stopper and let it all cool and let it cool. Then do a water check. Here is the final thing with thongs attached.
This will do me till I manage to get one of them there pottery jobs.
Capacity=1,2litres in this case.

[Cavok]

I replaced the stopper at this point for a hand cut Hazel wood piece I made.


[attachment=3902]IMG_0450_2012-04-30.JPG[/attachment]

Get enough beeswax if possible to fill the whole thing...I actually did not have enough but was able to swirl it around the inside.
Never put the wax pot directly on the stove! I melt it one pot inside another filled with water.
a: you can't heat it hotter than 100°C that way...avoiding flashpoint issues and a burnt kitchen...Not popular with the wife)
b: If the wax is too hot the leather will sgrink and crack.

I put the bottle in an oven at 80°c at this point for 15 minutes to open the pores for better wax impregnation.

[attachment=3903]IMG_0452_2012-04-30.JPG[/attachment]
Its a good idea to wear gloves at this point to avoid 1st degree burns...I also wear eye protection in case of wax splash....do not use the wifes best funnel beeswax sticks like crazy! Get your own!.

[attachment=3904]IMG_0453.JPG[/attachment]
Swirl the wax around inside and you will soon see the effect of the wax coming through.
Keep this going for a while.

[attachment=3905]IMG_0454.JPG[/attachment]

Empty the wax out, insert the stopper and let it all cool and let it cool. Then do a water check. Here is the final thing with thongs attached.
This will do me till I manage to get one of them there pottery jobs.
Capacity=1,2litres in this case.

[attachment=3906]IMG_0456.JPG[/attachment]

Have fun, but be carefull.
You burn yourself it's your own fault.

Prost

[M. Demetrius]

Excellent work, and good advice. You might consider hanging the stopper from the bottle on a string. Stoppers have a way of getting loose and lost.