Iron powder flask?

[Ninjafossils]

Found this iron pear shaped flask. Originally thought it was a canteen with a pewter flask, but the pear shape made others think it was a powder flask. The canteen is threaded on the inside. What is it? Canteen, powder flask, whiskey flask?

 

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[Tnmountains]

I would guess powder flask. It probably had a spout. I have not seen one out of iron though but the shape sure seems right. Good rescue.

 

[Ninjafossils]

Would you say late 1800s

 

[caprock]

I think that was the way powder came when it was purchased from a company like Dupont or Hazard, you then used it to fill your own flask. Notice the screw threads inside the neck. No measuring device. A lead cap would have screwed in to it. The caps are often embossed with the company name. Older ones from 1850s-early 1860s had no threads. I think this one is from late 1860s-1870s. Perhaps someone else can help dating it.

 

[Red James Cash]

Powder was never never stored and carried in any material that would give a spark.Unless that was made before they learned

 

[Higgy]

Powder was never never stored and carried in any material that would give a spark.Unless that was made before they learned

Thats a really valid point, Red.

 

[caprock]

As far as gunpowder never being kept in cans, just google images for 1860 gunpowder can, you'll see many examples.
That's why the neck and cap are lead.

 

[Red James Cash]

Powder cans are tin,tin doesnt give a spark.

 

[BosnMate]

Powder was never never stored and carried in any material that would give a spark.Unless that was made before they learned

I have antique powder cans that powder was sold in, and I have several found rusty cans that powder was sold in, one even still had powder in it. However I liked Reds post figuring that they didn't sell powder in flask shaped cans, then I found the picture, in my own saved photos, of a flask shaped can, so I un-liked Reds post, because it's wrong. I have diabetes, and my feet are numb, and apparently that malady is migrating up to my skull. Here is the picture of the can.

And I own a can like this one.

And here are two more different cans.

And finally artifacts I found, showing two rusty powder cans, the one behind the spur is about half full of powder.

 

[Ninjafossils]

But why would it be pear shaped if the only iron flasks carrying the powder were cans?

 

[johnnyi]

But why would it be pear shaped if the only iron flasks carrying the powder were cans?

BosnMate showed you in his first picture a pear shaped steel can. Regarding another poster's statement that cans were "tin" rather than steel, tin is a misnomer, as in fact all tin cans are steel with just a coating of tin over them. In other words, they are not made of tin, they are made of steel.

 

[Ninjafossils]

ok. just to confirm. 1860-1870?