Umm..Strange request-Your thoughts?

[YoungMan]

I think if you polled a hundred random people and told them you were going to make something to wear from a loved ones hair, the overwhelming majority would be have the big eyes/surprised/repulsed look.

But I say, if this guy really wants it, AND you get some kind of confirmation from his wife, then you should go for it. I just wouldn't want you to be on the news as the creepy sporran maker who helped the creepy guy make a creepy sporran from some unsuspecting woman's hair.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

I don't see anything odd or creepy about using some of your wife's hair on a sporran,

Perhaps this is a matter of interpretation, but I understood that this individual was looking to make a hair sporran out of his wife's hair, not just using a lock or simple braid from some strands plaited together. That is, instead of horse or goat hair making up the bulk sporran, a wig's worth of 17" human hair hanging down from a cantle on a sprorran chain or strap.

Maybe Josh could clarify this point.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

There is a charity out there (can't remember the name) that takes hair to make wigs for cancer patients. That would probably be the most generous thing to do with it.

Locks of Love.....there was an article about a year ago that talked about how they and other wig companies don't typically use hair from Americans because of all the chemicals and treatments we tend to subject our hair to. Instead, they use donated hair to sell to factories for testing machinery and companies that make mats to soak up oil spills. Then they use the money to buy hair from Europe and Asia, mostly from Russia, Poland, and the Netherlands. So, you're still helping cancer patients, but don't expect a beloved head of hair to end up in a beautiful wig.

So with that in mind, I don't see why someone's long hair can't be made into a piece of art in the form of a sporran.

I've been asked to make a custom sporran for someone who wants to use his wife's recently...

You had me worried for a minute. When I saw that, I thought the next word's were gong to be "Deceased [insert family pet variety here]"


--Chelsea McMurdo--

[Alan H]

The Red Violin.

I don't know why that came to mind when I saw this thread, but there you go.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Violin

In one of the early scenes, the violin maker makes a brush out of his wife's hair, and mixes her blood into the varnish. Then he paints the violin with the mixture. It sounds disgusting. It's not...it's disturbing and poignant but not disgusting.

Totally off topic, sorry 'bout that.

[Arlen]

Oh, I think the difference is night and day. Making clothing out of animals is as old as mankind itself, whether it be a full mask sporran or a lady's patent leather handbag. It is a natural thing for a hunter species, which all of us carry in our genes. It is who we are.

But adorning oneself with a part of another human being has historically been a symbol of a 'war trophy'; a sign of victory over enemies; a mark of ruthlessness. It has historically been worn by those who would rape and pillage and conquer.

Except in the case of the old Celtic ledgend of Cormac Mac Airt. His mother, Grainne, cut her long hair and wove him a cloak from it which would only fit him and kept him protected.

I think it's wonderfully sweet.


As far as the suggetion to donate the hair to Locks of Love or similar. DON'T They are a scam and under investigation by trading standards/Better business etc.
There are some very, very, very large gaps in the money records. Yes, they do buy hair from Russia, Asia etc but they also sell large quantities of the wigs made from it to private buyers rather than donating them to Cancer patients. They are a very, very dodgy company.

[Bugbear]

I have long hair, but I don't plan on making any sporrans with it.

[Monkey@Arms]

The Red Violin.

I don't know why that came to mind when I saw this thread, but there you go.

SNIP

Totally off topic, sorry 'bout that.

See, you are sooo much classier than I am. What it brought to my mind was a verse from an extremely bawdy Robert Burns song called "Johnie Scott," which has a verse about a kilt woven from a different kind of hair.

Best regards,

Jake

[MacLowlife]

I'm with you Jake- human hair dangling in the sporran position? Not quite right. Somewhere I read a story about cat ranching- the idea was the cats would be skinned for their fur. It was a hoax, as someone explained cat fur is not sturdy enough for coats, etc. I do wonder if human hair would be sturdy enough to front a sporran.

Presumably, one could clamp the hair in a barette or something similar, then make whatever kind of clamp is customarily used for hair sporrans generally. Then after seeing how it looked, put it away and use some goat hair instead.

[Bigkahuna]

If I were going to use human hair for a sporran, I think I would just use it for the tassels. They would be easy to attach and wouldn't tangle too much.

[Bigkahuna]

Horse hair used in sporrans is still attached to the hide I believe.