There are pieces of gear that you buy, use a few times, and eventually forget about. And then there are your true companions. Tools that over the years become so deeply intertwined with your experiences that they almost seem to develop a soul of their own. My Swedish Stabilotherm Jägerstekpannan with its practical folding handle is exactly that kind of gear.
It has served me faithfully in the dense forests of Germany, through the endless expanses of Sweden, and on the shores of lonely lakes in Finland. It has seen countless beds of hot embers, crisped up fatty bacon, and baked outdoor bannock. But as robust as the pan itself is—carrying it in a backpack after cooking was always a sooty, messy affair. It was time to build it a proper home.
A simple plastic bag or a sterile nylon pouch was out of the question. In line with my philosophy, it had to be something of my own: a hand-sewn leather pouch that tells a story.
The Magic of Upcycling: Turning the Old into the Unique
There is a deep, almost meditative satisfaction in giving discarded materials a second life. For the main body of the pouch, I repurposed a pair of old leather trousers. The leather is wonderfully soft, perfectly broken-in, and naturally brings an honest, rugged patina that no amount of money could ever buy in a store.
This conscious re-use of old materials—this ethos of anti-consumerism and self-reliance—stands in stark contrast to today’s throwaway culture. Instead of ordering yet another packaged synthetic pouch online, you sit down at the workbench, take the material into your hands, feel its texture, and create something with your own strength. In this way, a soulless mass-product bought off the assembly line turns into a deeply individual, personal unique piece. Every time I unpack my pan by the fire now, I am reaching for my own labor.
The Craft: Stamping and Rainbow Thread
To give the pouch the necessary stability and character, I combined the soft trouser leather with sections of thick, vegetable-tanned leather. This veg-tan tooling leather provides the perfect surface for traditional stamping.
- The Stamping: Using metal stamps and a steady hand, I carefully impressed the official Stabilotherm logo and the inscription “Stefans Stekpanna” (Swedish for Stefan’s Frying Pan—a small nod to those Scandinavian journeys) into the damp leather.
- The Dyeing: After stamping, the veg-tan leather was dyed, making the recessed impressions pop with a beautiful dark, rustic, and three-dimensional contrast.
- The Twist at the Finish: I stitched the entire piece together using a classic traditional saddle stitch. As a conscious, creative accent, I chose a rainbow-colored thread. It breaks up the otherwise very earthy, woodland aesthetic in a subtle, vibrant way. It shows that traditional craftsmanship doesn’t have to be rigid—there is always room for your own distinct character.
Ready for the Next Fire
The result turned out exactly as I envisioned: rugged, a perfect tailored fit for the pan with its handle folded down, and visually an absolute one-of-a-kind. The pouch keeps the rest of my pack safe from soot and grime, and through the rough reality of bushcraft life, it will only grow more beautiful over the coming years.
The pan has found its home. Germany, Sweden, and Finland lie behind it—but the next wilderness is already waiting.
From the Anvil and the Workbench: Do you like using upcycled materials for your outdoor gear, or modifying store-bought items to give them a personal touch? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Cheers!