Chainmaille Sporran Strap

**mddock58** · 27th October 06, 10:49 AM

You could always mount the maille onto a leather strap!

**Rygar** · 27th October 06, 12:34 PM

Wow! I logged on to talk about just such a thing. I'm a Chainmaille crafter myself, and just made a sporran chain to go with my nightstalker.

I'd like to add a few things though. There are a huge number of weaves that can be done to make a sporran chain. Most of them being considered a jewelry weave, but with a heaver ring size, works well for this purpose. There are also different metals to use as well that won't oxidize as much as the Galvanized steel mentioned and pictured. I use a 5356 alloy of aluminum, and it's bright and shiny like polished silver. Another advantage to aluminum besides the weight is that it can be anodized to just about any color you would like. (Plan on making a Bengals themed chain for game days. :rolleyes: ) Titanium is also popular but a little on the expensive side.

As for excessive wear on the kilt, yeah, chains will do that no matter what, but for the hand weaved maille chains, the closures and cuts of your rings make a big difference. I prefer using saw cut rings, which when closed correctly, there is almost no discernable end to the ring. It looks darn near, and is darn near, a solid ring where snagging and rubbing are an issue.

I'll try to get a good camera shot or scan image of my chain if anyone is interested. It's a really nice weave called GSG, and it looks like X's along the side profile.

Hey Alabama Kiltie, do you make maille as a hobby alot? Have you visited any of the maille forums? If you haven't and your interested, PM or email me, and I'll point ya over to them.

**Bob C** · 27th October 06, 12:58 PM

I'm with the crew that would worry about these things shredding our kilts. If they could be mounted on a fabric backing, however, they could look really nice.

**Captain** · 27th October 06, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Bob C.

I'm with the crew that would worry about these things shredding our kilts. If they could be mounted on a fabric backing, however, they could look really nice.

Fabric or leather... I think these mounted on some leather straps would look really nice...

**alabama kiltie** · 27th October 06, 04:18 PM

I can definitely look into leather mounting. mybe even an included device to mount that back potion to the kilt belt. and then with the hanging strap secure it to a thign leather piece. that wouldnt be all that hard to do

**kallen** · 19th June 07, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

a

"Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner called...he wants his head piece back!!!

**cwr89** · 19th June 07, 06:32 PM

A K, I hate to say it but Euro 4-1 is probably the worst weave for belts, then followed by the box chain, I have ruined 3 shirts from doing some re-enacting with my maille shirt (also in Euro 4-1, except in spring tempered stainless steel)

euro 4-1 rips the poop out of cloth. box chain is nothing more than euro folded up and slipping another ring in. its got terrible attributes with cloth as well.

hope I help. don't give up on the maille, it took me 2 years of mailling to really understand what I was doing.

~Casey

**Archangel** · 19th June 07, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Rygar

Wow! I logged on to talk about just such a thing. I'm a Chainmaille crafter myself, and just made a sporran chain to go with my nightstalker.

I'd like to add a few things though. There are a huge number of weaves that can be done to make a sporran chain. Most of them being considered a jewelry weave, but with a heaver ring size, works well for this purpose. There are also different metals to use as well that won't oxidize as much as the Galvanized steel mentioned and pictured. I use a 5356 alloy of aluminum, and it's bright and shiny like polished silver. Another advantage to aluminum besides the weight is that it can be anodized to just about any color you would like. (Plan on making a Bengals themed chain for game days. :rolleyes: ) Titanium is also popular but a little on the expensive side.

As for excessive wear on the kilt, yeah, chains will do that no matter what, but for the hand weaved maille chains, the closures and cuts of your rings make a big difference. I prefer using saw cut rings, which when closed correctly, there is almost no discernable end to the ring. It looks darn near, and is darn near, a solid ring where snagging and rubbing are an issue.

I'll try to get a good camera shot or scan image of my chain if anyone is interested. It's a really nice weave called GSG, and it looks like X's along the side profile.

Hey Alabama Kiltie, do you make maille as a hobby alot? Have you visited any of the maille forums? If you haven't and your interested, PM or email me, and I'll point ya over to them.

A guy here makes guitar straps out of the aluminum. Really cool with the anodized colours and pretty smooth to go over shirts.
Myself, I prefer the braided leather but someone with skill could make this work. Maille was its own art form back in its day.

**solstice** · 20th June 07, 03:42 AM

I have to agree with what Rygar said. I'm also a (professional) maille crafter. The cut and material will make a world of difference but it'll still be a chain and it'll still wear your kilt down.

**Tukaram** · 20th June 07, 04:22 PM

Well the closures on my chain are about as good as the chain that came with the sporran so I hope abrasion will not be a major problem. I am considering putting a leather backing on it if I can get it to look good. I'm not worried about oxidation, I don't believe the bright aluminum rings oxidize like the galvanized. (but I've been doing chainmaille for 2 weeks...what do I know?

)

~edit~
but I did just finish my first custom job...too bad it was for free...so I'm still an amateur.