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Gourd question

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patriot59

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Wife is making gourd canteens and has had some success but we do have a few questions.

We used gourd canteens lined with paraffin/wax over the weekend and upon emptying the contents we discovered the water to be a bit yellow and cloudy and some unidentifiable little particles, (could have been gourd innards?)floating about. Anyone have any experience ideas or explanations. Much appreciated.
 
I'd suggest you make an absolutely average gourd canteen, and then cut it apart to see how well your efforts are working to empty the shell, then coat the inside. The disection will show you more than 20 conjectures on any website.
 
patriot59,
Try this I hope this helps.
Making a Gourd Canteen or Water Bottle.

I use a gourd canteen water bottle when out trekking, I make my own so I thought I'd share how I make them for us and friends.
The type of gourds that were most used for lasting containers were of the type Lagenaria whose white blossoms open towards evening and grow on aggressive vines. They require a long growing season to mature and are extremely cold sensitive. They are mostly light green with sometimes some white mottling, never brightly colored. They have a woody sub-surface that can range from 1/8 to 3/4 inches in thickness. When the gourd is in the green condition it is fragile but as it cures (which can take upwards of two years) the woody sub surface matures into a very hard and durable material. It is my experience that the slowest curing process is the best, although the most messy. I have heard all types of instructions from all over the country on how to cure them fast. I have never had success in coming up with a durable container by any of these methods. The green and fully mature gourds are picked after a growing season of between 120 and 150 days. Now begins the long curing process. I will wash them down to remove any dirt that may be attached to them and then they are spread out (so they don't touch each other) on newspaper in a warm dry place like an attic, loft or in the basement near a heat source. They can be left outside if they won't freeze but I have always had problems with animals stealing them to get the seeds during the winter months and up north they are far too precious to lose any to forest critters. They should be turned often, at least once a week. During the curing process they will develop a heavy mold which is normal and this will not cause them to rot. If the gourds are to be used for something other than food or drink containers they could be wiped down every two weeks with a solution of a bit of disinfectant liquid in some warm water to retard mold growth, since the mold has a tendency to discolor the outer surfaces. THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE FOR FOOD OR DRINKING CONTAINERS! The mold is a natural process and although it looks horrible it is very natural and harmless. I have to admit that they start looking pretty funky about three to four months into the drying /curing process but I don't believe I've ever had them smell worse than a fresh mushroom. They have very little flesh inside so they wont spoil like a pumpkin or the like. Actually, if they were on the vine a long enough time they may even feel lighter than you would think, because some of the curing had begun outside at the end of their growing season. These lighter ones will cure the fastest but sometimes their shells are too thin and will collapse. This was not due to the molding. They were destined for failure from the start: they never matured to begin with. The very heavy ones may take up to two years to dry and cure.
When the curing process is complete you will notice that the gourd is now light in weight, the mold has dried to dust coating ( I must mention here that mold spores and dust can affect sensitive individuals so please take care) and many times the seeds will rattle inside.
Select a cured gourd by the firmness of the shell. A good shell is at least 1/4 inch in thickness and shows no signs of collapse.
The dried and cured gourd is soaked in water or a cloth is applied to its surface, warm water is placed over the cloth and remains that way until the dry skin can be easily scraped off with a dull knife. This may take some time. This exposes the hard wood shell. Let the gourd dry for a couple of hours after scraping. Now, depending on what type of gourd you have, you will either saw off the tip (as in a water bottle style) or drill a sizeable hole in the side (as in the case of a tobacco box style). Make the hole the size of the cork you intend to use.( I have found a 3/4 in. hole is adequate for a small bottle). This is achieved by sawing (use a fine tooth saw such as a hacksaw ) the top off about 1/2 in. down. The tobacco box can have a smaller 5/8 inch hole drilled in its side for the cork.
With the hole made, you take whatever is necessary to scrape out the seeds and fluff. Spoons work well, just don't damage the opening so the cork will not make a tight seal. Next, get a few handfuls of gravel, the sharper the better ( don't use sand or very fine gravel which could stick inside). Pour them into the gourd and shake for a few minutes then pour out. This may have to be done a few times. This gets the fluff out.
Now we are ready to make the canteen capable of holding liquid without it tasting like swamp sludge. In this procedure I use paraffin wax and a heat source. As you all should know paraffin is extremely flammable and it can be dangerous if used carelessly so I'm not responsible if you flame your gourd, kitty (which may not be a bad thing) or your humble abode in this next step.
I use pure canning paraffin as opposed to beeswax because beeswax can make the water sort of taste well, like beeswax. Gourds I have waxed with this method have held out over the years with its original application, however the larger, more often used storage bottles I usually rewax every few years until they get too heavy from all the wax coatings.

The initial waxing is the most important since this can never be undone or redone. So take care - be careful - take your time and you will have success. I use an electric stove and oven in this process so there is no open flame. If you choose to do this on a gas stove it could be dangerous, so please take care. Get your gourd, a coffee can and a cork that fits the gourd. Also, some towels or rags to handle the hot gourd will be necessary. I set my oven on 250-275 degrees and place the dry and cleaned gourd on the middle rack. Then I take a coffee can which is clean and bend a spout in its side to use as a pouring aid. In this can I carefully melt down two hunks or slabs of wax. When melting wax watch it carefully. Melt at low heat and just as the last solid bit disappears it is ready. If you leave wax to heat too long you may lose track of how hot it is getting and it could burst into flames. As soon at the last traces of wax just disappear in the can take it off the heat. From here on in this must be done quickly and without hesitation to achieve the initial coating in the gourd. The gourd is removed from the oven and quickly you will pour the melted wax inside it (not near a source of flame). Put the cork in the hole and start vigorously shaking it for a few minutes until the liquid wax starts to "feel different" as it starts to solidify. Then quickly take out the cork and pour the excess back into the can. Set the gourd aside to cool slowly. Don't touch until fully cool. If you did this initial step correctly all of the pores inside the gourd, including whatever fluff remained, are encapsulated in wax. You can do up to two more applications of wax but do not put the gourd back in the oven because you will undo all your hard work. Just melt the wax in the can as before and pour in the gourd, shake vigorously and pour out. Let the gourd cool thoroughly each time; otherwise, you will remove the previous wax. All you need now is a new clean cork and a method of carrying it and you have a fine water container. I never used this type of container for liquor because they may adversely affect the wax.
See just that simple, hope ya like it.

Hope you find this usefull.
TAC2.
 
I guess that the Great Spirit has never shined down on me, when it came to Gourd Canteens, as I keep getting them broke or the contents always tastes like an old gym sock only after storing water in them for a day or two. Even tried using "Brewers Pitch" to coat the interior.

:cursing:
 
A hand full of pea sized gravel put in the gourd and shaken vigorously for a few minutes will usually get out all the pith and leave a fairly smooth surface for the desired coating to adhere to on the inside. I really don't want to be drinking two-day-old water that has been in a gourd unless it's absolutely necessary. :barf:
 
nw_hunter said:
Sure would like to see some pics of those gourd canteens :grin:

I use them in camp, but don't carry them as canteens. I think the flattened type would be better for carrying.

Gourd-Canteen.jpg


WaterCarrier.jpg
 
BillinOregon said:
Claude: That's a very nice canteen. Can you share details on the construction of the neck?

No construction, that's how they grew. :wink:

I just cut them off and cleaned them out. Filled with small, sharp gravel and "swirled" it around until the inside was clean, poured in melted beeswax to coated the inside.

Like I said, they're too bulky to carry. I use them in camp.
 
My wife does gourds for her bird feeders and houses and I mentioned that next year I'd like a couple to make into canteens, but I would like a specific shape. She said no problem. When the gourd is beginning to grow place it between two boards (fastened together from the bottom) and it will grow into the shape you're looking for. Just thought I'd pass that bit of info along. I will be trying it next growing season. For kickers, when it's done I'll make a leather cover for them.
 
eagleyeusa48 said:
My wife does gourds for her bird feeders and houses and I mentioned that next year I'd like a couple to make into canteens, but I would like a specific shape. She said no problem. When the gourd is beginning to grow place it between two boards (fastened together from the bottom) and it will grow into the shape you're looking for. Just thought I'd pass that bit of info along. I will be trying it next growing season. For kickers, when it's done I'll make a leather cover for them.

Yep, you can even make them square (sort of). They'll conform to whatever they're growing inside of.
http://www.americangourdsociety.org/fun/training.html
 
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The use of growing forms will also cause the sides that are restricted to be a bit thicker, a nice addition considering their use as a " canteen".
 
About ten years ago I was visiting the Tenneessee State Mueseum in Nashvilleand in one of the exhibits there was a gourd which had been used as a powder horn at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.I guess you can carry more than water in them.
.................................................
watch yer top knot
 
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