Jackware canteen | The Minuteman Forum

Black Hand
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Posts: 2,068

Jackware canteen Feb 7, 2019 19:13:24 GMT -7 Keith likes this

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Post by Black Hand on Feb 7, 2019 19:13:24 GMT -7

Now, to preface, it appears that Jackware had mostly fallen out of favor in the 18th century. This canteen (and about a dozen more I made) is inspired by the Mary Rose example (thought to be perhaps the leather cover to a glass bottle, from something I read at some time) and Jackware.

Completely hand-sewn with linen thread of 4-5/5-6oz vegetable-tan leather and a hand-woven hemp strap. Fully impregnated with beeswax and having a wood collar in the neck. Holds ~32oz/1 liter

Last Edit: Feb 7, 2019 19:30:08 GMT -7 by Black Hand

"Science is made up of so many things that appear obvious after they are explained."
-Pardot Kynes, Imperial Planetologist on Arrakis (Dune)

Keith
City-dweller

Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.

Posts: 990

Jackware canteen Feb 7, 2019 19:53:37 GMT -7

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Post by Keith on Feb 7, 2019 19:53:37 GMT -7

I used to carry a costrel, but the sealant come away & tainted the water. This is one I purchased from the US. I tried to re-melt the sealant but it did not work. Not sure what was used. I used hot water to flush it all out of the bottle. Next I poured in beeswax, but that failed too! I tried to heat it in the oven with the oven door open, but the leather just shrank! I gave up.

You did a fine job on your's, well done.
Keith.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
Henry David Thoreau
woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/

Black Hand
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Posts: 2,068

Jackware canteen Feb 7, 2019 20:16:38 GMT -7 Keith likes this

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Post by Black Hand on Feb 7, 2019 20:16:38 GMT -7

Waxing the leather can be touchy. Much like heating horn, it's not something you do when you might get interrupted. I shrank a bottom in a canteen one time when I was distracted - had to cut the bottom out and replace.

At most, I use a warm oven (~170-180F) and melt the wax in a tin on the stove. Pour molten wax into the container, swish around, pour out and place in the oven to allow the wax to penetrate. Rub wax on the exterior as well. Repeat until the leather is fully impregnated.

Last Edit: Feb 7, 2019 20:17:01 GMT -7 by Black Hand

"Science is made up of so many things that appear obvious after they are explained."
-Pardot Kynes, Imperial Planetologist on Arrakis (Dune)

Black Hand
Administrator

Posts: 2,068

Jackware canteen Feb 8, 2019 17:05:32 GMT -7

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Post by Black Hand on Feb 8, 2019 17:05:32 GMT -7

Constructing a leather flask in the Style of the Mary Rose - ConstructingLeatherFlasks.pdf (234.64 KB)

Black Jacks and Leather Bottells: Being Some Account of Leather Drinking Vessels in England and Incidentally of Other Ancient Vessels
by Oliver Baker, 1921
books.google.com/books/about/Black_Jacks_and_Leather_Bottells.html?id=ZMHnAAAAMAAJ

babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015011959106;view=1up;seq=50 (View)
www.pewterbank.com/html/reading.html (Download PDF)

Last Edit: Jul 30, 2022 16:43:13 GMT -7 by Black Hand

"Science is made up of so many things that appear obvious after they are explained."
-Pardot Kynes, Imperial Planetologist on Arrakis (Dune)