Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Accoutrements => Topic started by: vthompson on March 20, 2010, 03:32:15 AM

Title: Gourd Canteen
Post by: vthompson on March 20, 2010, 03:32:15 AM: I am letting a gourd dry out and I plan on making a canteen out of it after I get the inside cleaned out the best that I can.
I plan on coating the inside of it with wax and I was wondering if the parifin you can buy at the store good to coat the inside with after I get it melted down. What do you guy's think?
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Post by: melsdad on March 20, 2010, 10:25:32 AM: I would use beeswax. That is what I used in the leather canteen that I made. That is what BEAVERMAN suggested.

(http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee43/MELZDAD/ACCOUTREMENTS/1372.jpg)
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Post by: Gordon H.Kemp on March 20, 2010, 01:31:53 PM: I use beeswax but I Guess parafin would be safe from a food point of view as it's used to seal homemade jellys and jams.
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Post by: david32cal on March 20, 2010, 02:30:03 PM: i would think the parafin wax would be more brittle,more likely to crack and leak. beeswax stays fairly pliable.
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Post by: Gordon H.Kemp on March 20, 2010, 04:19:02 PM: David , good point , Have to try it! I've got a gord ready to wax as we speak , think I'll try the parafin and see what happens???
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Post by: gelsenbeck on March 20, 2010, 05:26:36 PM: Yes, I'd vote for using beeswax although some have used brewers pitch too.
I would think the water would taste better using beeswax though.
Gary
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Post by: Gordon H.Kemp on March 20, 2010, 06:41:11 PM: Gary . I agree with you , but Ithink I'd like to know , if in fact it would hold and for how long ?? I doubt yhat it would hold long on leather canteens becauce the leather still has flex but the gord is pretty stable ? Anyway I'm going to give it a shot and will let you all know if it could be an option on gords !
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Post by: vthompson on March 20, 2010, 10:45:16 PM: Let me ask another stupid question. Where do you get beeswax at? I want to try to do it right the first time.
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Post by: gelsenbeck on March 20, 2010, 11:01:23 PM: Vern, you can check around you area for local beekeepers, etc and probably pick some up reasonably. However, be forewarned. Price of beeswax has gone up and up for the last couple of years. I recall buying 5 lbs of beeswax 'pearls' for just over $20. Today, on average, has tripled.
Glad I got them when I did.
Gary
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Post by: R.M. on March 20, 2010, 11:05:09 PM: In a pinch, beeswax can be had from craft stores. I got some from Hobby Lobby a while back. Not the cheapest way to get it, but at least I got what I wanted, fairly easily.
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Post by: gelsenbeck on March 20, 2010, 11:24:50 PM: Vern, I just found a site that has good pricing on yellow beeswax and in the pearl form that is easier and quicker to melt down.

http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product. ... -A-21-Y--O (http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product.aspx?q=c20,p514&title=Yellow-Beeswax---A-21-Y--O)

Gary
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Post by: Bison Horn on March 21, 2010, 05:35:21 AM: Pics please. What size you use? I know a of a gourd man that has all kinds he sells for bird houses, he should be at our spring trappers rendezvous coming up in April. I'd like to try that. BH
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Post by: vthompson on March 22, 2010, 02:43:05 AM: Quote from: "gelsenbeck"
Vern, I just found a site that has good pricing on yellow beeswax and in the pearl form that is easier and quicker to melt down.

http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product. ... -A-21-Y--O (http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product.aspx?q=c20,p514&title=Yellow-Beeswax---A-21-Y--O)

Gary

Thanks for the website, I appreciate it.
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Post by: wwpete52 on March 22, 2010, 10:58:06 AM: Don't use parafin! Beeswax would be good but if you really want to do it right use brewer's pitch. You can purchase it through Jas. Townsend.
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Post by: BEAVERMAN on March 22, 2010, 11:15:41 AM: BEESWAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Vern, thats all i use on my canteens, I pick it up here from a woman at Monroe, but can be had on ebay also for a reasonable price if you shop a bit, I use it mainly because it's an easy fix for anyone who purchases one of my canteens to do at home and not have to order pitch, a quick hint, do not hand that canteen in direct sun lite without having water in it.
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Post by: woodman on March 22, 2010, 12:57:17 PM: Had a gourd canteen that was done in Parrafin and it had the foulest tasting water ever.
Woodman
Title: Gourd Canteen
Post by: Trois Castors on March 22, 2010, 03:08:35 PM: Here is a dry gourd cup from Chile.

Apparently people leave them on there desks all day
with something that resembles dry hay in them.They
keep them topped up with hot water and sip at them
with a straw.

The reason I put this on here is because there appears
to be no sealent in these-just dry and sort of stringy inside. <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_confused.gif" alt=":?" title="Confused" />
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Post by: Three Hawks on March 22, 2010, 09:54:58 PM: Paraffin wax doesn't work. Beeswax kinda sorta works. If you can find it there's a wax which stays soft when cold and will coat evenly when warm, it is called "Vintner's Wax." Try a winemaker's or amateur brewer's supply to find it.

Gourd canteens are a dead loss in my opinion. Water stored in one will quickly take on the delightful flavor of fulminate of dog vomit.

While they can be delightfully festive decorations, as far as being useful articles, not so much.

Your mileage may vary.

Three Hawks