Artificer Brass hinged cantle sporran review

[Panache]

Having had my new Artificer custom brass cantled sporran for a week now I thought I would review the product and Artificer's service for those of my fellow X Markers thinking about order from Scott.

In a nutshell...


....It is really worth it!

This is the sporran I ordered

Front



Back



These are the same ones I posted earlier that Scott took before he mailed it to me. I tried to do some close up shots of my own to show off the features of the sporran but they weren't very good so I'm sticking with the official Artificer pinup shots (only on XMTS can you say "sporran pinup photos"! )

This was an anniversary gift from my lovely Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess and she thought that the custom brass cantled Artificer sporrans were unlike anything else I owned and told me to order one to my tastes.

Scott was very easy to work with. I explained I wanted something that really showed off the brass hinged cantle and this simple, but handsome bag was what we came up with. I was looking for something in a rich chocolate brown for daywear and Scott obliged with a bag in rich soft supple brown leather. Exactly what I wanted. I really like how the side tassels show off the knob/button ends of the hinged cantle without detracting from it. The clever locking system is easy to use and keeps the cantle securely shut. A rather nice touch was that the sporran was shipped in a soft fabric bag to protect the brass.

So far I have received nothing but compliments and a interest in this piece. Especially among other people with a knowledge of highland dress, it stands out from the crowd as being special.

Here are so photos of the sporran in action

Just after receiving it



At the park



At my Scottish Country Dance class



The outfit I had in mind when I ordered it



And, since I adore the Great Dickens Fair and this sporran is entirely appropriate I couldn't resist seeing how it would look with the rest of my rig!



So are there any possible downsides to consider? The answer would be "a few", but they are pretty minor (but worth noting)

The first is that the highly polished brass needs to be polished regularly if you want it to stay highly polished. Since I have an antique brass waist plate as well as a bright brass one (both from Jerry over at Stillwater Kilts) I'm tempted to see how the brass looks if I let it develop a bit of a patina.

The second is that the brass loops on the back of the sporran require a simple belt, instead of a regular sporran belt designed to clip onto the D rings at the back of the sporran. I would not use clips on these brass loops, they are sturdy but I am sure over time it would put a strain on them and they would break. So you need a plain sporran belt for this type of sporran. Another side effect of these brass loops is that the sporran will move easily along the belt unlike leather loops that will cling to the belt. This really is no problem at all, in some circumstances it is an advantage. However if you are vigorously dancing a Scottish Country Dance pas-de-basque you will find your lovely sporran migrating to the side of your hip!

The last consideration is that Artificer's sporrans are not cheap. . If you are expecting something similar to the mass produced imported sporran prices for an Artificer sporran you will be disappointed. These are handmade, unique, handsome heirloom pieces. For what they are, and all the work that goes into them, a bargain.

I commissioned Scott once before for a skunk skin dress sporran for my son and it is a thing of beauty and I'm very glad to have one of his creations now for my own use.

So as I said before, if you are considering one of Scott's creations...


...It is really worth it!


Cheers

Jamie ith:

[CMcG]

Simply lovely! And I believe you when you say it is worth it. Artificer is doing good work and has found a real cool niche for himself in the sporran making world.

[Tobus]

Looks great, Jamie. I don't own any of Artificer's custom creations, but I've seen his work in person (on others) and I have no doubt it's as high a quality piece as money can buy. I love that he's making new brass cantles in a historical style.

The first is that the highly polished brass needs to be polished regularly if you want it to stay highly polished. Since I have an antique brass waist plate as well as a bright brass one (both from Jerry over at Stillwater Kilts) I'm tempted to see how the brass looks if I let it develop a bit of a patina.

Yep, that's the problem with brass. Those of us with MOD cantles which have been polished are struggling with the same issue. You either have to polish it every time you want to use it, or just let it develop a patina. There is no in between. If I even lay one finger on it, my fingerprint immediately begins to turn a different colour. And you'll notice over time, too, that anywhere the brass touches the leather, it will discolour differently (more aggressively). Polishing it with those leather laces through the cantle looks like a headache. Good luck!

The second is that the brass loops on the back of the sporran require a simple belt, instead of a regular sporran belt designed to clip onto the D rings at the back of the sporran.

Huh, I was unaware that the clip-style sporran belt was considered a "regular" sporran belt. Most of the traditional sporrans I've seen were designed to use a simple belt. If you really do like the clip style, I'd bet you could have Artificer make you a conversion piece that goes through the brass rings and has a separate small D-ring. Although personally I think using a simple belt through the brass rings is far superior...

(By the way, side note: I really dig that jacket you're wearing with your IoS kilt!)

[Panache]

Tobus,

You summed up the brass thing well, it is worth the effort to get it to shine, but it is effort.

While a simple belt without clips is certainly the original type of sporran belt and the clip style ones designed for D rings are Johnny-come-latelys, I suspect the vast majority of modern kilt wearers use the later instead of the former. Without question a basic belt is the one that is the best match to this style of sporran. But I referred to them the way I did as such, for clarity.

As for the jacket. that was a second hand store find. I've yet to run across another casual tweed jacket that was so well suited to be worn with highland wear.

Cheers

Jamie

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Huh, I was unaware that the clip-style sporran belt was considered a "regular" sporran belt. Most of the traditional sporrans I've seen were designed to use a simple belt. If you really do like the clip style, I'd bet you could have Artificer make you a conversion piece that goes through the brass rings and has a separate small D-ring. Although personally I think using a simple belt through the brass rings is far superior...

Or just clip it to the brass rings on the back of the sporran. I don't see any reason why not to. I can't imagine what you would put in your sporran that would be so heavy as to cause the brass to break from the strain. I've worn a chain belt with mine in this fashion many times and never had a problem.

[Panache]

Or just clip it to the brass rings on the back of the sporran. I don't see any reason why not to. I can't imagine what you would put in your sporran that would be so heavy as to cause the brass to break from the strain. I've worn a chain belt with mine in this fashion many times and never had a problem.

Matt,

I don't think it is a matter of weight. It is my gut reaction to having the metal clips linked to just on brass loop each. It seems to me that it would put more pressure at one particular point of the top of each of the brass loops that would over time weaken and break. Whereas the leather strap going through both of them distributes that pressure. But I am not an expert so I can't say for sure.

Hey is there a kilted metallurgist or structural engineer in the house? We need some help here!

Also giving the matter some thought, I think the clicking/scratching sound of a metal clip on those brass loops would be unpleasant!

Cheers

Jamie

[Tobus]

Hey is there a kilted metallurgist or structural engineer in the house?

As a matter of fact, yes, I'm a licensed Professional Engineer in structural engineering.

Hmm, the yield strength of brass is at least 18KSI. Assuming that the ring is about a 3/16" diameter brass rod, it has a section modulus of S=0.000647 inches cubed. Thus, the moment strength is approximately 11.6 in-lbs. If the brass ring stands off the back of the cantle by about 1/4", then technically the clip should be able to pull about 46 lbs laterally on the top of the brass ring before it reaches a permanently yielded failure mode (i.e. permanently bends the ring at the root where it is attached to the cantle).

Of course, cyclical stress analysis should be done too, in order to check long-term fatigue issues, but let's not go overboard!

Honestly, Matt is right. Regular use shouldn't bend it with it just clipped to the top. But you may find wear marks and scratches from the harder metal of the clip marring the softer brass over time.

[Downunder Kilt]

Congratulations Jamie on such a fine aquisition. From your photos above it is great to see the versiltility of the sporran with a range of dress styles. I have a brass cantled sporran on order from Artificer also and from your photos, I agree, it's worth it!

[Panache]

Tobus,




My favorite hiking staff for birding had a top made of a deer antler attached to the wooden shaft by a really thick bolt that was glued with two-part epoxy linking them. After only a few years of use I was shocked when walking along there was a soft "tink" and the antler top toppled off the shaft. The years and repeated stress had taken their toll and the metal failed at the joint without any sort of abuse.

So I think that the softer leather strap equally supporting the weight of the sporran and contents from both loops is probably a better long term choice for my investment.

Cheers

Jamie

As a matter of fact, yes, I'm a licensed Professional Engineer in structural engineering.

Hmm, the yield strength of brass is at least 18KSI. Assuming that the ring is about a 3/16" diameter brass rod, it has a section modulus of S=0.000647 inches cubed. Thus, the moment strength is approximately 11.6 in-lbs. If the brass ring stands off the back of the cantle by about 1/4", then technically the clip should be able to pull about 46 lbs laterally on the top of the brass ring before it reaches a permanently yielded failure mode (i.e. permanently bends the ring at the root where it is attached to the cantle).

Of course, cyclical stress analysis should be done too, in order to check long-term fatigue issues, but let's not go overboard!

Honestly, Matt is right. Regular use shouldn't bend it with it just clipped to the top. But you may find wear marks and scratches from the harder metal of the clip marring the softer brass over time.

[ShaunMaxwell]

Beautiful sporran and you wear it well! Congratulations to you on a fine acquisition and to Scott on yet another masterpiece.

SM