armadillo sporran

[tyger]

It has been a few months (actually, a year!) and I have been thinking.......how in the world am I going to make this armadillo of mine into a sporran? Got any suggestions for me? I figure on flattening it into a low dome, but since the animal has armor plates that are partially calcified, it will have to be soaked in a de-cal solution for a couple of days before working it. I have glass eyes from VanDykes, to make it look its typically crafty and sneaky self.

[sathor]

I have no idea, but I am interested in the final project. (My son calls the sporrans 'shields' and that would probably be worthy of that name.)

[ForresterModern]

You might consider leaving the shell hardened and just closing the back, then doing something with the shoulders and head, turning it around of course, to make the flap for the sporran. Many of the leather sporrans out there are fairly rigid---the shel already provides that rigidity. If you need more space inside than the shell alone allows you could put a fairly stiff leather back on it to spread the shell out into a larger capacity. I think it would look cool as heck (I used to live in FL and had these things all over the place---armored rats is what we called them---and would like to see one put to good use for a change). I don't think that they had armadillos in the highlands so it falls out of the traditional category of sporans, but I still think it would look cool as all get out. Pictures of the final product are a must.

Sorry, but have to inject this armadillo joke:

Why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the armadillo that it indeed COULD be done safely.

[dfmacliam]

I may be thinking wrong but.... Use the head and claws and use the belly for the background of sorts, if I am not mistaken it's the so called furry part of the 'dillo

[cavscout]

Well they appear to form a natural sporran, naturally

[Colonel MacNeal]

You could use Rattlesnake tails for the tassels.

[The Wizard of BC]

But, but, where is the Lone Star Long Neck bottle???????

You see during my time in TX it was a sort of tradition that whenever you saw a road killed armadillo you are required to stop, flip him on his back, and place a beer bottle in his paws.

It just doesn't seem right without the Lone Star Beer bottle.

[dfmacliam]

That's how they taxidermy armadillos with a bottle of lone star beer

[tyger]

OK, I think we need to show Dasypus novemcinctus Mexicanus a little more respect! Who else (among other things) can sustain prolonged oxygen depletion, quickly recover that debt, has delayed implantation (I mean, like 90 days or something really huge) of the ovoblast, and bears identical quadruplets every time? An incredible animal.

[Tartan Hiker]

And don't forget that they are the only mammal species other than humans that are known to contract Hanson's disease (leprosy). That has to count for something.

My sporran recommendation is to make tassels out of something hard...that way the drumming will announce your arrival well before your corporeal appearance.