The Latest Sporran Project Completed.

[Mike S]

I put the sporran project from the 1950's video on sporran making aside to make a carved leather sporran that I had been planning for some time. It is made from the pattern I drafted as shown in the Failed Attempt thread:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=87107

Materials are veg tanned tooling calf leather, deerskin for the welts and gusset, and a simple glued in green baize cloth interior:

[Father Bill]

Impressive, high quality work! You need to be very pleased with what you've done there.

[Liam]

Very nice work. Well done!

[Tim Little]

A work of art, indeed; well done!

[YOJiMBO20]

Very nice!

I wish I had leather working skills. I'd love to be able to make my own sporran someday.

[Dughlas mor]

Great job, Mike! The tooling is beautiful, the tassels are very well done, and I like the somewhat subtle two tone effect. It`s a bit on the fancy side, but not overtly so. Very nice.

[Mike S]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Very nice!

I wish I had leather working skills. I'd love to be able to make my own sporran someday.

You should give it a try. The cost for the basic tools to get into it are around what a good quality leather sporran costs. Once purchased, you can make sporrans to your heart's content.
I don't have a fraction of the tools available for such projects, and get by. There is a lot of written material for self instruction in basic leatherworking, and even Youtube videos to assist.

I haven't done much leather carving/stamping at all, and that was ages ago. I decided to give it a try on this project with minimal tools (a few stamps and a swivel knife), but think it turned out alright.

I didn't have the right background texturing stamps for behind the Celtic designs, so I used a pyrogravur (basically a small woodburning tool), with a fine tip to add the stippling.

I experimented with a water based stain called Eco-Flo because it was the only acorn tan dye I had on hand. I will never use it again. I should have known better, since I usually hate water based leather and wood stains. They tend to set on the surface and don't flow or penetrate well. They also give uneven results from one piece of leather to the next vs. other dyes. Back to the tried and true Fiebings alcohol based dye!

[Bluescelt]

Great looking sporran.

[Stitchwiz]

Great job, Mike. A striking design; it's nice to see a different shaped flap on the sporran. Definitely one of a kind.

[Dughlas mor]

Thanks for the kind words guys.



You should give it a try. The cost for the basic tools to get into it are around what a good quality leather sporran costs. Once purchased, you can make sporrans to your heart's content.
I don't have a fraction of the tools available for such projects, and get by. There is a lot of written material for self instruction in basic leatherworking, and even Youtube videos to assist.

I haven't done much leather carving/stamping at all, and that was ages ago. I decided to give it a try on this project with minimal tools (a few stamps and a swivel knife), but think it turned out alright.

I didn't have the right background texturing stamps for behind the Celtic designs, so I used a pyrogravur (basically a small woodburning tool), with a fine tip to add the stippling.

I experimented with a water based stain called Eco-Flo because it was the only acorn tan dye I had on hand. I will never use it again. I should have known better, since I usually hate water based leather and wood stains. They tend to set on the surface and don't flow or penetrate well. They also give uneven results from one piece of leather to the next vs. other dyes. Back to the tried and true Fiebings alcohol based dye!

Mike, I agree that the eco flow dyes are worthless. Lately I have been using Tandy`s professional water stain, and am pretty happy with it. It can be thinned with water, application is easy, and much more even than alcohol dyes, and it is definitely color fast. I have wet formed leather after dying with no trouble. The only downside I can see is that it doesn`t penetrate as much as alcohol dyes, but that may or may not be a problem, I guess. Anyway, give it a try sometime, you might like it.