Leather Canteen

[Ricochet]

I have always been intrigued by the ones I would see so I figured I’d make me one to haul around. It turned out very nice and is water tight…….so far! I treated the inside with beeswax and then a coat of brewers pitch. It holds exactly 2 cups so not a real big one but should be plenty on a mornin squirrel hunt. I have also been playin around with making my own rope so I added some here. Thanks for looking!

 

[Dutch7]

This is a nice piece, and I like the rope as well.
How “thick” is the canteen, front to back? Just thinking ahead to make one for myself.
Thanks

 

[Ricochet]

Thank you, Dutch. It is about a 6" circle and 2-3/4" thick.

 

[smo]

Excellent Craftsmanship

 

[Ricochet]

Thank you Smo, that means a lot!

 

[DiMarco_Mercantile]

I gotta make one of these, thanks for the inspiration!

 

[hanshi]

That's a really neat canteen, but I simply don't have the patience I had (arguably) years ago.

 

[Compressorguy]

That turned out very, very nice! Great job! I made one very similar but way smaller to hold shot. Used my air compressor to puff it up and dry out the completely wetted leather. Worked great!

 

[Ricochet]

Great job! I need a shot flask so I may just try your compressor trick!! Thanks

 

[Kansas Jake]

Compressorguy, I used your idea to make a shot bag and it worked out well. Thanks

 

[Salty Cracker]

Nicely done. Beautiful canteen

 

[TDM]

Looks great @Ricochet !

 

[Wounded Fox]

I am going to have to put this on my project list. I have been looking at some cool larger water skins on Etsy apparently made similar to this. The person who makes them is going for Viking period, and makes them up to at least 2.8 Liters. Those tend to be longer and curved for carrying on your side on a long walk.

Does anyone on here have a reference for waterskins like this that places them in America in 1800-1840? There are lots of areas out west that are plenty dry. The mountain men and explorers would have carried water at least some of the time, if they had the ability to do so, and the technology to do so had been in existence for hundreds of years.

To me, this is similar to arguments I have seen that suggest a mountain man would have needed to have served in the military to be familiar with military issue equipment like backpacks that have 2 straps. I lean towards "The mountain men were not idiots. If they saw someone with a good idea, they may have copied it." So, I acknowledge that they got mighty thirsty on some of their travels, but they would have tried to carry water at least some of the time when crossing areas without ready water. Canteens were common military equipment in the united States before and after the fur trade period, so many of them would have been familiar with the concept.

 

[oldwood]

I too will soon need a small shot flask for a smooth rifle. Will definitely use the compressor expansion trick...Thanks

 

[Compressorguy]

I too will soon need a small shot flask for a smooth rifle. Will definitely use the compressor expansion trick...Thanks

I have found for even better results, glue down the outer @ 3/8” edge all the way around. I use brush on contact cement. It will help eliminate the thin gap in the seam as it dries/shrinks. If that concerns you. Good luck with your project. Be sure to post pics!

 

[Kansas Jake]

Native Americans often used buffalo bladders to carry water. I imagine it was common knowledge within the mountain man community.

https://www.kshs.org/teachers/read_kansas/pdfs/m42card12.pdf
Now all you have to do is find a bladder.

 

[Wounded Fox]

Native Americans often used buffalo bladders to carry water. I imagine it was common knowledge within the mountain man community.

https://www.kshs.org/teachers/read_kansas/pdfs/m42card12.pdf
Now all you have to do is find a bladder.

If buffalo bladders work, a cow bladder would likely also work. That would be a bit easier to come by here. A deer bladder might be even easier yet.

Knowing it CAN be done is only half the battle. The other half is figuring out any any complexities in using it.

Found one site that sells bladders: Buffalo Bladder Inflated (currently out of stock)

 

[Black_Feather]

Beautiful! One day I want to make a gourd canteen.

 

[WALT53]

I have always been intrigued by the ones I would see so I figured I’d make me one to haul around. It turned out very nice and is water tight…….so far! I treated the inside with beeswax and then a coat of brewers pitch. It holds exactly 2 cups so not a real big one but should be plenty on a mornin squirrel hunt. I have also been playin around with making my own rope so I added some here. Thanks for looking!

Nice job .