Chainmaille Sporran Strap

[alabama kiltie]

I just got my Night Stalker sporran today from stillwater. Since i didnt order a strap i decided to tee what i ahd that would work. I remembered seeing straps that had chains used to hang the sporran. So i whipped out my pliers and stom steel wire and made me a chainmaille strap. This strap consists of two diferent weaves of maille. One type thta lays flat so it can fit under the kilt belt and through belt loops in the back and a nice box weave for the hanging straps that connect to the sporran ( see example here ) sorry i dont have pictures of the real thing now i'll get em tommorrow. Basically what I am planning on doing is trying to sell a few of these to make some money for a new kilt. I can make these custom to the owner. Basically what i will need is the measurements of the distance between your back two belt loops on the kilt. and then your desired circumference so that it is as long as your normal sporran strap and allows your sporran to hang at the desired heigth. Another Option i can offer is color of the rings, I can leave them bright and shiny, let them oxidize to a dull grey, or use an acid to turn them deep grey o black. One word of warning all colors expect black will oxidise further developing a white coating of zinc than can rub off but not stain. Also i am not sur eof wether or not the black coating will rub off. As with all chainmaille there might be 1 or two rings that are open jsut enough to catch in the fibers of wool. But this wont absolutle destroy your kilt. So guy tell me what you think

[Robin]

I like it!!!

[Panache]

a k

I like the pattern and think it would look very cool. I'm also impresssed that you have the skill and speed to just make one up on the spot. But based on my experience with chainmail (I have a friend who made himself a mail shirt, and coifs for both of us) I wouldn't want to wear it next to my kilt. We often discuss how the single VERY smooth chromed dress chains that often come with sporrans promotes undue wear on our kilts. The steel rings will not be nearly as smooth and there will be a lot more of them. I think that your belt is going to abraid the fabric of your kilt. I would also be very concerned about the oxidation leaving marks on the fabric. For those you not familiar with chainmail the rings eventually look like this:



My thanks to Mick, the wooden head for modelling my coif while I took the picture

From what my friend told me one can brighten the links again by puting the piece in a can with sand and shaking it to remove the oxidation.

It's a neat idea, and I have seen some fancy variations on the metal chain strap out there, but they have always been chromed (for smoothness as well as looks).

Just my opinion

Cheers

[Bob C]

My thanks to Mick, the wooden head for modelling my coif while I took the picture

HAHAHAHHA! I can see how he got his name. The resemblence is remarkable.

[Caradoc]

I think that your belt is going to abraid the fabric of your kilt.

No joke. I've seen what butted-link mail can do to Sunforger and heavier canvas. I don't even want to imagine what it would do to worsted wool.

From what my friend told me one can brighten the links again by puting the piece in a can with sand and shaking it to remove the oxidation.

It's much easier to put the mail in a five-gallon paint bucket with a few handfuls of fine sand and a cup or two of vineger, then carefully roll it down a good hill. A "period" alternative is to put the mail into a heavy canvas bag with some sand and some straw, and hand it to your squires to use as a "medicine ball" for some exercise for an hour or two.

I've made quite a lot of mail over the years, and I have to say this - galvanized steel wire is absolutely the worst stuff you can make it out of. The zinc oxide that forms is abrasive by itself, you can't simply heat the stuff up and let it off-gas without risking metal vapor poisoning, and the gray is nearly impossible to get out of cloth.

Add that to the varying methods of cutting the links (I prefer to square-cut the ends with a Dremel slitting wheel) and you've got a recipe to absolutely destroy a nice wool kilt.

[Panache]

... A "period" alternative is to put the mail into a heavy canvas bag with some sand and some straw, and hand it to your squires to use as a "medicine ball" for some exercise for an hour or two...

Hey I've got a squire!

"Sinbad! Come over here! Dad has a new ball for you to play with!"

Cheers

[alabama kiltie]

Yeh I was afraid that it mgiht rub on the kilt resulting in stains or worse tears. I plan on wearign thi around for about a week with ym cheap sportkilt just to see what happens. One thing i am considerign is using precut stainless steel rings that i can buy. Not only would they have smooth closures but they won't oxidze like galvanized will. If anyone si interested in a strap with these changes made let me know. I can make these and ship them out within threedays from the order.

[cavscout]

Can you post a picture of the other style of rings? I'm toying with an idea for my leather straps where I might could incorporate this.

[switchblade5984]

Hey I've got a squire!

"Sinbad! Come over here! Dad has a new ball for you to play with!"

Cheers

hahahaha i dindnt knowit was in ya!

[Hamish]

I admire your talent, but there is absolutely no way I would ever allow such a chain anywhere near any of my kilts! My fellow X Markers know well of my aversion to and dislike of sporran chains for day wear. Over the years I have seen horrendous damage done to kilt aprons (in particular) caused by the inappropriate wearing of even single chain straps - which were originally designed for dress wear with silver cantled sporrans. That chain straps are nowadays supplied, almost by default, with day-wear sporrans, is verging on the criminal to my mind.

Beautiful craftsmanship but, please, not with a sporran!