My "cup and ring" Tool bag

[rancid badger]

I wanted a simple tool bag for carrying my tools and decided I'd make one for when robin wood came up to do our carving training.
I used European water buffalo, because it's very strong but soft too. I couldn't afford the time to sew it all with simulated sinew and fancied trying thonging again and this is what I came up with:

It's pretty crude; just a front and a back incorporating the lid as one piece and a strip to form the gusset.
A couple of brass D rings and another strip of hide for the shoulder strap. The button is made from the base of a red deer antler, sliced and then drilled and sewn with the same simnew. It's about 14" by 12" by 2" and it really is ideal for the task.

The decoration is based on carvings found around the north of England and Scandinavia. These markings apparently baffle the "experts" who have struggled for decades to try to interpret them.Theories include; territorial boundary markers, calendars, sacrificial alter stones, graffiti,images of the journey into the next world etc etc.

They are almost always, rather crude looking and one theory is that this is due to the simple tools used to carve them. Who knows?
They absolutely captivate me and I would love to know what the folk who carved them, were trying to say and to whom.

anyway thanks for looking
cheers
R.B.

 

[jojo]

:notworthy RB, this is a very nice bag you've made! I like it a lot. Those decorations really help make the bag. I wish I'd had the idea first!!! A couple of questions if I may: where do you get the buffalo skin from and what did you use for the decoration?

 

[rancid badger]

:notworthy RB, this is a very nice bag you've made! I like it a lot. Those decorations really help make the bag. I wish I'd had the idea first!!! A couple of questions if I may: where do you get the buffalo skin from and what did you use for the decoration?

Thanks JoJo, I really am pleased with the way it turned out. As with all my leather, I got it from LePrevo, I've mentioned before how lucky us North East wallahs are, having such a cracking leathercraft supplier "on the doorstep" as it were. I popped in the other week for some materials, dye etc and decided to grab a bit of buffalo too. Some of the stuff you can pick up is fantastic!

The decoration is really quite simple to do; first, I drew my designs with black dye and a small paint brush, no pencils or whatnot, just freehand with the brush.
then I just daubed the back and lid with british tan, applied very randomly, covering the designs too.
Then went over it again, avoiding getting too close to the one on the lid, I just kept applying dye till I was happy with the shade, then picked out the almost hidden bits with black dye.
The front of the bag was done the same way just much less dye and even more random application.

all very slap dash to be honest

Oh and then I slapped some neetsfoot all over it, just to help shed rainwater when out and about.
I could quite fancy a simple smock type shirt made from the same skin, it really is very soft.

anyway, I hope this answers your query
thanks again JoJo
best wishes
R.B.

 

[jojo]

Slap dash? wouldn't say so myself, RB. Rather than crude, I'd call it spontaneous

I have some moose skin I have been thinking of doing something with for a while, so I might try a bag in a similar vein... The only thing is it's "gold" in colour and I am not too sure how to dye it. What colour was the skin you used before you used the dye on it?

I wish Leprevo was up the street from me! Its not the same ordering on line, you can't see what you buy before you buy, shame!

 

[rancid badger]

If you look at the shoulder strap, that's a good guide to the skin colour.
just moisten the skin( I use a bit of washing up sponge) literally just a light wipe over with water mind you. Then make a dauber with some cloth and set to on the skin.
I hit lucky with the lower front of the bag, it took exactly the way I had hoped it would.

cheers
R.B.

 

[sam_acw]

I believe those marking were carved because they look nice or someone found it enjoyable. I feel very few archaeologists use the concept of occam's razor.

 

[John Fenna]

Occams razor?
Tosh!
The "Cup and Ring markings" are a trans-galactic script and the messages are/were clear to read by the visiting aliens who built stonehenge and many other sites around Britain (most of which they took with them when they abandoned Earth - a 'leave no trace' policy).
Some are clearly instructions for refueling their craft from the Earths "Lay Energy" network, some just their equivalent of bus time-tables.
It is obvious to anyone with half a brain!

 

[rancid badger]

Occams razor?
Tosh!
The "Cup and Ring markings" are a trans-galactic script and the messages are/were clear to read by the visiting aliens who built stonehenge and many other sites around Britain (most of which they took with them when they abandoned Earth - a 'leave no trace' policy).
Some are clearly instructions for refueling their craft from the Earths "Lay Energy" network, some just their equivalent of bus time-tables.
It is obvious to anyone with half a brain!

Well that's handy John!
I can see it now; I'm going to be wandering around Chopwell wood or somesuch area, minding my own business (mostly) only to have to try to explain to ( potentially) strange looking visitors that, in fact, I'm not the pump attendant, this filling station is actually self service?

Do you think I should take a bucket and sponge with me from now on? ( you know, for the windscreen )

Seriously though, they are captivating things.
cheers
R.B.

 

[John Fenna]

If you wear your tinfoil hat they will not bother you!
As to windscreen cleaning - the only insects they fly into are Luna-ticks......
I love your work and I find the cup and ring theme captivating too.
You are a true artist.

 

[sam_acw]

I thought it was an armadillo helemt you needed to block the brain control waves

 

[robin wood]

It is a gorgeous bag...not that I am a man bag chap myself but for that one I could be tempted. The leather is thick but soft and flexible and the decoration just lovely and free. I bet it will age beautifully too, show it us again in a years time.