A first attempt at a Gourd Canteen

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Howdy folks:
Here's a quick PSA update on gourd cleaning. IF you do decide to clean the inside of your gourd with one of the rod and chain tools that I spoke of, be very careful how aggressively you use it? I'm told that it's extremely easy to break through the fragile exterior of the gourd with the chains.
I'm looking into adding gourd canteens to my "wares for sale" collection next year or the year after, depending on the gourd growing time frame, so I though I'd share this info. with other potential gourd canteen enthusiasts?
I hope this is of some use to y'all?
God bless:
Two Feathers
 
Best way I have found to clean the gourd is take a wire coat hanger with a loop on one end inserted into the dry gourd dig as much lining out as you can, then get a few handfuls of fine stone say pea size and let the shaking begin. I use the gravel from alongside the roadway.
 
appalichian hunter said:
Best way I have found to clean the gourd is take a wire coat hanger with a loop on one end inserted into the dry gourd dig as much lining out as you can, then get a few handfuls of fine stone say pea size and let the shaking begin. I use the gravel from alongside the roadway.
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appalichian hunter:
I was just explaining to folks what I found at a gourd festival here in Pa. a few years ago. I say do it however you like. There's NO right or wrong way. Just be careful no matter HOW you do it! Pebbles are a preferred method....definitely! I know a guy who put shards of Flint and pebbles in his, taped the hole shut, then tumbled it in the dryer with the heat turned off? :~))) Not sure HOW that went? But I'll bet his wife was NOT happy! :~((
Thank you for your input.
God bless:
Two Feathers
 
appalichian hunter said:
Best way I have found to clean the gourd is take a wire coat hanger with a loop on one end inserted into the dry gourd dig as much lining out as you can, then get a few handfuls of fine stone say pea size and let the shaking begin. I use the gravel from alongside the roadway.
Click to expand...
Exactly how I do mine
 

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Hermit Tim said:
We must be some odd dudes. I'm guessing that nowhere else in the civilized world are folks discussing this kind of stuff we talk about and deeply enjoying it. Keep it coming. I can't wait to get some gourds...
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Hermit Tim:
I'm with ya.' brother. This is the kind of stuff that makes getting up in the morning worth it!:~)))
I'd love to pass on my knowledge, but no one cares about what I do or learning how to do it! I am mentoring a young guy right now on knife making, but I'm not certain that he really is THAT interested in it? It might just be a passing fad with him?
Thank you for keeping the interest in the "old ways" alive here.
God bless:
Two Feathers
 
Tradbow said:
This year I planted marten gourds. Next year I’ll plant bottle gourds. I’ve got a few dipper gourds I’ve made into, you got it, dippers. Lots of gourd types available
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Do they naturally grow in that shape or must the growth shape be controlled with a string or something to get that bottle shape?
 
Mike in FL said:
Do they naturally grow in that shape or must the growth shape be controlled with a string or something to get that bottle shape?
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Mike in FL.
Nope, no exterior enhancement needed? The gourd seeds are sometimes listed as Bottle gourds or Canteen Gourds. They actually DO grow that way!
I know you CAN influence their shape in different ways. Some folks grow them in bottles like coffee jars or Candy jars, but it's not necessary. Of course, using a container of some sort will give you a bit better control over the outcome, but again, it's not necessary. You will have to carefully break the glass if you grow them in a glass bottle or jar.
In the 70's I grew some in tall Coffee jars. They came out pretty neat. Sometimes you have to extract them prematurely or they will grow out the top and become "weird" looking? :~)))) Whatever you grow them in. Make sure it's reasonably clear so maximum sunshine gets to the plant! You can also influence their final shape by rotating the container. Letting it set in one spot will give you a flat bottom. Setting the bottle upright will aid in getting a flat bottomed gourd that will set upright on your table? That's a plus for canteens.
I hope something here helps? I'm no horticulturalist, but I have grown a couple of gourds in my life.
God bless:
Two Feathers
 
Hey y'all:
This is the place I was telling you folks about in my OP. Thank you for your research diligence. Not sure if the same folks still own it, but it WAS Smuckers Gourd Farm 8 years ago? You owe it to yourself to get there this Summer, IF you can, it's amazing. When my wife and I were there they were having a Gourd art exhibition with a local arts and crafts group. Some of the work was truly astonishing. I KNOW...I have a bunch of it in my home.:~)))
God bless:
Two Feathers
 
Two Feathers said:
Hey y'all:
This is the place I was telling you folks about in my OP. Thank you for your research diligence. Not sure if the same folks still own it, but it WAS Smuckers Gourd Farm 8 years ago? You owe it to yourself to get there this Summer, IF you can, it's amazing. When my wife and I were there they were having a Gourd art exhibition with a local arts and crafts group. Some of the work was truly astonishing. I KNOW...I have a bunch of it in my home.:~)))
God bless:
Two Feathers
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I am just a few miles up the road from them
 
I've grown bottleneck, dipper and canteen gourds just for the joy of it, but only made bowls. Always meant to try making a canteen. Might mention that a gourd's exterior is easily decorated by burning in lines or a pattern with a magnifying glass in the sun.
Timber Wolf, you certainly have a way with words. "In my never-ending quest for the next project, to prevent me from working on existing projects ..." sounds so familiar. 😄
 
Lagenaria siceraria is genus and species for a Corsican canteen gourd; cucurbits pepo; gourds were the earliest known domesticated plant. I prefer flat round canteen gourds for canteens. Alfred Jacob Miller has painting of bottle neck gourd canteen but have found no primary sources for the round canteen gourds I like to make and use. Caution against using paraffin or paraffin-beeswax blend to seal gourds. I've armored mine with thick rawhide and made custom fit wood pouring spouts. Using a hole boring saw in a drill makes quick work of making the hole. I hand forge scraping tools to get the paper and seeds out. Used seeds form gourd bought at Rocky Ford, Colorado on was to Bent's Old Fort. Gourds needs a long growing season. Start pre soaked seeds indoors in pots and transfer when warm enough or if long enough growing season, plant pre soaked seeds directly into ground. Trellis will optimize sunshine exposure. Need lots of sunshine and water. Don't sand off mold too much or clean with bleach. Decorates well with burning tools for leather and wood.
 
A gourd canteen might be a cool idea for display. I would not recommend actually using it as it would be next to impossible to dry it out completely and it could very easily foster mold growth, including black mold which is toxic. When refilled again you would be inoculating yourself with God knows what.
 
Snooterpup said:
A gourd canteen might be a cool idea for display. I would not recommend actually using it as it would be next to impossible to dry it out completely and it could very easily foster mold growth, including black mold which is toxic. When refilled again you would be inoculating yourself with God knows what.
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Hmmm,,,, thousands of years of use...
Many, many people here reporting successful use over the years...

Never heard of anyone having an issue with mold growth in a gourd water bottle. I've heard of it in other period material containers,,, I've even had it happen in a leather "bots bottle." But my gourd has never been an issue.

I do store mine without the plug/cork after leaving it upside down in the sun for a while.....

But, given this new found expertise I guess I'll bash it with a rock,,,, and when the time machine gets invented I'll go back and warn our ancestors...
 
Brokennock said:
Hmmm,,,, thousands of years of use...
Many, many people here reporting successful use over the years...

Never heard of anyone having an issue with mold growth in a gourd water bottle. I've heard of it in other period material containers,,, I've even had it happen in a leather "bots bottle." But my gourd has never been an issue.

I do store mine without the plug/cork after leaving it upside down in the sun for a while.....

But, given this new found expertise I guess I'll bash it with a rock,,,, and when the time machine gets invented I'll go back and warn our ancestors...
Click to expand...
Definitely not an expert here. I was just speaking from experience with a meerschaum lined gourd pipe. It was loaded with black mold but hey go for it! Perhaps the beeswax will prevent that. A thousand pardons for ruffling the fletchings for Brokennock.
Expert:
An ex is a has been
A spurt is a drip under pressure.
Snooterpup is throughly castigated, contrite and over and out.
 
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