Quality Sporrans for less money

[RGM1]

A fine example, is that.

And the chain-strap appears to be nickel-silver diamond-cut curb-chain with now-rare Albert clips. Which is a bonus.

I won the bid on this piece, especially liked the chain and hooks, may replace the leather strap. Any recommendations on how to do that?

[Troglodyte]

I won the bid on this piece, especially liked the chain and hooks, may replace the leather strap. Any recommendations on how to do that?

Well done..!

Replacing the leathers on the chain-strap is an easy business.

The trickiest thing is to find suitable leather, but suppliers like Tandy in the USA are a good sourse. They will also have the necessary punches, needes and thread for stitching in case you want to replicate the strap as it is, and saddle-stitch the parts, or they will have the rivets if you want the easier option.

Taking the strap to the shop for them to see the job in hand would be useful, and the sporran itself, too, as you may be lucky and get a near match for the brown leather.

Either way, I would recommend paring (skiving) the ends of the straps to virtually nothing, and glueing down the turned ends before stitching or riveting. The finish is much neater and feels more refined.

[OC Richard]

Troglodyte gave you the proper way to do it.

I, on the other hand, take the lazy way and use Chicago screws.

I bought one of those tools which cuts a neat scribe line along the edge, it really upgrades the look.

And I recently got a tool that simulates a stitched border, you just roll it down in the scribe line. (Cheater!)

In any case the top belt is one I quickly made with leather strap and Chicago screws. I did scribe lines but I didn't have the faux-stitched-border tool at that time.

I have a few sporran straps I've done the same way.

[OC Richard]

Very interesting sporran, it has Forsyth-looking tassels yet the back suggests WE Scott.

In any case $25 for a gorgeous vintage sporran. Too bad there's a Seaforths badge stuck on the flap.

Seal front so no bueno for Estados Unidos.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18680585168...Bk9SR6K0tuztZA

[Hauge]

Very interesting sporran, it has Forsyth-looking tassels yet the back suggests WE Scott.

In any case $25 for a gorgeous vintage sporran. Too bad there's a Seaforths badge stuck on the flap.

Seal front so no bueno for Estados Unidos.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18680585168...Bk9SR6K0tuztZA

Same seller has this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18680510066...8AAOSwl49nQx2k

So now we know where the Seaford badge come from...

[Troglodyte]

Troglodyte gave you the proper way to do it.

I, on the other hand, take the lazy way and use Chicago screws.

I bought one of those tools which cuts a neat scribe line along the edge, it really upgrades the look.

And I recently got a tool that simulates a stitched border, you just roll it down in the scribe line. (Cheater!)

In any case the top belt is one I quickly made with leather strap and Chicago screws. I did scribe lines but I didn't have the faux-stitched-border tool at that time.

I have a few sporran straps I've done the same way.

Ah, yes. Good fellow to know, is our Trog.

One of the the belt-fastening methods he has tried, is to replace the little internal buckle with monk-rivets - sometimes known as Sam Browne studs as they feature on those belts.

The already-pierced holes in the adjustment strap need to have a small slit cut at the side, so that they push over the stud easily, but that's a simple thing.

This kind of fastening, Trog finds, removes some of the bulk made by the inner buckle, and is less likely to catch on the kilt's strap buckles.

A set of dividers works equally well for marking the edge line. The blunt side of a table-knife blade can be used for 'tooling' the marked line, if you have no proper leather-working kit. A flat-head screwdriver also works.

[OC Richard]

Already having got bids, a WE Scott EW2 with silverplate cantle.

It has the scribe-hinge across the back which they introduced with the 1953 patent design, but lacks the 1953 patent stamp.

The question is the fur. Rabbit? Mink? Artificial? (It does seem to lack the nasty yellow tinge usually associated with the artificial fur they used in the 1950s and 1960s.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38768504464...Bk9SR8rC0tHxZA

[OC Richard]

In addition to a number of WE Scott "day" and "semi dress" sporrans for under $50 there's a couple Nicoll Brothers seal Evening sporrans which are a huge bargain for those not in the USA.

This one has an FN/D&N cast top

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17670883584...Bk9SR7Da55byZA

Probably likewise, with a possibly aftermarket Black Watch collar badge stuck on

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18681996331...Bk9SR7ba55byZA

[User]

...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18681996331...Bk9SR7ba55byZA

I see a lot of sporrans where the leather is covered with tiny hope depressions. The sporran in that listing shows this on its backside.

I assume that texture is made by stamping, or some similar technique. Is the texturing purely aesthetic, or does it provide a tangible benefit to the leather?

[RGM1]

I won the bid on this piece, especially liked the chain and hooks, may replace the leather strap. Any recommendations on how to do that?

The listing for this sporrans was unsure of the fur, it has dappled spots. The lister thought possibly coyote. Ang thoughts? Coyote does not seem to be a common option. Seems quite nice, though, I would have preferred black leather. No idea if changing the leather is an option.