Water bottle

[Udwin]

Just finished this up and thought I'd share. Found this bottle at the antique mall this week (it's definitely not old, but I like the look). I'd already made the rawhide carrier this summer to use with a gourd bottle (which cracked wide open after falling while full from just waist-high, grrr) so it got repurposed for this. Whipped up a stopple out of apple-wood and goatskin, plus a length of nettle cordage for a stopple-keeper, and a length of basswood cord for the shoulder sling, and threw on an old leather chinpad (leftover from a Russkie helmet mod) to distribute the weight better.
The only downside is that it's pretty heavy--it holds about 24 ounces, but the bottle is pretty thick-walled, so I'm not sure I'd want to wear this full-time for trekking.

[Straelbora]

Smart re-use of materials.

[Ringulf]

Very nicely done! the earthenware type bottles are very durable and excellent for this type of application. What's more they look soooo good when used as a canteen.
I have a few with the wire and plug tops that wratchet down. I use them primarily for Larp. (I play a dwarf normaly and well, that technology is not beyond our race, especially if you replace the rubber gasket with a leather one!)

I was thinking about taking one like this and sewing it into a leather skin for additional protection, but truthfully, these things are durable enough just as they are!

[wulfgar]

Plus, they keep water or "beverages" much cooler when it's hot out.

[Manveruon]

Looks great!

And the link about the stopple is fantastic too! I love his website! SOOO much cool stuff on it!

[Greg]

Turned out very nice. Excellent work, and I like the extensive use of natural materials.

[Udwin]

In researching references to the Fellowship's water-carrying containers, all I learned was that the four hobbit travelers start their journey carrying “water-bottles” (FotR 81) and Sam carries his through Mordor. No mention is made of what sort they were, though Frodo’s was “slashed up” (RotK 201) and rendered unusable by the orcs of Cirith Ungol—which suggests leather. However, in lieu of a hard flacket, soft waterskin, or metal canteen, I remembered what they say about 'a bird in the hand', and went with a gourd (which I urban-scavenged for $0). I sealed it with ‘brewer’s pitch’ and twined up a thick strap of nettle—which grew “rampant” in the Old Forest’s bonfire glade (FotR 126)!—fiber. The net holding the gourd is buckskin and the stopper is cherry wood on a milkweed cord.
I also made up an attached cane container of water-purifying tablets to go with the gourd (because our culture’s relentless pursuit of Saruman-ism has resulted in most water being unsafe to drink without processing, grrr!).

I wore the gourd on a 3.8 mile river-walk last week with about a liter-and-a-half of water (it comfortably holds two liters, but can hold three) and it was not in the least bit uncomfortable, awkward, or unwieldy. Even while running it only has a slow, sloshing bounce off my side. I think this is going to work out very well!

[Rifter]

Nice. I kind of cheat with mine. It's a modern cooler bottle with a leather sleeve that slides over it and buckles underneath and can be fastened to a belt as well

[Elleth]

Very cool! I love that you made your own stopper - that's great!

RE: the hobbit water bottle reference - I'd always assumed they were soft-sided water skins as a kid, but on re-reading it as a grown up.. I'm wondering if perhaps they were more in the costrel direction? It certainly seems to fit the word "bottle" better.

That said - I imagine in Middle Earth water-carriers were no less varied than in our own pre-industrial world.

[Kortoso]

Speaking of cheats, I got a bota bag from a company that adapted regular botas to look more organic. Unfortunately they are out of business.

I have an authentic Anglo-Saxon costrel repro but it's damn heavy and I don't want to break it. The gourd based canteen looks good, though.