Fur question concerning sporrans

**MizzouScotsman** · 11th September 12, 05:30 PM

Ok, I have made my first sporran and it was out of a opossum pelt. I know that most fur sporrans or full masks are made out of badger, fox, or even skunk. Never seen one from opossum so decided on it. Now I am looking at a muskrat fur that looks nice. Will not be using it for a full mask but a semi formal kind of sporran.

So I guess the question is...Does it matter what kind of fur? I know this seems simple but some furs do better than others or look better, etc. So if it was your sporran, would you be particular to the fur or just go with what you like?

Thanks

**Downunder Kilt** · 11th September 12, 05:39 PM

Muskrat or Musquash is very popular for head on sporrans ( I have one myself). L&M Sporrans website shows you how they look. I think they also do one with a leather flap closure.

**MizzouScotsman** · 11th September 12, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

Muskrat or Musquash is very popular for head on sporrans ( I have one myself). L&M Sporrans website shows you how they look. I think they also do one with a leather flap closure.

I did not even think that a sporran would be made of muskrat. I will look at L&M's site. I have got to see who it would look.

Thanks!

**AKScott** · 11th September 12, 05:54 PM

Just from hanging out here a while I suspect the general theme is goign to be any fur you want, but if you want full mask you need something with the ehad in a certain range of sizes.

Obviously no one has a full mask sporran made from a mouse or an elephant.

Among furs (and leathers) the sky is pretty much the limit. Snake skin makes some folks kind of edgy - think of snakeskin cowboy boots.

I would personally avoid those animals that don't hold their hair well for durability reasons, so no caribou or mountain sheep fur sporrans for me.

I am not an ace at taxonomy, but there is a group (family?) of animals that includes all the rodents (beaver) and all the little omnivores (otter and muskrat up through wolverine). In that whatever cluster you should be fine. Domestic cat, domestic dog and any of the primates would be over in the corner with the snakeskin for most people most of the time I think.

I ask myself, would I want this animal in a taxidermic mount in my livingroom? All the animals I would think about making a sporran from would be suitable for household taxidermy mounts, but not all the household mounts would be suitable for sporrans.

**sydnie7** · 11th September 12, 05:56 PM

We saw a beautiful sporran made from nutria. . . so it seems pretty much anything goes! Don't tell Bob, but I have a skunk pelt "squirreled" away for future project.

OK, maybe not the best choice of words LOL may have hit on a fur type that wouldn't work so well. . . full-mask chipmunk, anyone?

**MizzouScotsman** · 11th September 12, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by sydnie7

We saw a beautiful sporran made from nutria. . . so it seems pretty much anything goes! Don't tell Bob, but I have a skunk pelt "squirreled" away for future project.

OK, maybe not the best choice of words LOL may have hit on a fur type that wouldn't work so well. . . full-mask chipmunk, anyone?

The full-mask chipmunk as a coin purse...hmmm...may have given me an idea.

**ScotFree** · 11th September 12, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by sydnie7

. . . full-mask chipmunk, anyone?

Only if you want a change purse to go with your sporran.

**MizzouScotsman** · 11th September 12, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by AKScott

Just from hanging out here a while I suspect the general theme is goign to be any fur you want, but if you want full mask you need something with the ehad in a certain range of sizes.

Obviously no one has a full mask sporran made from a mouse or an elephant.

Among furs (and leathers) the sky is pretty much the limit. Snake skin makes some folks kind of edgy - think of snakeskin cowboy boots.

I would personally avoid those animals that don't hold their hair well for durability reasons, so no caribou or mountain sheep fur sporrans for me.

I am not an ace at taxonomy, but there is a group (family?) of animals that includes all the rodents (beaver) and all the little omnivores (otter and muskrat up through wolverine). In that whatever cluster you should be fine. Domestic cat, domestic dog and any of the primates would be over in the corner with the snakeskin for most people most of the time I think.

I ask myself, would I want this animal in a taxidermic mount in my livingroom? All the animals I would think about making a sporran from would be suitable for household taxidermy mounts, but not all the household mounts would be suitable for sporrans.

I would never have even thought of using snake skin. Although with the right tooled leather and color, it might not look too bad. Wouldn't really want it a full mask with fangs and all but....hmmmmm

**Tobus** · 11th September 12, 06:12 PM

I would personally avoid those animals that don't hold their hair well for durability reasons, so no caribou or mountain sheep fur sporrans for me.

Deer falls into that category too. The hair is hollow and breaks off or falls out over time. Not a good choice for a sporran.

One of these days I'm going to get around to making that fox sporran with my road-kill special fox hide...

**Downunder Kilt** · 11th September 12, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by MizzouScotsman

I would never have even thought of using snake skin. Although with the right tooled leather and color, it might not look too bad. Wouldn't really want it a full mask with fangs and all but....hmmmmm

If you want to check out what snakeskin looks like take a peek at this thread

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...sporran-61751/