Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I'm working on getting my first kit together. My first trek is in a few weeks (Oct 12-Oct 16).
I'm working on a leather barrel costrel. I might have gone overboard and made it a bit too large, but then again, I do have a 5 day trek and won't necessarily have stream crossings every day.

I don't to much leather tooling, but I couldn't leave such a large space blank. I'll paint the tree white before beeswax.

The end caps puffed out very nicely. I started shaping with the traditional way by wetting and packing it with marbles and pebbles first, only to find I just did not have enough. So, I went to a party supply store and got some big, 24" latex balloons. I put one in the hole, blew it up with my air compressor, tied it off and left it to dry. Worked amazingly. I'll definitely use the balloon for future (maybe smaller) canteens.

It's larger than a 2 Liter soda bottle! Seems big, but I do typically carry at least a 2L camelbak for modern backpacking.

Need to trim and finish the edges, paint the tree, beeswax, and make a stopper and strap.

Bonus, the small, test bottle I made first. I'll use this one to carry cooking oil. Made by packing BBs, before I figured out the balloon trick.

That is brilliant...... So jealous

I don't think you can carry too much water

redhandfilms wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 3:35 pm ...So, I went to a party supply store and got some big, 24" latex balloons. I put one in the hole, blew it up with my air compressor, tied it off and left it to dry. Worked amazingly. I'll definitely use the balloon for future (maybe smaller) canteens.

Yeah, I did a similar thing for my costrel. Balloon is much better than rice or other filler.

really cool, and the balloon idea is inspired

caedmon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:29 pm Yeah, I did a similar thing for my costrel. Balloon is much better than rice or other filler.

And yet none of the many tutorials I've gone through use a balloon. The giant balloons are incredibly strong when not fully inflated. I can't believe people are using rice. I see that on wet leather and just know it's going to be a nightmare to clean out when it gets wet and sticky. At least marbles, pebbles, and BBs don't absorb moisture. I just didn't have enough.

Very well done!

This is really nice work.

The size isn't a bad thing given that many trail meals require water to cook.

I was busy last night. Tree painted. Just white acrylic.

Stopper made from oak dowel. Edges trimmed and sanded.

And waxxed! Inside and out. Dang, I love that rich brown of just beeswax on veg tan leather. I gave it a quick leak test this morning and so far so good!

Now I just need to buff/polish and add the strap.

Absolutely gorgeous work!!
For my own part, I used barley, and I can safely say that it was a GIANT PAIN. I had heard a couple other people recommend the balloon method in the past, but at the time I din’t have a means of inflating it with enough force to actually accomplish anything, so barley it was! In future I honestly might just get a mold made so I can shape the sides separately before stitching them up, and hopefully achieve a slightly more uniform shape, since mine warped slightly in the stretching process - but then, mine is also a two-sided bottle design similar to your oil flask above, rather than a full barrel-style costrel.

Anyway, once again, this is just beautiful! Can’t wait to see some pics of it in action with you!

Very very nice! Very clean. I'll have to remember that balloon trick!

It's a brilliant design and build. I would like to see how you wear it on your kit.

beautiful work

Lovely! I like that tree. That's a good tree.