How to make a waxed leather water bottle (Photo tutorial)

[durulz]

OK, that sounds like it could be the problem. Honestly, a double bath is essential. You want to melt the wax but keep it at the boiling point of water, and no hotter. As a guide to how long to keep it in the wax, the best indication is the bubbles that come to the surface.

The hot wax will expel the air in the leather. When there are no more bubbles, the leather is saturated with wax. For a flask, or tankard this can take four or five minutes. many people just dunk it in and whip it back out. It doesn't work that quick.

In fact, because you are controlling the temperature of the wax with a bain marie (double boiler), you can leave the leather in there for ages without fear of it "cooking".

I dropped a shot cup off the old wire chip scoop I use to imerse these and it sank to the bottom. I left it there while I dipped all the rest, did three tankards and some leather tablet weaving cards. I fished it out about forty minutes later and it was perfectly fine. When they were all wiped, dried and polished I couldn't tell which one had been in there the longest.

Eric

It certainly wasn't in there for five minutes - one or two at the most.
Next time I'll have the wax a little cooler and leave it in longer.

Thanks for the advice and thanks for taking the time to reply - much appreciated.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I got a PM a few minutes ago with some questions. Good questions too, so I'll put them here and my reply for everyone else to benefit from.

Hi Eric,

First I want to say thanks for posting up the great tutorial for the water flask.

I hope you dont mind but I have a couple of questions I was hoping you could help me out with.

1. How far from the edge are the 2 stitch grooves.
2. How did you work out the distance between the stitches so that the cork would fit snugly.
3. What would you say the minimum amount of wax to coat it would be.

Again many thanks and I hope you dont mind me asking these few questions

All good questions mate. I'll try and answer them.

1. How far from the edge are the 2 stitch grooves.

Do the first one (the one that goes all the way round) about an eighth of an inch in from the smoothed edge. Then do the second one another eighth of an inch in.

2. How did you work out the distance between the stitches so that the cork would fit snugly.

The cork doesn't fit snugly. It's a little bit loose, but it is only there to keep the mouth round in shape. You need snug when you make the stopper, and the actual size of the finished flask will determine how much wood you have to take off the stopper. The stopper is fitted to the flask, not the flask fitted to the stopper.

3. What would you say the minimum amount of wax to coat it would be.

That's a difficult one to answer. The flask leather will absorb around 4oz of wax, but if you are hot dipping it like I do then you will need enough to imerse it in. The volume needed for full imersion will very much depend on the size and shape of your pan. Mine is fairly wide, so it takes more wax to fill it. A narrower pan will take less. You'll have to figure that one out for yourself I'm afraid.

Hope that helps a little bit.

Eric

 

[Edgar]

Hi there, the bottle looks great. I recently tried making a leather tobacco pouch but didn't coat the inside with anything so (I now realise Obviously) the tobacco dries very quickly. Would it be possible to paint on the wax with a brush? Only because I have already finished coating the outside it seems a bit of a shame to start over if its possible to avoid. Or would the wax dry too quickly before it was absorbed?
Thanks

 

[belabear]

Thanks Eric for the tutorial!

I´ll give it a try for sure.

I PDF would be great

Greetings from Austria
Belabear

 

[FelixAvery]

amazing post really well done and kind to show everyone else how!

 

[grey-array]

Amazing stuff Eric, thanks a million for this tutorial, I will be saving this one, Looks really cool, and an awesome item to have with you on a trip too ^^

 

[Bodge]

Just read through this tutorial Eric, quick question for you. When you put the groove around the edge and then the stitch marker, do you repeat on the reverse or do you do it after you have made the holes or don't you do it? Thanks.

 

[Totumpole]

Thanks for that, its a great tutorial!
How well does a bottle likie this stand up to being basherd around with other kit in a bag, does it stay good and water tight or will it soften and lose shape with time?

 

[grey-array]

I heard some interest for a PDF file from the tutorial, So since Eric already did so much for us with the Great tutorial he made :You_Rock_ I took the liberty to supply all of you who are interested with a Homemade PDF, There you go guys
http://www.mediafire.com/?1tl4au43q71a2ru
You'll probably get a pop-up in another screen, like a survey. just head back to your previous screen and there you will see a window asking if you want to save the file.

Yours sincerely Ruud

 

[LoveBeavers]

great craftsmanship and a great result.Job well done.

 

[scott - coates]

first things first wow this is grate.
i have got so far though making my flask now but im having some trouble and im hoping some one can help.

1) the leather im using is 4mm and after i have taken the barrly out it has not stretch that much. do i just re-wet it and go again?
2) i have bees wax but i dont have a pan that big that i can dip the flask. so what would be the best way for me to wax the flash?
thank you

 

[mountainm]

Use bees wax granules in a very low oven turning regularly and finish off with a hairdryer.

 

[scott - coates]

O no that sounds like a nightmare, im going to cook it. on reflection i should have looked at this before i made the flask

 

[fishfish]

would parafin wax be ok?

 

[mountainm]

would parafin wax be ok?

I think that may taint the water?

 

[crosslandkelly]

Great post Eric, thanks for sharing.

 

[tim_n]

Do the photos still show on this or am I blocked via work?

 

[relin]

Do the photos still show on this or am I blocked via work?

Nope, they have gone

 

[Whittler Kev]

They gone. Maybe you could try sending a PM to the originator for a copy of them?

 

[Baelfore]

Feel free to to correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Mr. Methven update this and wasn't it made a sticky? Casue I've used this recently to make (start) a leather flask: http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119253

Hope this helps.

Ste