Leather powder flask

[Greg Hardy]

Planning to start working on a leather powder flask. Question is, will Brewers Pitch work to seal?

 

[SpottedBull]

its used to seal leather canteens so I don't see why not...only problem I see is if a spark gets onto that leather...

Will it be a small one to carry in a pouch?

Sorry I am an NRA safety instructor so I think of these things.

 

[omarick1948]

It might, but leather flasks can crush or get damaged easily and Brewers Pitch (Pine Tar) hardens and might flake off inside the flask and be prone to cracking. Also, leather attracks moisture, even if you seal the flask on the outside.
JMHO
Rick

 

[ladysmithtrading]

all the above, stick with horn, antler or metal, you'll be happier in the long run

 

[LaBonte]

You guys need to read more on how-to make a leather flask the way they were in fact made in the past using the cuir boulli method to harden and the jacking method to seal it- they work and they work great when built right.
A properly jacked, a leather flask will be water proof and stay that way (properly hardened leather is changed at the molecular level, making it deifferent than regular leather). Brewer's pitch when applied properly won't flake either.
A leather flask is no more fragile than a horn (I've crushed two horns in the last 50 years - horns are in fact fairly fragile when you fall on them or have a horse wreck) and less fragile than the metal ones. As for a spark entering - they are no more dangerous in that sense than a regular horn.
As to carrying powder in leather - not only were leather flasks used at times and in various places (albeit mostly Euro - I have seen American made versions, IIRC mostly SW Spanish), but the AMC and RMC trade lists of the 1820-40's have large leather bags listed which were used for carrying powder.

For more info on how-to do REAL cuir boulli read here: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...8KX6DA&usg=AFQjCNGZc25CYdM_JRiaj4Wm39DlXM48pA

 

[omarick1948]

You guys need to read more on how-to make a leather flask the way they were in fact made in the past using the cuir boulli method to harden and the jacking method to seal it- they work and they work great when built right.
A properly jacked, a leather flask will be water proof and stay that way (properly hardened leather is changed at the molecular level, making it deifferent than regular leather). Brewer's pitch when applied properly won't flake either.
A leather flask is no more fragile than a horn (I've crushed two horns in the last 50 years - horns are in fact fairly fragile when you fall on them or have a horse wreck) and less fragile than the metal ones. As for a spark entering - they are no more dangerous in that sense than a regular horn.
As to carrying powder in leather - not only were leather flasks used at times and in various places (albeit mostly Euro - I have seen American made versions, IIRC mostly SW Spanish), but the AMC and RMC trade lists of the 1820-40's have large leather bags listed which were used for carrying powder.

For more info on how-to do REAL cuir boulli read here: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...8KX6DA&usg=AFQjCNGZc25CYdM_JRiaj4Wm39DlXM48pA

I believe if you read his question. He wasn't asking about cuir boulli and people DO read and research more than you are assuming. He did not say anything about making it in the way THEY WERE MADE, but simply a question about moisture proofing a leather flask, my understanding, and I gave him a simple answer. Heck even cast iron will break if you don't take care of it!

This is not my first day at the Rodeo!

 

[Black Hand]

Planning to start working on a leather powder flask. Question is, will Brewers Pitch work to seal?

Personally, I would use beeswax and fully impregnate the leather.

 

[Greg Hardy]

Well, I have made a few leather canteens and a couple of bullet canteens. I'm actually trying to decide between brewers pitch and coating with shellac. I've made powder horns for years and for quite a while used a flat horn I made for my revolvers. Just wanted to try something different.

 

[Supercracker]

Planning to start working on a leather powder flask. Question is, will Brewers Pitch work to seal?

Personally, I would use beeswax and fully impregnate the leather.

x2

A quick dip and whamo, it's firm and waterproof