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Gourd canteen

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Brokennock

Cannon
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
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Location
North Central Connecticut
Latest project finished up. Gourd and idea for the net carrier came from a former forum frequenter.
Gourd was placed in my oven at its lowest setting, allegedly 170 degrees F. and allowed to warm up while I melted beeswax in a double boiler on the stove top. One the wax was melted and the gourd warm, I took it out of the oven and poured in a little wax, sloshed and rolled it around and added a little more, sloshed, rolled, tilted, and tipped trying to get the wax coating everywhere inside, as I poured out the excess wax o kept turning the gourd on its axis to spread the wax along the inside of the neck. Then warmed and waxed the top and bottom surfaces of the cork.
I didn't have any hemp string or twine of the size/weight I wanted for the top ring so I hand twisted one of lighter hemp string using the same reverse twist I would use for a bow string.

20200524_181157.jpg20200524_181206.jpg20200524_181237.jpg20200525_200516.jpg20200525_200447.jpg20200524_181242.jpg
With so much other stuff hanging from my shoulders/neck already, shot pouch and horn to one side, and bag with turkey calls and a snack on the other, I decided to try something other than a shoulder strap. I'm hoping I can pass that strip of leather behind my belt or sash, maybe adding some sort of toggle to the end to keep it from slipping back up through, and have that work out for carrying.
 
Those look nice and I too like the net to hold them. How did you get all the seeds and material out of the gourd. I have several I'm planning on doing some work with.
 
Looks great BN, pint or quart size?

I like the net idea. Well done ,,it should fit well with the rest of your kit.
Not sure on the volume. I'm guessing a little over a pint. maybe pint and a half? I'll let you know when I next fill it.

Those look nice and I too like the net to hold them. How did you get all the seeds and material out of the gourd. I have several I'm planning on doing some work with.
I received the gourd, and another similar, but larger, from a good friend who had already cut them and removed the seeds. It is a straight forward process. If dry enough, a lot will shake out on its own once you open the top. Then add some small stones and sharp gravel and shake it around then dump, and, repeat as needed.
these may help, from our friend Keith,


 
now that is period correct-PERIOD!! this guy is a natural treasure.
 
I hadn't thought about adding gravel or stones and shaking to get the remaining fuzz etc. out of the horn. It was easy to get the seeds out along with the larger stuff. Thanks. The seeds are in the ground in the hope for some more gourds this fall.
 
I have made a few of those, used the bottle gourds and the flatter canteen gourds, for you fellows up north in labsta country the bait bags used in the traps make very nice pouches for carrying attachments a few years back while up in newfoundland found a older bait bag in a antique store used it for the netting on a bottle gourd works out very well, have had a bunch of compliments on that gourd. They make nice prizes for blanket shoots.
 
This is a French painting from about 1730. Apparently someone from some religious order on a pilgrimage, but I am unable to find ANY other information on it.

Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686–1755) 1730.#1.jpg
 
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