bottle gourd canteen

[Black Hand]

I know in some of the gourds I raised there was some kind of blight/ fungus that hit some of them. Black areas on exterior. Gave the shells a kinda uneven thickness. And fragile areas. Wondered if the boiling them was really to arrest this dilemma? Just speculation on my part.

Fungus due to moisture and likely happened during growth and/or drying. Boiling would kill the fungus but the damage has already been done. Boiling isn't going to help once the deterioration has happened.

Some people clean the exterior of gourds with a bleach solution prior to drying to minimize fungal presence. Hang in a cool, dry place with plenty of air circulation.

 

[Einsiedler]

I would have guessed too much water. I was hesitant when I read the boiling comments. Knowing that when I boil other members of the gourd family, generally the next thing I do is add butter, salt, and pepper! 😉

 

[BillinOregon]

Spence, that is a nice collection of gourds. Got me reminiscing about the calabash and meerschaum pipe I sported when young and foolish.

 

[Elnathan]

Here's a pair of my modest fabrications.



Spence,

Really appreciate the old veterans moustache and hat! Thanks for posting that pictures!!

I used to have one very much like the right-hand one pictured as a kid. Came from South America, IIRC, where my parents lived for a couple years prior to my birth. I never used it much, as it gave a bad taste to any water it contained. It eventually broke.

I've thought about making another one from time to time, but I've never been able to find a suitable gourd readily available and growing one myself is not really an option at this point. Coating the inside with beeswax is a good idea.

 

[SgtErv]

The beeswax coating on the interior completely eliminated that weird taste.

 

[George]

The beeswax coating on the interior completely eliminated that weird taste.

I'm sure all the city boys will be glad to hear that. :haha: :haha:

Spence