Next seasons leather tankards.

[Eric_Methven]

Eric,

Ver nice.
How much would a couple of 1/2 pint glasses be - just the job for wine.

I've sent you a PM mate.

Eric

 

[Bootstrap Bob]

Eric
Your leather working skills are fantastic and I'd love to have a look at some of your work, will you be going to the Spring Moot?

 

[Eric_Methven]

Eric
Your leather working skills are fantastic and I'd love to have a look at some of your work, will you be going to the Spring Moot?

Unfortunately not. I was supposed to be demonstrating at last years summer moot but it coincided with my hernia surgery. I might try for this years main moot, but I can't make the spring one. I just have too much happening up here at the moment.

Eric

 

[Marts]

Come on then Eric you tease - Size and other details and prices of the flasks

 

[Eric_Methven]

Come on then Eric you tease - Size and other details and prices of the flasks

Right then, the flasks hold a couple of pints or therabout, they are made from 4mm veg tanned leather and are hot dipped in beeswax to make them completely watertight. They cost £40 and come ready to use with a wooden stopper and natural cordage string strap. They can be tooled with oak leaves, acorns and your name at no extra cost. Additional fancy tooling costs are dependant on requirements.

Eric

 

[Buckshot]

This thread is starting to get very comercial.
Can we move all the ordering etc. to PMs please.

Poor old Eric's going to get into trouble answering your questions which isn't very fair - especially when he's showing off his exceptional skill.

Thanks for your co-operation everyone.

Mark

 

[Eric_Methven]

This thread is starting to get very comercial.
Can we move all the ordering etc. to PMs please.

Poor old Eric's going to get into trouble answering your questions which isn't very fair - especially when he's showing off his exceptional skill.

Thanks for your co-operation everyone.

Mark

Thanks Mark. Most of it is being done by PM. I was going to just show some pics and put individual finished items up on the Maker's Market, but it kind of took off on it's own.

So, any questions relating to the technical aspects, fire away. Any questions relating to purchases, please PM.

Eric

 

[Heathenpeddler]

Do you seal the flask stoppers in any way Eric?

 

[Eric_Methven]

Do you seal the flask stoppers in any way Eric?

Not as such. The stoppers are hardwood (beech or sycamore) and they are just oiled with olive oil so they don't crack or split.

Eric

 

[JonnyP]

Very nice work Eric. I especially like the way you have rounded the top of the tankard to form a lip, so the fluid won't dribble down your chin as you drink...

 

[Eric_Methven]

Very nice work Eric. I especially like the way you have rounded the top of the tankard to form a lip, so the fluid won't dribble down your chin as you drink...

I pondered on how to achieve that for some time. In the end I just inverted it and dunked the top inch or so in water to soften it, then pushed a conical shaped mug in the top and worked it round and round so the bottom of the mug handle splayed the leather outward. Once I was happy with the shape, I just let it dry.

Eric

 

[Eric_Methven]

I shall be making tankards on the morrow and taking photos as I work. In the meantime I have written some text in anticipation and started a PDF download document so anyone interested can print it off for future reference.

Here's the front page.

​

I'm looking forward to doing this one.

Eric

 

[jojo]

That looks very professional, Eric! I am looking forward to your tutorial. The tankards are really beautiful, and the leather bottles..... gorgeous! want one, but broke at the moment How do you get the shape of the bottle? Do you use a form

 

[Pignut]

Wow! cant wait for that! keep us posted! :You_Rock_

 

[Eric_Methven]

That looks very professional, Eric! I am looking forward to your tutorial. The tankards are really beautiful, and the leather bottles..... gorgeous! want one, but broke at the moment How do you get the shape of the bottle? Do you use a form

Jojo, I don't use a form. I stitch the front and back of the flask together while flat. I dampen the leather and do any tooling necessary. I then soak the leather until it is soft and floppy. I open up the neck and pour in barley. This I ram down inside the flask with a piece of dowel then add more. As I keep adding barley and ramming it home, the body of the flask swells and stretches. When I can ram no more in, I set it aside to dry.

Once the leather is dry I pour out the barley. At this stage there's lots of barley still stuck to the sides inside the flask. I chuck a dozen small ball bearings in, put my hand over the neck and shake violently. The ball bearings dislodge the barley. I repeat this until all I get out is ball bearings (you can also use small metal nuts, or the kind of gravel you'd put on your path - anything that will scour the inside).

Once the flask is fre of barley I wax it inside and out. A short spell in the oven melts the beeswax so it soaks into the leather, and when it cools it's not only waterproof but hard as nails too. Then it's just a case of making the stopper, giving the flask a good polish and bob's your uncle.

Eric

 

[spamel]

For more of Erics' fantastic work, and another explantion of how he does his flasks, check this thread out! I often go back and look at this one, I love the pipe and the axes and such like are fantastic.

 

[TheGreenMan]

Beautiful work, Eric. It’s so nice to see these kinds of skills alive and well.

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[NatG]

they're great- much better than my leatherwork, but are they a huge amount heavier than a normal pint glass?

 

[Eric_Methven]

they're great- much better than my leatherwork, but are they a huge amount heavier than a normal pint glass?

Not at all. I think they are lighter. At least they feel like they are no effort to hold even when full.

Eric

 

[Hoodoo]

Beautiful work Eric! Just stunning! Looking forward to the pdf file.