Hunting Sporran - rivet replacement

**Jon Lilley** · 3rd July 17, 07:41 AM

Help!

I'm in uncharted territory here and I'm really flummoxed about how to solve this dilemma.
I bought a new hunting sporran to match the band I was in at the time and everything was great until I lost a small rivet off one of the flaps.

IMG_1271.jpg

I never thought I was very anal about something this small going missing, but the more I use it, the more I think about it and the more it bothers me. I've done a number of searches for this specific problem, but kept coming up empty handed. Does anyone have any suggestions? Know of a source of replacement pieces? Is it even repairable? I suppose I could create something that would work, but there's got to be something faster, less expensive and satisfactory. I'm sure I'm not the first one with this problem.

Thank you very much for the help!

Jon

**Panache** · 3rd July 17, 08:28 AM

Jon,

Bring your sporran to your nearest craft store (Michaels , Beverelys, etc) and ask where there leatherwork section is.

You should be able to purchase a small rivet kit for about $10.

Generally you get two sizes of rivets (make sure one of them is the right size and color to match the others), a small round mini "anvil" and a slender cylinder with a concave end on it.

The rivets have a front and back section.

What you will do is remove the back still on your sporran.
Put a new rivet back on the inside and the rivet cover on the outside.
Put the "anvil" behind the back part
Put the concave part of the cylinder on the front part
Then give a short strong tap to the end of the cylinder with a hammer

I advise practicing first with a scrap of leather (or perhaps just some folded paper the right thickness) to get the "tap" just right
If you hit it too soft the parts don't bend into place, too hard and you warp the cover of the rivet.

It is a pretty simple fix and starts you on your way to a new hobby

Good Luck

Cheers

Jamie

**Panache** · 3rd July 17, 08:34 AM

I'm looking at those leather leaves on the flap and thinking they are stitched down and the rivet back is unaccessible.

If the rivet back can't be removed, then you need to just try and replace the rivet cover.

The steps I outlined above should still work (it might well be that the original rivet head wasn't securely fastened (i.e. the "tap" wasn't strong enough to bend the pieces together to lock them into place.

If the back piece of the rivet is damaged you could use a SMALL amount of two part epoxy to glue the cover (rivet head) to the rivet back.

Since this rivet is merely decorative and not part of an integral structural part of the sporran that should do just fine

Hope this was of help

Cheers

Jamie

**Dughlas mor** · 3rd July 17, 08:44 AM

Great responses from Panache. I would only suggest going to a Tandy leather store if there is one nearby. Probably a better selection of rivets, and some good advice from the staff.

**Jon Lilley** · 3rd July 17, 10:02 PM

Hi, Jamie!

Thank you very much for the sage advice! I really appreciated it.

Upon closer inspection, I'm going to have to take the whole thing apart to access the rivets and remove the bad one. I did a google search and decided on upholstery tacks to replace the rivets. Why?, you ask. Well, I actually like them better and I think they'd old better. I'm a jeweler and think if I put a loop in the back and put a piece of wire or jump ring there to hold it, it'll hold a wee bit better, too. Tapping isn't going to be a problem at all. I use a sledge hammer to set all my diamonds. LOL! So the next time one breaks off or comes loose, I'll be able to take care of it without having to take the whole thing apart again.

The plastic backing that covers the inside front is going to have to come off as well and I shudder to think of what's hidden under that. Well, at least I'll have a good template for size if I decide to make something different. I'll share pictures if I'm successful, I promise!

Mòran, mòran taing airson a h-uile rud! Tha sibh cho laghach!

Jon

**LKM** · 4th July 17, 12:18 PM

The rivet cap is as easy to replace as others have said. I would also recommend putting something hard inside the sporran, such as a block of metal, and something soft under the sporran to prevent damage to the look of the leather.

**Panache** · 4th July 17, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jon Lilley

Hi, Jamie!

Thank you very much for the sage advice! I really appreciated it.

Upon closer inspection, I'm going to have to take the whole thing apart to access the rivets and remove the bad one. I did a google search and decided on upholstery tacks to replace the rivets. Why?, you ask. Well, I actually like them better and I think they'd old better. I'm a jeweler and think if I put a loop in the back and put a piece of wire or jump ring there to hold it, it'll hold a wee bit better, too. Tapping isn't going to be a problem at all. I use a sledge hammer to set all my diamonds. LOL! So the next time one breaks off or comes loose, I'll be able to take care of it without having to take the whole thing apart again.

The plastic backing that covers the inside front is going to have to come off as well and I shudder to think of what's hidden under that. Well, at least I'll have a good template for size if I decide to make something different. I'll share pictures if I'm successful, I promise!

Mòran, mòran taing airson a h-uile rud! Tha sibh cho laghach!

Jon

Jon,

I look forward to seeing the photos. Our kit is far more interesting when we customize it to make it our own.

Good Luck

Cheers

Jamie