Water skin

[mudfly9]

I've been searching all over the internet for a completely natural (non-lined) water skin and as usual I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to make one myself!

Anyone know anything about how they're made/waterproofed? The idea is that it stays completely flexible so I suppose pine+wax proofing is out of the question. I also have access to very cheap chamois leathers as I work in a car accessory shop but I'm assuming these are too thin. My first step will probably be to get one, stick some water in, tie a knot in the top and see what happens.

 

[Mike Ameling]

The biggest problem you have is that almost all of the normal methods of tanning leather also open up the pores in it. So that leather will leak, or at least seep. So then you have to work some oil/grease/wax into the leather itself to stop that water from working its way through. Bees Wax will make the leather hard. Oils and grease will work, but it also might ... taint ... your water. But the leather will still get "wet", and then dry hard/stiff - unless you rub/work the hide as it dries to keep it soft/flexible.

The most common method used many years ago was to just sew up a RAW HIDE to hold/carry water. And you kept water in it to keep it soft/flexible. But the raw hides have their own problems with taste and possible bacteria. Plus they were viewed as a short-term and disposable type of water carrier.

The other thing often used was the stomach and bladder of various animals - well cleaned out of course. As long as they remain wet they remain soft/flexible. But they do dry hard, and need to be soaked a while before you use them next. I have a friend that always uses some Buffalo bladders for his water containers at historical events. He made up a wooden spout with stopper to lash them to - and to tie a strap for carring it onto. With care, he gets 2 or 3 seasons of use out of one before it gets too fragile. And he does let them dry out thoroughly in between uses.

This is one of those areas that hollyweird really has taken liberties with in their depiction in various movies. They use various rubber/plastic lined containers that look right on the outside, but have those modern materials inside.

Hope these humble ramblings help.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[clcuckow]

I was going to make one a while back and in my research on sealing the leather bagpipe sealant came up over and over again. I was on holiday in the borders last week and was going to pop into bagpipes galore (on the royal mile in Edinburgh) for some but ran out of time and also the rain started coming down in stair rods

 

[JohnC]

I made a leather flask and waterproofed it with beeswax poured in and out, Eric Methven ahs made many a flask and would be the person to ask.

IIRC some porousness was desirable as it cooled the water (but I could be wrong there)