Sporrans and security

[creagdhubh]

Nope, but to be honest, I actually rarely even use my sporran. Whilst wearing the kilt, I tend to secure my valuables in a slim, leather billfold and place it inside my jacket pocket. That, or I ask my lovely wife to carry it in her purse. I have never been quite keen on rummaging through my sporran looking for my credit card, ID, or whatever.

Cheers,

[Jock Scot]

Well I suppose it depends how much cash you are carrying, but I will often carry £100 or so in notes, or credit card, tucked inside my kilt hose, if I have no jacket on. I have no security worries with my sporran and its contents, but its handy to have things dotted about one's person to avoid all this rummaging about in the sporran caper.

[JonathanB]

I will freely admit that when I wear a kilt, I automatically strut. I stand straighter and hold my head up.

That’s been my experience over the past month. It is doing wonders for my posture.

If you give off the right body language, then others will think twice about confronting you.

Thanks, Chas. And the other thing that helped me when I was mugged when young (and definitely not a man in control of my destiny) was paradoxically the thought you can never be 100% secure and no where is totally safe. But the chances of an attack are remote, so take reasonable precautions and deal with it if it happens.

[Holcombe Thomas]

Chas, I really like the design of your coin purse. I think I'll have to search one out. The one I currently use was made for me by my son as an elementary school project; he is currently in his second year at university.

And, Creagdhubh, my wife asks me to carry her things in my sporran. She has a new iPhone which doesn't seem to fit in her evening bags, but fits nicely in the sporran. (I do end up scattering cards and cash in coat pockets, but that makes it easier to deploy them when needed.)

Holcombe

[TheOfficialBren]

I travel light when I'm out so a bill-well, phone, and keys fit nicely into my sporran with extra room, though, admittedly, Tom at A-Hay Custom Sporrans makes a generously-sized sporran for this very reason. You can't go wrong with his sporrans. A coin purse is a good idea, though.

Jock, in your kilt hose? How novel!

Kyle, I can picture that about not using your sporran. I know that you enjoy a turn on the dance floor so a jostling sporran might be undesirable.

[opositive]

sporran hangers would make a "snatching" more difficult.

[JonathanB]

Can you explain, please? What's a sporran hanger? Where does it go in relation to the chain?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Can you explain, please? What's a sporran hanger? Where does it go in relation to the chain?

Jonathan, a sporran hanger is a strap, or more properly, a set of straps that attach to your belt, in lieu of a traditional sporran strap or chain. This is fine if one is wearing a belt, but to me it always looks a bit odd.

Like Jock and Kyle, I tend to carry very little in my sporran, preferring to stuff bulkier items (cell phone) in the pocket of whatever jacket I'm wearing.

[The Wizard of BC]

A picture is worth what you pay for it.


Image courtesy of Oconee Leather works.

Hangers like this are the greatest thing for 'Gentlemen of Substance". They allow the sporran to hang straight down and not catch the apron as a strap is prone to do.

[artificer]

Of course the worry of pickpockets (or more properly, cutpurses) has been around since the start of sporrans proper (as they evolved from the medieval coin purse).

Some of the early brass cantle sporrans had elaborate latches which required the opener to shift/slide/lift one stud or finial before the actual latch mechanism could be engaged,
one cantle concealed four small caliber flint-lock pistol barrels in it (two pointing out to each side), if improperly opened it would discharge!

It's a brave or foolhardy chap who wears something like that (especially out to the pub when there may be much consumption)

edit- finally found the picture & link



from the NMS page HERE.

ith: