Help!! Rawhide Ball/Shot Flask

[Twocross]

Today I purchased a decent sized piece of Rawhide with the intent of sewing up a couple shot flasks.
Was wondering how to go about the process. I know you fill with sand to get the final shape, but I was wondering about the pattern I am going to use.
Do you cut the pattern out dry or soak it first and then cut out and sew. I know I soak before sewing but was wondering about that first step. Thanks ahead for the help.

 

[Chuck Thom]

if its a thick piece of rawhide cutting wet is easier

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Cut it wet. Lay out your pattern with a bit extra for seams, cut, sew and stuff. I prefer to stuff mine with bird shot. It is easy to pour in, tamp with a wooden dowel, add more shot, tamp more and so on, thus packing it really tight. When dry, just shake and pour out the shot. Sand is much harder to work in and very hard to get out. Packed tightly with bird shot leaves a sort of pebbled surface on the dry rawhide that looks kinda neat too.

 

[paulvallandigham]

To get sand out, put some rocks or stones from the driveway, or road in the flask and twirl them around. They will knock loose all the sand that is stuck to the rawhide after drying, and even knock out sand that my be sticking to the stitching. I have used lead balls, and shot to do this as well, but use gravel when its available so I can just throw it all away. If you are a caster of lead ball, you can use some of the throw back balls- the ones with dimples, air holes, creases, etc. for this task, and then put them back in your pot for remelting.

 

[Hiparoo]

I use rice for this-it will swell up a bit as it draws the moisture,but leaves that "dimpled" look on the rawhide-and it's cheap!!

 

[Metalshaper]

TwoCross,

Here is a pic of some of the stuff I've made with Hide.. these are all

The lil dark bag < well used and handled >,, is a ball bag made from Brain-tan hide. Just a simple tapered bag, sewn inside out and reversed to install the wooden spout. the spout is tied to the bag with a wrapping of artificial sinew. The spout is turned osage orange and the plug is a of turned oak. this one is for my .36 cal rifle and will hold about 80 balls! :grin:

The shot container.. is made of deer rawhide. both piece were cut and shaped while dry.. I used a two needle saddle stitch technique, to sew up the edges. I then wet the bag and filled it with shot to swell the sides.. when it was full and tamped in I installed the 1/2 dowel plug,, that was fitted with a section of turned deer antler. once dried.. I gave it a quick coat of the same finish I use on my rifles.. a mix of spar varnish/linseed oil and turps.. put on wet,, let soak a bit and then wiped clean and set to the side to dry ( makes it waterproof) It will hold enough shot, to be surprisingly heavy.. and provides a lot of shots in the 28 gauge..

The knife sheath, is made from some of the same brain-tan as the ball bag < just more recently made> the knife is my own creation, from a couple years back. Hand forged out in the back yard, on the Railroad rail anvil and heated in the brake drum forge!!

Hope it helps?

Respect Always
Metalshaper

 

[Ridge]

When I need rawhide, I go to Walmart and buy the large dog bones. There's enough in there for several projects.

They taste good too!

 

[BillinOregon]

Metalshaper: Like your stuff. Tell us more about you brakedrum forge, as I have one almost completed but never used as I have had so much fun with my washtub forge.