Care of your Wax Boiled vessels

    Medieval people had to care for and maintain many of their possessions, which includes his vessels. Only use your vessel to hold cold liquids. Hot liquids will soften them and may cause it to flow. Alcoholic beverages are safe and will not damage the wax.

    DO NOT SQUEEZE YOUR VESSEL! Take care not to crush your vessel! Experience has shown me that the first thing that people do when you hand them your vessel is to squeeze it. Although it is stiff, fracturing and leaks can occur, especially in cooler weather. Minor damage to the mouth and such can usually be repaired or smoothed out with a match or lighter. For mugs you can use a longer fire stick or match.

    Wooden Bottell stoppers: DO NOT FORCE THE STOPPER! Again, experience has shown me that the first thing that people do when you hand them your bottell is to pull the stopper out, and try to force it back in as tight as they can. Use a slight twist when gently removing or replacing the stopper: never force the stopper in place. Being handcrafted, it will not fit perfectly, and you can expect minor wear of the mouth and neck. In warmer temperatures however the wax can become slightly sticky, or the stopper may swell with fluid absorption, so care should be exercised when using the stopper. Hint: keep some fluid in your bottell at all times, as this keeps the bottell temperature down. If your stopper gets stuck in the mouth, try to work it out gently, or wait until cooler temperatures to remove. You can even refrigerate it if needed. Do Not Freeze, as it can become even more brittle, or the frozen contents (if any) can cause damage. The stopper will NOT perfectly seal the bottell, and it will dribble if tipped. Always carry upright.

    DO NOT STICK FOREIGN OBJECTS INTO THE VESSEL. Do not use bottle brushes or sticks or the like inside the vessel. Doing so puts you at the risk of creating a leak.

    Care is used when lining the vessel, but leaks do occur. If leaks are present they are usually found near the stitching. It will not leak so much as to drip out. If you experience serious trouble with your vessel, contact us. Repairing and relining services are available. To wash a vessel, simply rinse it out several times with cold water and leave it upside down to drain. To maintain the outside of the vessel, simply wipe with a damp cloth, and buff when dry to a sheen is all that is required.

    Although natural and authentic, your vessel is not FDA approved: drink fluids from the vessel at your own risk. Bear in mind that your ancestors have used similar vessels for centuries.

Care of your pitch lined vessels

Medieval man had to care for and maintain many of his possessions, which includes his vessels. Only use your vessel to hold cold liquids. Hot liquids will soften the pitch and may cause it to flow. Most alcoholic beverages are safe and will not damage the pitch. I’ve been told that apple cider  and some citrus juices are not advised as it has as corrosive effect on the pitch.

DO NOT SQUEEZE YOUR VESSEL! Take care not to crush your vessel! Experience has shown me that the first thing that people do when you hand them your vessel is to squeeze it. Although it is stiff, the pitch lining can be fractured and leaks can occur, especially in cooler weather. Minor damage to the mouth and such can usually be repaired or smoothed out with a match or lighter. For mugs you can use a longer fire stick or match.

Wooden Bottle stoppers: DO NOT FORCE THE STOPPER! Again, experience has shown me that the first thing that people do when you hand them your bottle is to pull the stopper out, and try to force it back in as tight as they can. Use a slight twist when gently removing or replacing the stopper: never force the stopper in place. Being hand-crafted, it will not fit perfectly, and you can damage the pitch lining of the mouth and neck. To help prevent sticking, the shaft of the stopper is treated with a food grade oil. In warmer temperatures however the pitch can become slightly sticky, or the stopper may swell with fluid absorption, so care should be exercised when using the stopper. Hint: keep some fluid in your bottle at all times, as this keeps the bottle temperature down keeping the pitch cooler. If your stopper gets stuck in the pitch, try to work it out gently, or wait until cooler temperatures to remove. You can even refrigerate it if needed. Do Not Freeze, as the pitch can become even more brittle, or the frozen contents (if any) can cause damage. The stopper will NOT perfectly seal the bottle, and it will dribble if tipped. Always carry upright.

DO NOT STICK YOUR FINGER OR OTHER OBJECT INTO THE VESSEL. Especially in warmer climates, the pitch will remain slightly tacky, and foreign objects can stick to and damage it.

Care is used when lining the vessel, but leaks do occur. If leaks are present they are usually found near the stitching, and will appear as a small gradual darkish area. It will not leak so much as to drip out. If you experience serious trouble with your vessel, contact us. Repairing and relining services are available. To wash a vessel, simply rinse it out several times with cold water and leave it upside down to drain. To maintain the outside of the vessel, simply wipe with a damp cloth, and buff when dry to a sheen is all that is required.

Although natural and authentic, the pitch is not FDA approved to my knowledge: drink fluids from the vessel at your own risk. Bear in mind that pine pitch has been used for centuries by your ancestors.