Isn't there ANY safe way to fill cracks/splits on a wooden drinking vessel?

Question

I have a coopered wooden tankard that was my father's, split to the width of a nickle between two of the staves, that I'd *really* like repair. He got it in the 1950's-60's, possibly in Germany.

I've thought of filling the crack with a glued wedge and then recoating, but it has an unknown finish (shows yellowish in the thick bits on the mug bottom). In the "olden days," I believe pitch was used to seal wood–could I use pitch, coat the whole interior, and then polyurethane the heck out of it over top? Could I make some kind of watertight "insert" for it that won't look or taste bad? (If so, how? And out of what?)

I'm willing to spend a foolish amount of time and effort on this project - but in the end I want to USE my father’s tankard. I’m looking for any scrap of hope, foolish though it may be. R.

Thank you! I just wanted to clarify, though: there isn't any pitch ON the mug, I was merely speculating whether I might *use* pitch as a last resort (I don't mind the repair showing as long as it looks as "medieval" as the tankard itself). What it's actually coated in is transparent, but shows yellowish where it's got a few thick drips inside the mug. But I appreciate the ideas you had. Would wood glue last, do you think, in a mug that saw occasional use?

(And another clarification, for those who don't know: "coopered" means made like an old-fashioned barrel--with vertical "staves" (wooden strips) held in a circle by metal bands (in this case, brass). )

Answer 1

This is very easy to solve. We have repaired many beer and wine fermenting and storage vessels made from wooden staves.

Ensure that the vessel is completely dry.

Remove any existing internal lining and abrade the internal surface with medium abrasive paper.

Apply two coats of food-grade solvent free epoxy resin.

The first coat should be an unpigmented (clear) resin to allow maximum penetration into the wood.

After the first coat has dried, rub down any uneven areas and apply the second coat. If you wish you can apply a third coat.

The second or third coat can be either coloured or clear resin, depending upon the result that you want.

The result will be smooth, easy to clean, taste free lining that will last for at least 30 years years.

Have a look at the following link for a larger scale example of this exact project. http://www.specialist-coatings.co.uk/coatings/case.htm#black

After the first stage resin had been applied the vessel was water tight.

Any questions or more help please ask, would be happy to help.

Answer 2

Wood, any that looks like the original, as long is it is not poisonous. Glue with normal (white) wood-glue, use dust of the same wood for the narrow parts of the split, mixed with the glue.

For the coating, if you can not find what they used, how about taking the existing layer off and coating it in a modern waterproof layer?
I doubt tar was used as recent as the 1950's but might have been, or the tankard might have been older itself.

Hope this helps you along.

Answer 3

I'm sorry if you were hoping I had an answer but I don't really understand.....