Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Joe, I guess it's safe to assume you never did a Ft. Macon event? There were tumblers there, just not of the ossifer variety.

Speaking of context, now I'm wondering how many Confederates burned up their wood canteens trying to cook in them prior to the battle of 1st Manassas....

Rich Croxton

[PogueMahone]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Rich,

I think you may have just given me an idea for a practical joke ...

[Gallinipper]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Hey now, I don't need any more visits from overzealous "esquires" who purport to represent injured parties, pard....... Whatever it is, please leave my name out of it!

Rich Croxton

[LeatherHead]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

In the CW Centennial days, brand new Spanish American War canteens (many converted from CW smooth-body canteens), with cover, stopper and chain were commonly available from the dealers for 50 cents (leather slings 75 cents additional.) Bannermans was the mother lode wholesale source. I bought one just as a hiking-in-the-woods canteen. One night I filled it with water, corked it tightly and stuck it in the freezer to have ice water for the next morning's jaunt.

The soldered seams perfectly and uniformly burst; the halves remained encased by the layer of insulating cloth and cover. One half was given to a Bud and the other has served faithfully as a fryer/plate off-and-on for 40 some years.....A collector friend has a few dug-up canteen halves with wire set into holes punched where the spout neck used to be; presumably the wire helped secure the half on the split end of a stick handle. I wired my "surprise" canteen half and that no doubt has reduced the number of times it fell off the handle, dumping the meal into the embers.

So, the expansive qualities of water transforming into solid ice is one approach to the conversion of canteens into cooking and eating implements.

Yours in the hobby.

Dean Nelson
1st Maryland infantry, CSA, N-SSA

[R.J.F.]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Gentlmen, I found a sure fire way to use a canteen half as a frying pan was to punch a hole with your bayonet from one side to the other so the bayonet goes from edge to edge right down the center of the circle,with the tip barely sticking out the far side.This secures the bayonet to both ends and gives you a more stable hold on the weight of the items your cooking and you don't need a frying pan with a handle to carry on your march.When your done you wipe off the bayonet ,put it back in your scabbard and put your canteen half back in your haversack...give it a try.

Rob Freund
52nd NYSV
137th NYSV
4th VA.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

....A collector friend has a few dug-up canteen halves with wire set into holes punched where the spout neck used to be; presumably the wire helped secure the half on the split end of a stick handle.

Dean,

Is there any chance you could share some photographs of those wired canteen halves? If so, that would be wonderful, and maybe end some arguments while creating others.

[LeatherHead]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Taking pictures of the dug-up wired canteen halves has been on the to-do list for probably 15 years, and its probably time to really do it.

Step 1 is to have my buddy 2 1/2 hours away re-locate them (easier asked than achieved.)
Step 2 is the jpeg photography; no problemo.
Step 3 is the posting on AC; might be a bit of a struggle. I once looked at posting instructions and concluded I might not be clever enough to make it so.

The dug wired halves were scored at the Gettysburg Relic Show ca. 1990. I did not even have enough $$ for gas to get home so I convinced my compatriot to get them both in protective custody in a good home....

Dean Nelson
1st Maryland Infantry, CSA, N-SSA

[Moonshine]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

After reading these, I endeavored to "fix" the huge dent I had in my canteen 1/2 by flattening it out with a heavy ball peen hammer and the help of a flat surface and last, a vice.

In a matter of minutes, I had the shape of a skillet. With more time and banging, I might be able to make it completely flat with no creases.

Anyway, just wanted to share what can happen if you have a little time, a good tool and some creativeness.

[Mutt]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Forgot to update on my "Making one canteen two frying pans". It was a total success that took about 10 -15mins (maybe) over HOT coals. The spout melted real quick into a "pewtery" puddle in the fire. After the aforementioned time, I took it out with a stick and gave it a drop, bingo, two halves. Easy as pie. Didn't have much time to scour the rust off a the event but have since at home with elbow grease, some steel wool and Bon Ami. Probably went over-board as I much prefer doing these things in the field using authentic methods.

Anyway, there it is. Can post pics if anyone cares to see em.

Best,

[Alexandra Swiney]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I hope they're propping up that BR iron handle (or cooking cannister rounds) because the weight of the handle upsets the balance of the pan. Anyway, men in camp for a while with access to a cavalry or artillery forge could easily make a serviceable handle out of an old horseshoe, and then throw it away when they had to march off. I forged one when my wooden one got burned up, and it was really easy.

Sandy Newburn

[Thomas Alleman]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

We had at Perryville on year a pard with a canteen with holes in it and he was going to throw it away so instead we threw it in the fire and two canteen halves were born, I have one. One day I will sell it as a original canteen half, not from the civil war but made on a civil war battlefield that is close enough for me. It looks authentic because it was a rusty canteen with holes in it and it worked great. Grease spills out the small holes and stokes the fire. It is all banged up, I would never sell it, thanks Mike. When I get a pic I will post it.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I forged one when my wooden one got burned up, and it was really easy.

I regret to say I never developed the skill to cook bacon in a wooden canteen half. :)

[Pvt_Sullivan]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I regret to say I never developed the skill to cook bacon in a wooden canteen half. :)

It is all about the slow heat Charles... skim, simmer and scour I read some where...

[boreguard]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

Lords encyclopedia of relics has pics of several surviving examples of canteen halves, and several that had wooden barrell bands (from small barrels about 10 gal.) attached to them for handles. I copied one years ago and wouldn't dream of hitting the field without it. I flattened out the band, it'll have a slight curve to it. I attached it to the canteen halve with two rose head nails as rivets. It's light, easy to carry in the fold of both Confederate and Federal knapsack. I bent the band on the end opposite of the canteen halve and it stabilizes the pan rather than make it off balance, the bent part acts sort of like a leg. I'll post pics later.

[Faugh a Ballagh]

Re: Canteen halves as fry pans, a reference.

I've been working my way backwards through the 77 pages of threads and just replied to an older one, but this seems to answer part of my question. I have one, to which I attached a wire loop which serves to hang it from the spout of my canteen, where it is held close by the strap, and makes a good point to hook the flat of a bayonet through to maneuver it to and from the fire. I Had been searching for documentation for this method of carrying, as I have not seen any photos of this arrangement.

Cheers,

Stephen Adler
Co. I, 116th PA, Irish Brigade - National Regiment