Ceadmon/Ringulf Costrel project

[Ringulf]

Greetings Rangers!

I started today on the construction phase of this project so I though it would be good to set up the objectives and show you the planning stage thus far.

Ceadmon contacted me with the suggestion that we make a few of these costrels.
Costrels (as I learned they are named after starting this project) are leather, barrel like, liquid carriers.

Being very interested in the leather bottle project we just did, I told Jack that this was a project I would be excited to do. Many of the same skills and techniques are duplicated her as in the bottle project, but the shape adds a few twists to the process.

I had been working on a plan for a Dwarven Barrel pouch along the same lines and shape, so this may become a nice matching peice to carry on the rear quarter of my belt on each side somewhat like Gimli does with his two utility pouches at the bottoms of his crossed suspender-like straps.

It may even catch on with owners of large dogs! hee hee...no really!

I will show a few pictures of the types we are discussing then show you some of Ceadmon's designs.

The barrel pouches that made me think of the pouch part of this idea were gleened from one given to me by my son when we first started Larping and later I saw some models that were very nicely made by Farmerownia in Poland









Then these are the Costrels:






These are Ceadmon's Designs:







You can see them on his Pinterest board here (I love his simple, elegant yet very descriptive sketchwork) http://pinterest.com/jackhorner/tolkien/

These will be cut out of approx 3-5oz leather then tooled, punched, stitched, stained and sealed.

Follow along with Ceadmon and I as we show you the walk through on the project!

[Willrett]

for anyone one that wants one of the long single strap pouch or even a double buckle version check motorcycled events they come in black or brown for about 15 and you can customize them from there.

[sgainbrachta]

If you have any questions on costrels, feel free to ask.

I've made a couple hundred...

[Mirimaran]

Doesn't Gimli have a barrel pouch in the films?

Ken

Edit...actually here is a shot of his back, from the statue. I think I took his bedroll for a rolled pouch, but a cool backpack thingy!

[Ringulf]

for anyone one that wants one of the long single strap pouch or even a double buckle version check motorcycled events they come in black or brown for about 15 and you can customize them from there.

Yes you can, or even easier you can get a bicycle seat bag from walmart as my son did and cover it in faux leather. high or low spectrum you are still confined to the size and shape they make for you and if that is what works so much the better.
I know that the way the bicycle one is put together there is no opening rim that the flap comes down over and that the ends are stitched right to the end of the roll so things tend to fall out of the seams of the flap. this can be easily remedied by making a lip around the top that the flap can rest on. Down here in Daytona we get all kinds of motercycle equipment and most of it is either very pricey or decorated in a motif that screams Nazgul!

[Eric C]

Scott, your leatherwork fastinates me. I have been fond of leatherworking since my preteen years, but got out of it for years until I started into bladesmithing. I am very interested in this project and hoping to pick up some pointers on improving my own work. Could you perhaps give us a pic or two of you tools and equipment?

[Ringulf]

I can do a shot with all my tools in it Eric, I will be showing what tools I use for each step as we go as well.

[Eric C]

Thanks, that would be great!

[caedmon]

Ringulf asked for some bigger/clearer pictures of the subjects in the costrels, I fiugred I'd post my original sketches.

My inspiration, is really fourfold: Tolkien's sketches, Kay Nielsen, Tom Loback, and high-gothic maunscript illumination.

Anyway for everyone's edification...

Beor the Old and Finrod Felegund - the first friendship between men & elves

beor_finrod.gif (339.97 KiB) Viewed 15659 times

Beren & Luthien - man & elf maid, Elrond's grandparents and they who wrested the simiril from Morgoth's crown

beren-&-luthien.gif (234.06 KiB) Viewed 15659 times

Arvedui and Aranarth - last kin of the north and first Chieftain of the Rangers (and poorly modeled on Andy if anyone cares)

arvedui_aranarth.gif (316.62 KiB) Viewed 15659 times

[Ernildir]

Very lovely and inspiring sketches! Well done.

[Greg]

What tablet do you have, Caedmon? I would kill to be able to that easily translate my sketches to digital form...

[Ringulf]

Those are great Ceadmon, thanks! I can really get what I need from those! I am champing at the bit now that I see them!

[caedmon]

What tablet do you have, Caedmon? I would kill to be able to that easily translate my sketches to digital form...

No tablet as yet... For most of the pictures I've posted to the forum, I hand draw, take a picture with my phone, and then edit in photoshop on my laptop.

These ones I used the printer/scanner at work over my lunch hour.

I have high hopes for some of the upcoming windows 8 pro tablets, especially the Asus Vivo Tab 11.6 which will run photoshop, and has a wacom digitizer as well as multi-touch support, but at $800, the cost is still daunting.

[Ringulf]

Just a few pictures to start us off with!

I chose a nice thick piece of leather for the costrel's body, this is about 6-8 oz and will give a nice firm cylinder with plenty of body for tooling.

I cut three of these slabs and cut about 4 inches off the top of each to get the dimentions for the pattern

Measuring around a 1 quart Folger's coffee can (Hazelnut of course, you could use another type but...why?) I found the points that would make the correct dimention of our cylinder, and give us the right hieght for the ears and spout. The specs were to be able to fit the liquid contents of approximately a one quart canning jar. With the coffee can model, it is shorter and wider than a canning jar, but will hold the same amount with, I feel, better preportions.

I used my set scribe to cut the trenches for both rows of lacing holes one a 1/4 inch and the other at 1/2 until they divide up at the ears and combine at the spout. Then I use a 4 hole punch to keep the spacing even. The 3 hole punch fits the corners better.

The holes then needed to be through punch with a large star type punch so I did not have to force the needle when sewing.



After the punching the basic layout of the tooling was done I use a swivel knife and a double ended tooling knife/spoon combo tool that I will show you later, to do the basic scribing.


Next will be some other peices like the filler peices for the ears and the end pieces with their supports.

[Eric C]

That looks great so far! 6-8 oz leather is what I use for all my sheaths. Good stuff.