Photo Tutorial: Leather water bottle

[Eric_Methven]

I have a couple of questions.

1. What is a capacity of the finished flask?

2. You mention that you are married right so how the hell do you get away with this in the lounge????

1. About a pint and a half.

2. Easy, I go halves on any profit I make from my leatherwork. She spends hers on whatever she wants, and I spend mine however I want. It doesn't interfere with the housekeeping money so we are both happy. (I do clean it up afterwards though).

Some questions on the grooves though.

Do you cut groves on both sides to neaten it up or only on one side?

If on both then do you do the second side before or after making the holes?

I cut the grooves on one side only, then drill the holes. The leather is still fairly soft so the sinew "bites" on both sides.

can i ask however, how well this stands up to holding cider

Very well actually. Especially if it is naturally carbonated. Strong drink such as whisky, vodka etc also work very well. Hot drinks of any kind are a no-no, as the heat will melt the wax, and I have found Coca-Cola eats the wax slowly so that should be avoided.
I've also found that orange squash leaves an after taste. Surprisingly, water works well too.

 

[Peat]

Very good! Thanks a lot for that.

Where is the cheapest place to buy beeswax? I've been looking around as i'm after some for waterproofing some cracked kuksas.
Cheers

 

[Toddy]

Very good! Thanks a lot for that.

Where is the cheapest place to buy beeswax? I've been looking around as i'm after some for waterproofing some cracked kuksas.
Cheers

Tengu !!!



cheers,
Toddy

 

[nac mac feegle]

fantastic tutorial i am looking to make a couple my self for sloe gin but ran out of time this winter heres for the coming sunshine to get me motivated to do some thanks again

 

[Pandabean]

Excellent tutorial Eric, this will be something I will have to try at some point, possibly when the girlfriend is on a 3 week trip offshore, 1 week to try it and 2 weeks to clean up.

One question, that is a big pot of wax, do you get it in wee rectangular blocks? If so how much do you reckon is needed?

 

[British Red]

Now thats a stonking tutorial!

Nice one Eric.

I too have an example or Erics work and it is startlingly good

Red

 

[Kerne]

Fantastic tutorial! Thanks a lot for that - another job to add to the list of things I have to get round to making one day.

 

[forestwalker]

and i use sand rather than barley - probably does just as well but comes out when dry very easily.

I actually bought sand. I went to the aquarium store and bought a bag of a suitably coarse "sand". Not too dear (15 years ago), and well cleaned, all rounded sand of a uniform grade. Not exactly a consumable either if you are making a few of the the bottles.

 

[Eric_Methven]

One question, that is a big pot of wax, do you get it in wee rectangular blocks? If so how much do you reckon is needed?

If I bought it in the small rectangular blocks, I'd have had to take out a mortgage. No, I bought most of it from bee keepers, some from our own Tengu and some from swaps here and there.

Once it is filled though, it just takes the odd small block popped in to top it back up again, so after the initial investment, it is not too expensive.

Eric