Horse Hair sporran question.

**Manxstralian** · 25th February 14, 03:09 PM

Hi all, I'm looking for a project to occupy my idle hands, and have decided I would like to attempt to make a horse hair sporran. I've studied photos, seen diagrams and directions, but the one thing I can't find is how much hair I would need.
I have seen hair for sale in bundles of 1/2 and one pound, for a standard size sporran with two or possibly three tassles, could anyone point me in the right direction? Does anyone have any tips with regard to a project like this?

It'd be a shame to get 3/4 of the way through and then be stuck.

Cheers,

Cameron

**artificer** · 25th February 14, 03:59 PM

A good rule (especially for your 1st sporran) would be 1lb for the body, and you'll probably want 1/2lb for the tassels - not that you'll actually USE that much in making the tassels, but you'll probably have a lot of wastage your
first time out.

18"-22" hair is all that is needed.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

ith:

**Grizzly** · 25th February 14, 04:54 PM

Generous advice Scott, that's what I love about this site. Even though one of the worlds most respected sporran makers could lose trade. The advice is freely given. Hats off to you Scott Huber. Respect!

**HippieLee** · 25th February 14, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Grizzly

Generous advice Scott, that's what I love about this site. Even though one of the worlds most respected sporran makers could lose trade. The advice is freely given. Hats off to you Scott Huber. Respect!

I'll second that - He's steered me out of danger a couple times already and I haven't been here that long.

Cameron, please remebmer to post pics as you go along! We loves us some pictures (Especially of sporran making in process. Well, I do anyway lol)

**Manxstralian** · 25th February 14, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by Grizzly

Generous advice Scott, that's what I love about this site. Even though one of the worlds most respected sporran makers could lose trade. The advice is freely given. Hats off to you Scott Huber. Respect!

That's what I was thinking. Advice from the Master himself! Many thanks sir!

**artificer** · 25th February 14, 06:03 PM

Careful, Chaps, You lot are going to make me blush!

Manxstralian- if you need further advice, drop me an email - artificer@customsporrans.net

I'll try to answer as quickly as possible, but sometimes it takes me a day or two. It's not terribly difficult for me to spend 1/2 of a 'normal' work day on communications.

A few notes: The biggest thing to pay attention to with horse hair is the stitching. If you're doing it by hand I'd recommend no fewer than 2 rows of stitches (ideally each stitch would be no greater than 5mm / 3/8")

The problem being, once hair starts to slip free there is more room under each stitch for MORE hair to slide free as well.

When I make a horse hair sporran I triple stitch the hair, additionally I double glue and lap it under another layer of leather.
This is a piece from a few years ago-

There have been any number of techniques I've seen employed.

The earliest was a single layer of horse hair OVER goathair,

Later you see multiple layers of hair with panels of shorn goat or similar in between to 'fill' the body out a bit.

Most new piper's sporrans have 4-5 layers of hair stitched in with no fill or lapping.

I haven't handled a new RRS hair sporran personally, so can't speak to that.

ith:

BTW: beware a bit- horse hair is VERY coarse, and you CAN get 'slivers' from it where the hair pokes and works it's way under your skin.