Lining Tankards With Brewers' Pitch

[Toadflax]

I’ve been proofing my leather drinking vessels with beeswax for some time now, but thought it would be worth trying brewers’ pitch, particularly as this is formally approved as a lining within the EU.

I’ve used the dark black stuff available in the UK. First results weren’t too bad, but I wonder if anyone had any tips, as it took a long time to get a reasonable finish, and results weren’t as good as I’d hoped.

I had already dipped the tankard in beeswax to harden and finish it, and then poured the molten pitch into the tankard until it was just over ¾ full. I quickly rolled it round so that the pitch coated all of the inside, and then poured out the excess. The finish around the rim wasn’t too good, but I managed to smooth it off using a heated knife. The coating on the inside was fairly even, but with some obvious ‘swirls’ (a bit like the inside of a hollow chocolate Easter egg), but there were a few bubbles in the base layer, which I just couldn’t get out, even after re-heating with a hot air gun, and a blow torch.

I saw another pitch lined tankard recently, and that seemed to have a very thin layer on the inside – so much so that the texture of the flesh side of the leather was showing. On mine, the lining is most definitely all pitch.

I know some people cut the pitch with beeswax, but I’m not sure where you’d stand in that case regarding the lining being formally approved by EU regulations.

The main problem I had was that, despite working quickly, the pitch starts to thicken very rapidly. I'm also wondering whether it would work better on leather that wasn't already impregnated with beeswax - but in that case I'd not get the nice polished hard finish that I get with the wax (particulary good to harden up the handle) unless I subsequently painted beeswax onto the outside.

Thanks

Geoff

[ReneeCanady]

http://kimmulhall.vpweb.co.uk/Leather-Cup-Project.html This is the video I watched to make my very first mug about a year ago. Thought I'd link it to you just to see in part 3 how he paints on the wax and bakes it so it gets absorbed. I know most that do the beeswax and brewers pitch use a 50/50 mixure. I personally have never used the pitch, but have seen some really nice mugs that have been made with it.

[lightningad]

very useful link Renee...thanks for posting it.

[Toadflax]

http://kimmulhall.vp...up-Project.html This is the video I watched to make my very first mug about a year ago. Thought I'd link it to you just to see in part 3 how he paints on the wax and bakes it so it gets absorbed. I know most that do the beeswax and brewers pitch use a 50/50 mixure. I personally have never used the pitch, but have seen some really nice mugs that have been made with it.

Yes, that's a good video on the basic techniques of making a tankard, with application of the wax by painting it on, though that is time consuming. A better way (and widely used), particularly if you are making them regularly, is to get a large double boiler and fill it with wax, then the whole tankard can be immersed. This is what I do, but you clearly can't do it for the pitch liner, as the double boiler doesn't get hot enough.

Geoff

[shtoink]

This is what I do, but you clearly can't do it for the pitch liner, as the double boiler doesn't get hot enough.

I think you just answered one of your questions right there. Reading through this, I kept wondering what the temperatures needed to be for the beeswax and the pitch mixture. I knew that beeswax had a relatively low melting temperature, but had no clue on the pitch ( I did assume it to be higher, though). When you described the condition of the pitch lining, it really seemed like it was cooling too fast to produce the desired results. Maybe something along the lines of an insulating blanket wrapped around it to prevent the rapid heat loss or immersed on another double boiler or similat heat bath to help keep the pitch viscosity low.

It might be possible to find a liquid to use with your double boiler that reaches I high enough temp to deal with the pitch. An off hand guess would be an oil, like peanut or vegetable, but care would need to be taken to keep you from getting burned or the whole mess from catching fire. There are things that can be mixed into water to raise the boiling point, but I don't know if there would be anything that would bring it high enough to deal with the pitch or what it might be without a bit more researching.

No idea if these might be viable options, but it does seem cleat that the pitch is cooling too fast for you to get the results you want and preventing that somehow might be trick.

[ReneeCanady]

I don't remember the guys name but he is on this forum and you might be able to find him under a "leather tankard" search. I know he is really good with the mixture of beeswax and pitch. I have never used pitch as I said, I use epoxy resin now, but I know if you get the mixture of pitch and wax right it makes a nice lining. I would check the flash point of beeswax before I played with combining the two and raising temps for the pitch. Just a thought.

[shtoink]

I would check the flash point of beeswax before I played with combining the two and raising temps for the pitch. Just a thought.

Agreed!

Fire Bad!

[Techmiller]

It looks like this video is no longer up. 😕

[DaveyCann]

Hello ALL...I'm looking to find someone who can supply Brewers Pitch in the UK. I have made two leather canteen water bottles and lined them with beeswax, but although that has coated both sides I find that the beeswax cracks inside, so looking to try coating the inside with Brewers Pitch or a combination of both that and beeswax. Can anyone suggest where I can buy some Brewers Pitch in the UK, please?. Kindest regards, Davey.