Mountain West
Malachite’s Big Hole
Skills and Plans:
So you think you’d like to try your hand at constructing equipment, clothing or developing some of the skills from the early 1800’s. This will not only give added depth to your persona, but can potentially save you a lot of money.
How to make Chicory Tea like a voyageur
Plans and Instructions to make a capote (Offsite Link)
How to skin and tan your own furs There are dozens of different ways to tan a hide, and most of them are effective. I’ve provided links below to some web sites with excellent descriptions of how to skin and tan hides and furs, so I don’t intend to repeat that information. What I am providing here are some observations and suggestions regarding my own experience with skinning and tanning, and some advice to beginners to make the process a little easier.
Brain Tanning (Offsite Link), easier then you think and you won’t need to buy anything.
Tanning Deer Hides and Small Fur Skins (Offsite Link)
Make a Small Rawhide Container Handy for holding percussion caps, or other small items.
How to make your own soap (Offsite Link) There are dozens of different types of soap, and again hundreds of different recipes. This site will get you started with a simple, hard-white soap recipe. It worked for me, and I’m generally a disaster with anything that requires a recipe.
How to make Small Lead Bars. These were common items taken to rendezvous for trade every year. Convenient to handle and easy to melt and recast as balls, small lead bars were the preferred form of lead for trade.
How to Make a Powder Horn. Making a powder horn is neither difficult or time consuming. Before you purchase a finished horn, you should look this section over and consider making one for yourself.
Making a Wooden Shipping Case. A proper shipping case is utilitarian, adds authenticity to your camp and provides a place to sit.
How to Make Charcoal: Burn Your Firewood Twice (Courtesy of Otterbob)
How to Get Started Shaving with a Straight Razor (Offsite Link): This link to an article at an offsite location describes how to get started shaving with a straight razor using modern equipment.
Crooked Tree Farm: A great source for all sorts of information about skills and plans.
If you have any plans, designs, recipes, etc. that you would be willing to share, or know of internet links to the same, I would sure be pleased to hear from you.
To contact me Click Here