Project Blog - Historic Sporrans / Brass Cantle Project

[artificer]

It looks WONDERFUL- absolutely classic! Other than the small detail you mentioned, I wouldn't change a thing, either. I bet these things are really going to be something!

These are going to be some fantastic sporrans! I always enjoy following your threads, and this is the best yet. Looking forward to seeing what's next...

SM

WOW!!!

Thanks guys! I'm really excited to be moving forward again on these. I've got some great materials sourced for the bags, and am getting ready to order finial samples early next week.

Looking good Scott, don't know how you cope with the jonesing high for so long

yeah, I'm not normally known for my patience. The fact that there's no other option helps a whole lot

It's part of the reason I started both the brass cantle and "MacLeay" projects together, I figured I could always focus on one when the other experienced a delay for some reason or other.

[artificer]

I spoke with my smith today, all details have been cleared up. The files are on their way to the foundry for final checkout by their foreman. Then, on to the test moulds!

ith:

[Downunder Kilt]

Yahoo, getting closer and closer

[artificer]

Quick update:

I just talked to my smith.
According to the foundry, by Friday everything should be ready to have the masters cut!

[Downunder Kilt]

Quick update:

I just talked to my smith.
According to the foundry, by Friday everything should be ready to have the masters cut!

Great news, and you say masters, as in plural. does that mean 1,2,3 or just 1,2 at this time

[artificer]

Great news, and you say masters, as in plural. does that mean 1,2,3 or just 1,2 at this time

That's the last bit the foundry is squaring up right now... If it's more economical to cast the lot in one flask, or to do each style individually.

Unfortunately "masters" refers primarily to a front and back of one cantle. #2 should be shortly behind #1. #3 may have to wait a while. The cost of the material per-master is pretty high.

[creagdhubh]

Hi All,

The following is the blog documenting the start of a two-pronged project for me.

These projects are directly related, but will develop at different speeds due to the nature of one of them.

The first half of this project is my Historic Sporran development. These are sporrans I'm patterning on the watercolour paintings of Kenneth MacLeay, commissioned for Queen Victoria.

These sporrans will be modeled directly off of those worn by various individuals, and each individual 'type' will retain the name of the man pictured wearing it.

Below are a few small starter sketches indicating a 'first sweep' sampling of the sporrans worn. These are primarily the leather cantled sporrans, as the metal cantles project is a longer term one, and the economic restraints of metal casting in micro-batches will be an issue.


While at first glance a number of them seem nearly identical, there are subtle differences in cantle shape, or sometimes minor differences in the geometry of the curves (wider, shallower top), even though the basic shape is the same.

The second half of my historic sporrans blog will hopefully cover, from inception to final burnishing and installation, the development of some metal cantles.

I've been incredibly frustrated by the lack of historic metal (brass) cantles available on the market. There basically aren't any. The few I've seen have either been ex-MOD cantles or have gone for such insane prices on eBay (Thistledown and Downunder Kilt brought one to light that recently went for 690GBP/$1100US!)

Luckily, a metal smith friend and I have developed a working arrangement, I'm rebuilding all the leather in the harnesses for his suit of full-plate armour, and he's helping me develop the masters and (hopefully) sand cast brass cantles.

Below are the 2nd stage working drawings:


My plan is to cast a standard 'round' top cantle, and a more angular cantle. IF the box (for moulding) will allow, I may attempt either a very ornate Victorian cantle (which would be silver plated) or may further develop one of the MacLeay sporrans which would require a metal cantle, and most likely silver plating as well.

This is a long term blog, and will probably not see the near-daily updates of some of my WIP threads in the recent past.

Also, I'm looking for someone with VERY specific knowledge to act as a consultant on the project. Please PM me or email me at artificer(replace-with-at-symbol)earthlink.net if you feel yourself qualified and we can discuss arrangements.

As always, constructive commentary/critique is welcome.
ith:

Very cool - you should contact/collaborate with Kate Macpherson in Scotland. She's one heck of a traditional sporran maker and your designs are pretty much what she does and is all about, with the exception of her also focusing on head-on animal sporrans. I've provided her website below. Good luck!

www.katemacphersonsporrans.co.uk

Yours aye,

[BoldHighlander]

Quick update:

I just talked to my smith.
According to the foundry, by Friday everything should be ready to have the masters cut!

Something else to put on my wish list!

[Downunder Kilt]

One step ahead of you Terry, the moment Scott started the project, the "change bucket kilt fund" sprung into action. You wouldn't believe how much "shrapnel" ends up in the bottom of your sporran.

[artificer]

Very cool - you should contact/collaborate with Kate Macpherson in Scotland. She's one heck of a traditional sporran maker and your designs are pretty much what she does and is all about, with the exception of her also focusing on head-on animal sporrans...

Thanks Kyle. I'm (of course) familiar with her work, she is definitely an artist where the Full Mask is concerned.

Something else to put on my wish list!

One step ahead of you Terry, the moment Scott started the project, the "change bucket kilt fund" sprung into action. You wouldn't believe how much "shrapnel" ends up in the bottom of your sporran.

I've got a change jar, but between my rarely using cash anymore and my son's pilfering of the 'good stuff' (he's 5 and likes to "collect" coins ) I seem to lose ground in my change jar all the time.

A few small additional updates:
1) I'm in contact with the mfgr of the brass turnings for the knobs and samples should be on their way by early next week.

2) I've found some great sources for bag materials that I think will be pretty exciting:
classic pigskin,
long haired goat (6" hair),
some very fine kid skin that can be custom dyed as well as VERY nice chrome tanned kid,
Also, some wonderful elk and buffalo- elk for a soft, smooth grain, buffalo for a very deep craggy grain but with a very soft hand.

On the MacLeay horsehair sporran side, I've just ordered some of that very nice kidskin to make up the first of the Stewart sporrans. The hides should be here by Monday. As soon as I can find time in my schedule I can start cutting and stitching a sporran that probably hasn't existed for nearly two centuries.

Pewter is going to take a bit longer. We've had a LONG cold winter so far, and the wood shop is in the garage. 12*f + fingers + power tools = accidents = fewer intact fingers.