Working the raw material

[Toddy]

I want to see the coracle but damn, that looks like work :yikes:

Are you going to brain tan that skin or use lanolin like Tim Severin did with the curragh Brendan ?

cheers,
Mary

 

[grey-array]

Is it possible to make such a Coracle with the one hide? or will it be a multitude of hides, or is the skin stretched ?
Just wondering over here
I really loved all the stuff you did before so looking forward to seeing your progress on the coracle.
Yours sincerely Ruud

 

[PatrickM]

I am still deciding on the curing method - I may go with oak bark tanning like they did with the Brendan but use a mix of beeswax and birch tar as an alternative to fat or wool grease.
In Norway for the last few years the students have been shown how to construct bull boats using fresh moose skin hair on - these boats function fairly well as a means of
transportation and as a fishing platform, so with this in mind I may just dehair the hide and use it in its rawhide state keeping the epidermis intact which would help with waterproofing -
it all depends on how busy I am. There are many ways to construct this type of craft using a single hide or multi hides although the latter requires a bit of technique in the sewing
and positioning of the skins. I will be making a hide lauvu this winter with 6 or 7 cow hides so this will be a one skin boat capable of carrying one man and his fishing gear.

 

[TeeDee]

Hi Patrick,

I'll look forward to seeing that lot. In fact I might race yer to a fully finished buckskin and fur outfit (feeling confident as I've got a head start and also knowing that you'll probably have several hundred metres of nettle cordage to twiddle on the side )! I'm getting there with a red deer hide hooded parka, dry scraped, brained and softened then smoked to within an inch of it's life up in the smoke hole of the main camp shelter throughout the whole year. The buckskin trousers and hunting shirt I'm aiming to make up from buckskin pieces, some smoked more heavily than others to give a sort of 'two tone' camouflage and the pucker toe woodland moccs are done, just waiting to be worn in and moulded then re-smoked.
I've roughly calculated for 9 fallow sized buckskins for moccasins, mittens, troos, shirt and sewing thonging plus three red hair on hides for the parka.
Keep posting the pics, it'll give me the kick up the rear I need to get everything finished over the winter.

Cheers

Joe
www.wilderness-survival.co.uk

C'mon Joe, where is yours? I'm really looking forward to seeing it.

 

[grey-array]

Hmm, thanks for that very informative response Patrick, did not know about the birch tar and beeswax mix recipe yet, will look into that sometime sounds interesting ^^. and I though that bull-boats were really unstable, and so were not the best fishing platform, or it is just some experience in balancing which I could use some of ^^. I'm looking forward to yet another jaw dropping result.
Yours sincerely a fan
Ruud

 

[joe o]

I'm on it Teedee, I'm on it. My buckskin moccasin/boot hybrids have become an article for the next issue of Bushcraft and Survival Skills magazine so can't post anything about those for now. Working on a pair of strides at the moment followed by some bark tanning experiments.

Brilliant work Patrick. Inspiring craftsmanship - can't wait to see this seasons collection!

Joe
www.wilderness-survival.co.uk

 

[PatrickM]

Cheers for the kind words Joe


Lots of things on the go at the mo, another little utility pouch from odds n ends and the shirt skins are almost smoked to my satisfaction.
Managed to deflesh the cow hide and scraped off 18lbs of fat and membrain - a job and a half. I am away this weekend filming with the BBC again for Landward
- 4 episodes - so every thing has been put on the backburner until thats over.

 

[Toddy]

That looks like brilliant start to some excellent tallow
Bet you felt knackered working that lot off the hide though

Good luck with the Landward filming

atb,
M

 

[PatrickM]

Frame finished and drying, skin will be stretched over it this week.

 

[RonW]

I bow my head in awe....

The stuff you are showing is just too much to handle...

 

[Wayland]

Truly inspirational as usual Patrick...

 

[grey-array]

My first thought, was hmm a coracle, a simple bowl shape stretched over with any kind of skin, but you had to make it awesome and amazing now didn't you patrick, amazing, I cant get enough of looking at your creations they are one by one marvelous thank you for showing us what the meaning of being a craftsman is.
Yours sincerely Ruud, in awe

 

[Angst]

omg...blown away....i believe i met you briefly in the closing hours of the wilderness gathering....your stall was a large circular set-up if i remember correctly? i was as lost for words then as now lol!

respect!

a

 

[Miniwhisk]

I'm shaking my head in awe ... the sheer talent that this is! Superb. :notworthy

 

[PatrickM]

Almost complete - I will trim off the excess on the rim and oil, grease it next week and carve a paddle.

Launch date of the good ship lolipop will be on my birthday next week - along with roast pig on the beach

 

[Toddy]

Oh very well done
That's looking excellent, Patrick I admit it, I'm impressed.
It's a very trim looking craft, and I love the attention to detail right down to the warm seat and the footrest

atb,
M

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Wow............just............WOW !! :You_Rock_

 

[drewdunnrespect]

my very first word to the photo of the finish corical was a word that cant be put on this here forum but it began with f and ends in k i think u get the rest because that is unbelievably amazing and thanks for sharing it

 

[stuart f]

And once again Mr M, utterly brilliant.
Your dedication, and your eye for artistry is second to none.

Sir i take my hat off to you.

ATB Stuart.

 

[British Red]

Ahh its great...but we do need to see you floating....or sinking...in it