The Story Behind the Authentic Billy Tin
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- Опубликовано: 24 ноя 2020
- In this video I discuss how the term "billy" came to describe a pot with a bail that is hung over the fire to boil water or cook in
Find the last of the authentic "billy" tins here
www.cesco.com.au/camping/
Aussie here 🇦🇺 As much as I love local made stuff, i actually prefer and use a cheap one piece pressed aluminium billy. The traditional style one you have there are great for nostalgia but also if you cook anything but water/coffee/tea the food gets caught in the join between the bottom piece of metal and the side wall. In terms of heat resistance, I've had my aluminium billy in some pretty hot fires and it hasn't burnt through. Obviously don't jam it right in the middle of the coals for an hour. Had mine for years and travelled everywhere, love it.
I agree. Owning these pots is more about their history than their performance against modern ones. Thanks for commenting
Before watching this, let me guess, it wasn't some guy named Billy.😃
My dad told me a story of when he apprenticed in N Ireland, and all the carpenters heated their tea in soup tins, with a wire bail, over the fire. They'd be all black from the fire, except for where they always drank from. So he took a very small drill, and drilled holes in them just below the "clean" spot, then he hid......when he heard all the angry yells, he ran! Said he got a beating for that one, but judging from the smile on his face when he told it, it was worth it. I wish I was smart enough to have gotten more of those stories out of him before it was too late.
That is wild Jim. Yes, I wish my dad was around as well to hear stories from
The absolute best thing about your presentations are your introduction doesn't include a long musical intro!
Thank you 😊 this was a great informative video. I enjoyed it very much. I had herd that story and had seen a video of the swagmens history in Australia but I think you're explanation 🤔 was terrific 👍.
Thanks for the information about ordering, I am now planning to do so .
My great Uncle gave me a tin pot back in the 60s for my scouting and it looked very much like those. I was shocked when you brought them out . Mine even had tbe flat handel on the lid. It wasn't as shiny or new because it had been part of his camp gear from his early years.
Interesting. I wonder how many of these are out there. Thanks for commenting
Thanks for the history lesson
Most welcome. Thanks for commenting
A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill can hold more than a billy can.
Enjoyed the video.
Thanks.
LOL...Thanks for commenting
@Marcus Max1mus First heard it in Collim Fletcher's book.The Complete Walker. Good man and a writer one can umderstand.
Thank you, Mark, for sharing this bit of history with us all. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
How absolutely delightful! A great history lesson about a great pot. Thanks for sharing! :-)
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting
That was a very thoughtful gift Marcus. "Waltzing Matilda" was one of the songs we sang in Elementary back in the 50's. Thanks for the history lesson!!!
Yes, a great gift for sure. Thanks for commenting
We just wild camped at the actual billabong made famous in Banjo Patterson’s poem/song ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ It is on the Diamantina river near Kynuna in QLD. It is known as Combo Waterhole, a great place full of history!
Nice!
Now that is very cool. Thanks for sharing
Nice video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting
Thanks Marcus For Sharing These With Mark To Share This Video With Us ! Loved Hearing The History Behind This, Thanks Mark, Have A Swell & Safe Day There, Friend ! ATB T God Bless
Hi Terry. I agree Marcus was so very generous with this gift. Thanks for commenting
I love your passion, and the history of the Billy Can
Thank you for your kind words
Thank you for this video! I always thought the "billy" can came from ANZAC troops in the WWI. And I thought it was derived from the cans of "bully beef" they had as rations. I was close but your history story clears up the distinction.
Interesting. Close in that it was the bully beef that inspired it. Thanks for commenting
Good on ya mate !
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks for the info! Very useful indeed, I've been thinking of getting one of these since it appears to be a much more effective cooking system than my crusader mess tin after using my friends one on adventures!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting
Thanks for the information, and thanks, Marcus. That’s a cool Billy tin.
I am very happy with these pots. Marcus was very generous. Thanks for commenting
I just stumbled upon your videos after recently purchasing a firebox stove. You produce some outstandingly informative content and I certainly appreciate the work you've put in. I'm in the Army and I've already used some of your cooking tips to make some very long weeks quite a bit more comfortable! Wish you well this Christmas - and God bless.
Hello and thank you for your kind words. I am glad you find my videos useful. Merry Christmas to you as well
I sang as I sat and waited while my billy boiled...
Right on. I almost broke into song myself when I was recording. Thanks for commenting
Thanks for another great video and the history lesson, Mark. Looks like Christmas is coming early for you this year! 🙂
A great gift for sure. Thanks for commenting
Great and interesting information on the history of the Billy pot. At one time, did Bully Beef come in tins that size? I'm guessing that if it was to feed a camp of hungry workers, it probably did. Thanks Mark, always enjoyable.
Good question. I assumed the can size must have been close to these to be something they would want to carry but now I am not sure. Maybe Marcus can answer
Great video as always. Thanks for your time.
Thanks for watching!
Good information, Sir !
Thank you !
Keep up the great work !!!
Most welcome. Thanks for commenting
Great history lesson Mark, very interesting. Thanks for sharing! :) :)
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
unbelieveble i just found it the other day interested in the story/history behind it
well explained Mark
Good timing. Thanks for commenting Steve
That's cool thanks for the trivia/history lesson very cool to learn
Most welcome. Thanks for commenting
Outstanding! It's quite nice to learn about history of an item. How we got what we use. Just so cool! Thank You for your time !
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
Classic beautiful piece of kit
It truly is. I very much appreciate it. Thanks for commenting
I am looking forward to a video where you take it out in the woods and try it out. Hopefully, you will find it worthy of a place in your tucker bag.
Yikes... I am not sure I want to get these collector pieces dirty. Thanks for commenting John
@@MarkYoungBushcraft Well if you want to keep your cute little No.1 can pristine, perhaps you could use a No.9 to cook a jumbuck ;-)
@@JohnTarbox Would have to be a small jumbuck. Your Aussie knowledge is impressive John
Nice info, thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting
Very interesting that's for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
It was interesting, thanks Mark, take care mate 👍 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting
Great story, and nice one Marcus Max!!
Yes, he was over the top generous. Thanks for commenting
@Marcus Max1mus Couldn't agree more, my twig stove purchase was based on the reviews, testing and information here.
Outstanding! Marcus did well ...
I am very appreciative of Marcus's generosity
👍👍🇧🇷 Parabéns Ótimo
Muito obrigado
You really got me thinking about a couple of my favourite subjects, corned beef, and camping pots. I was sure I saw a reference to "Bully Beef" in an old collection of Canadian cartoons by Bing Coughlin, "Herbie!" and there he was, being told that he wouldn't need those cases of Bully beef when he was repatriated back to Canada.
espritdecorps.ca/history-feature/herbie-to-the-front-canadian-war-cartoonists-of-the-second-world-war-part-1
photos.app.goo.gl/H54tKFzKzPLMw1hZ7
That search led me to find another regarding bully beef and it's history in the common wealth, and a source from Australia mentioning the rations the troops ate at Gallipoli, tinned beef and hard tack... Lol.
www.taste.com.au/articles/bully-beef-part-of-australian-history/KYnke1FI
And another fascinating article on the diet of the WW1 ANZAC troops:
www.smh.com.au/national/anzac-100-diggers-survived-on-bully-beef-tea-and-biscuits-20150410-1mio1j.html
I went down quite the rabbit hole on this one, and I should perhaps mention that I love corned beef and have a brisket brining in the refrigerator now... :D
Back to your video... I'm amazed at the camaraderie between RUclips content creators who will ship gifts across oceans and continents! I enjoyed watching the video, and it took me back to my days in cadets when we would cook our K rations in our billys over toilet paper and alcohol stoves in the woods around Richmond Hill Ontario.
Cheers!
WOW... outstanding amount of research. Interesting stuff. Thank you
Another major advantage, when you speak of the height to diameter ratio, is that a pot of this size is much less likely to tip and spill it's contents than a shallow pot of the same diameter. Think of the small pot in the old boy scout mess kits! Check this video on pots by the late Mors Kochanski. ruclips.net/video/dlh6RNU-dSg/видео.html I find it interesting that weather your looking at the corn boiler or trade kettle from the early American era of Rodger's rangers and the French and Indian wars in the 1700's, or the Australian Billy Pot, or the contemporary "bush pot", they are very similar in size and appearance. Purpose built for cooking over a fire. Check out this comparison of contemporary cookware. There may be slight differences but notice the similarities! Note that Firebox Stove Co. sells metal clips for the Zebra Billy pots which allow the bail to lock in the upright position , and do not melt! ruclips.net/video/TpmdBzZK32s/видео.html
I agree. Wide base pots are great for quick heat transfer but are less stable when being hung over a fire. Thanks for commenting
Some interesting history.
Does the zebra fit in the IKEA utensil pot?
Not quite. Would be great if it did though. Thanks for commenting
great Item , sty safe and sound 5 Years health
Right on my friend
@@MarkYoungBushcraft U too
With the melting temperature of tin being so low, you don't want to leave that unattended!. Is it really tin? Does a magnet stick to it? Maybe it's just tin plated to keep it from rusting. Interesting that such a product/company is still around. I like that in their website, they show some of the products they regularly make as well as the custom work they can do for you.
Yes, strong attraction to a magnet. I can't answer about if it is pure tin or tin plate. Maybe Marcus can jump in. Could it be a tin alloy? I expect as long as the pot has water in it, it shouldn't melt. Thanks for commenting
I look the company up and they don’t have any prices or anyway to order from them that I could find . Would be interested to learn how . I collect billycans and mess kits myself.
Hopefully Marcus can respond to this as he was able to purchase the ones I have. I believe the company responds to email requests for info. Thanks for commenting
@@MarkYoungBushcraft Thank you sir . I'll wait and see if he responds and if not I'll reach out to the company with an email. Really appreciate the response.
Cecil pronounced See-sil or Sess-il ??
I will have to leave it to Marcus or someone else to answer.