A first attempt at a Gourd Canteen

[bigstick6017555]

I am sure people realized this, and many other problems we think up that they may have endured, way before the 21st century.

 

[Brokennock]

speaking from experience with a meerschaum lined gourd pipe.

Interesting....
I wish you had mentioned this in your original reply.... Totally different animal, a pipe versus a water bottle,,,,, and a different but interesting subject. I'd certainly like to know more, but it is a subject for another topic thread.

It also would have tempered your very "irrefutable" sounding answer.

 

[WonkyEye]

After I cast round balls, I put them in a plastic bottle and let it bounce around int the bed of the truck for a 30 miles or so. I wonder if the same approach could be used for gourd cleaning.

It's funny you posted this now, I've never been to a rendezvous or any living history event, but I'm curious and thinking about trying it on for size. I was just googling last week how to make a gourd canteen because I figured I'd need water if I do.

 

[Artificer]

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.

I heartily second Bill's comments Timber Wolf. You tell an interesting story along with the suggestions/instructions. That is almost becoming a lost art. Thanks for the chuckles as well as the info.

Gus

 

[andy52]

I made a few several years ago and I grew the gourds myself. I made up some wood frames to grow them in so they would be flat-sided and carry a little easier, Honestly, I didn't think they were worth the effort, a kidney copper one is nicer and more durable.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I've made two. One was waxed inside and out. Gourd became like an eggshell.
The second was waxed only on the inside. Lasted several years.

LD

 

[Seamus]

I've made two. One was waxed inside and out. Gourd became like an eggshell.
The second was waxed only on the inside. Lasted several years.

LD

I lined the last one that I made with brewers pitch. It's not quite as easy as using beeswax but, it seems to make the gourd tougher and the pitch won't puddle in your canteen if you leave in in a hot car after an event. I found that out the hard way.

Also, referring to an earlier comment regarding mold, I've never had a mold issue using a lined gourd (using either wax or pitch) I have had unlined gourds get funky smelling if they aren't very dry before storing.

 

[smoothshooter]

In my never ending quest for the next project, to prevent me from working on existing projects, I decided I needed a Gourd Canteen. Because you know, just because. Anyway, I found and ordered a few possible victims off the interweb and got busy. I selected one from the bunch that was not the best (in case I screwed it up) but not the worst (in case it turned out OK and usable). I cut off the stem and measured my selected cork stopper. I had found several suitable and unsuitable corks at a couple local thrift stores. Man, people will collect and donate most anything (and then I come along and buy most anything). I found a close but slightly undersize drill and got busy, first with a group of smaller and then progressively larger bits. Dumping out the contents yielded a ton (well, almost) of seeds. If viable they may lead to next year’s project. Anyway, along with the seeds I poked out all the Gourd guts I could before throwing a handful of hardware (large & small nuts, bolts, pointy screws) inside.

Then the real fun began, shake the Gourd, shake I say. Shake to the left, shake to the right, shake your Goard all ‘round. Shake while walking around the yard, shake while watching TV, shake, shake, shake. Much shaking later, (did I mention shaking?) dump the hardware and powdered Gourd guts out. Repeat until no more powder comes out and the inside looks pretty clean. You do know what the inside of clean Gourd looks like right? Yeah, me neither. Once satisfied with the internal condition, set Gourd in the Sun while you heat some Bees Wax. Hopefully you have an “in” with a friendly local Bee Keeper who likes you enough to save you some nice, clean, minimally processed wax. Luckily a buddy’s wife keeps Bees and he mentioned to her I would like to have wax (and Honey), so I have wax (and Honey).

As it turned out, I needn’t have worried about pre-heating the Gourd because IT GOT REAL DANG HOT when I dumped the melted wax inside. Like almost too hot to handle with bare hands hot. Put in the stopper and shake the Gourd, actually just slowly spin it around throughly coating the interior, cork and all. My Goard soaked up all of my first batch of wax so I hit it again, and got most of the second batch back out so I guess it got pretty much coated the first time. The cork and neck got nicely coated as well. Being satisfied with the results I made a leather strap and tied on a thong to hang it from my belt. I still need to make a toggle to tie on the thong that I can just tuck under, or over my belt. Anyway, here it is:
View attachment 241787

How good would it work if you made it without putting the bees’s wax in it?