you are dead on target ,that is how i do it simpley cut out the ,sew it together soake in warm water over .pack with sand or ,put in a little and take a dowell rod , stick it in the spout and pack it down hard .add a small amount water and add more sand ,pack some more .continue untill shaped ,set aside all to dry completely, once dry you must stain the leather ,but do not remove the sand yet, if you do and you stain the it will loose some of the shape ,after you have stained , then you must brush it with laqure untill it will take no more or just sets on the leather, finish off with about 2 coats of true oil, to smooth every thing out ..this drys in about a day.now dump the sand, melt the brewers pitch and pour in about 1/2cup.cork the spout and carefully turn the canteen over and over -- up and down untill all the inside is coated . you may have to use more or less wax ,depending on the size of your container. after waxing stand on end, with spout down this will allow any excess to drain out . now that is done you can either turn a fitted wood stopper or use a cork for the spout ,let cool for 24hr then fill with water wipe off any over fill. set canteen upright on a dry paper towel. for a few hours if no leaks appear your done if the towel is wet , you must reseal with more hot wax . if you have no leaks add what ever type of strap you want ,remember do not let any one squeeze the sides it can damage the shape. hope this helps try one its fariley easey and works very well for carring water and you can make it any shape you want. :yakyak:
