Copper kidney shaped canteen

[skunkskinner]

Made this with some old sheet copper from the junk yard. It's 8 inches tall, 6 1/2 wide and 2 1/2 deep with hemp braid rope. I plan on lining it with brewers pitch.

 

[Stophel]

Awesome! Though I don't see the reason to line it with anything. :idunno:

 

[SpottedBull]

That is freakin' cooool!

 

[RushCC]

Looks real nice! :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[DNICK]

great work I've never tryed to make anything like that but will have to give it a try, I think those copper canteens look great and the fact that you made it yourself makes it that mutch better.

 

[pargent]

:thumbsup: Very good

 

[hoochiepapa]

I hope that is leadless solder.

 

[Black Hand]

Nice work!

 

[cynthialee]

I hope that is leadless solder.

I was going to say the same thing.

 

[Glenfilthie]

Does copper get that same patina that brass does?

 

[skunkskinner]

Thanks Gents. Yessir its a leadless solder. All of the copper stuff i have made so far gets a good patina, with a little help from black powder cleaning rags. Stophel,there is a lot of flux residue left over on the inside so i thought pitch might cover it up. After thinking a bought it for a day I'll try to pour boiling water in it several times to clean it.

 

[Stophel]

Flux can be pretty sticky. Lots of hot water and soap!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thanks Gents. Yessir its a leadless solder. All of the copper stuff i have made so far gets a good patina, with a little help from black powder cleaning rags. Stophel,there is a lot of flux residue left over on the inside so i thought pitch might cover it up. After thinking a bought it for a day I'll try to pour boiling water in it several times to clean it.

Yep, just clean it out good and use. I have a copper cup I have been using for many years with no coating. Just avoid storing alcohol or acidic liquids (orange juice, etc.) in it. Short term for alcohol is probably all right. e.g. an evening around the camp fire at ronny.
Nice looking. BTW, patina will come naturally with handling and age.

 

[Stophel]

I bought a large (nearly a quart and a half) copper canteen at Mansker's Station probably close to fifteen years ago for $40...which was a steal, even then. I sure like mine.

 

[Jaeger]

Nice job, Skunk! I was thinking about doing exactly the same thing & still might give it a try. What I'm hearing from all the comments is that you don't have to line it if you are just going to use it for water, which is good news. I took a shortcut and bought a stainless steel kidney canteen from a supplier, but the danged thing is toooooooo shiny and I sure would like to dull it to a soft, grey sheen to make it more PC. I posted that question and got a lot of different answers. Copper looks like my next move.

 

[LRB]

I do not want to P on anyones fire, and I am not a librarian or stitch counter. There are a few non-HC items in my own kit. And, I think that copper canteen was done very well, but, in the second place, canteens are really a military/militia item, and in the first place, they were of wood, or hot tinned iron. Not copper or brass. I have never seen, or seen reference to a relic canteen of other than wood or tinned iron anywhere. It is no big deal to me at all, but as far as I know, that is the fact of the matter. A hot dipped tinned iron canteen will last a long, long time, and there are no problems with what might be carried in it. Not criticizing, nor judging in the least, but just saying, and to make that aware to anyone who may not be.

 

[skunkskinner]

"The Craftsman
Things you've made - Knives, Tomahawks, Horns, Clothing, Bags, etc. Traditional Only - no modern designs."

I think i posted the canteen in the correct Forum Wick.

I have read that the copper kidney canteen, is correct for the French & Indian War, the Seven Year's War, and the Revolutionary War as were wood and tin on several web sites. What i read could be wrong, i just don't know. After all it was on the web and not in a history book of facts. Good thing i didn't state it was PC for 1775 :v

 

[skunkskinner]

Thanks Jaeger

 

[Nifeman]

Hey SS, you could line it with melted beeswax too. Just preheat the canteen with a PC-HC blow dryer :wink: ...Bud

 

[skunkskinner]

That's a good idea Nifeman if i ever use it for longer term storage. I cleaned it out with boiling soap water many times so i think i got the flux out.