Leather sporran strap etiquette

[Jock Scot]

In a fairly long kilt wearing life, I cannot recall anyone even discussing where the leather sporran strap buckle goes. I put mine at the back and have, I suppose, always assumed everyone else does the same. Although, I can't see that anyone would bother if someone did something else, with their buckle. I suppose it is a wee tad smarter to have the buckle out of sight.

[kingandrew]

I run my strap through the back of the sporran, like a belt. Once I have it buckled and adjusted, I rotate the buckle towards my back, in order to avoid anything tangling with the "flap" of belt left hanging out past the buckle. That is nicely held in check by the belt loops in back.

Andrew

[OC Richard]

Since in my case the buckle doesn't seem to interfere with anything, and I don't care if anybody sees it, I leave it where I did the buckling, at my side.

It never occurred to me to take the trouble of dragging the entire belt around in order to put the buckle at a different place. (I guess the operation would have to be reversed when undressing?)

Continuing with my theme that Highland Dress is clothing, by analogy I wouldn't see the point in, after I buckled my trouser belt, rotating the entire belt so the buckle ended up somewhere other than where it was buckled, in front.

Though I can imagine instances when that might be done, say if it's a big bulky buckle and I'm wearing a waistcoat or something over the buckle.

[Riverkilt]

A new topic for sure Jock.

I started out in the back but it was such a hassle I moved it around to the front for convenience. Tuck the buckle under the sporran itself.

Front is easier to buckle and easier to unbuckle.

Course, sporrans don't hold much of anything besides a "War Kitten." Hardly wear them. Prefer a vest with pockets or a nice leather fanny pack in lieu of a sporran.

[AKScott]

I use a conroy as a sporran strap buckle and ordinarily slide the buckle under the sporran so all I have visible is a continuous leather strap.

M2c

[OC Richard]

I thought of this thread due to myself, who had been wearing plain leather belts exclusively for years, recently changing over to long-link chain straps.

This is because I've been having issues with the sporran staying centred whilst marching playing pipes, or running around at Highland Games.

Then I had the issue of the little double D-ring leather adapter not staying put, and pulling right through the leather slot-tab on the back of the sporran.

So I made an extra wide and thick D-ring adapter for one sporran.

For another sporran, which had the leather slot-tab placed too low (it's a common Pakistani sporran problem) I did the previously unthinkable and riveted two D-rings directly onto the back of the sporran.

[Jock Scot]

I thought of this thread due to myself, who had been wearing plain leather belts exclusively for years, recently changing over to long-link chain straps.

This is because I've been having issues with the sporran staying centred whilst marching playing pipes, or running around at Highland Games.

Then I had the issue of the little double D-ring leather adapter not staying put, and pulling right through the leather slot-tab on the back of the sporran.

So I made an extra wide and thick D-ring adapter for one sporran.

For another sporran, which had the leather slot-tab placed too low (it's a common Pakistani sporran problem) I did the previously unthinkable and riveted two D-rings directly onto the back of the sporran.

Good gracious me! Do people actually use those D-ring things with a leather strap? I wear a leather strap with the sporran probably 99.9 percent of the time and the leather strap just slides through the leather “loop” attached to the sporran. On the rare occasion that I wear a sporran chain these days then I do wear the D-ring thingy as the sporran chain clips require them.

I am reminded of a discussion of the D- link thingy with a friend who has been wearing the kilt a tad longer than I have and he has always used a sporran chain for all occasions who had no idea what The D - links were for and he just clips the two clips together and places them quite comfortably in the leather “loop” on the one sporran he owns. Well alright, it works for him!

[OC Richard]

Good gracious me! Do people actually use those D-ring things with a leather strap? I wear a leather strap with the sporran probably 99.9 percent of the time and the leather strap just slides through the leather “loop” attached to the sporran. On the rare occasion that I wear a sporran chain these days then I do wear the D-ring thingy as the sporran chain clips require them.

Sorry for me not being clear, what I meant was that for many years I only wore a plain leather strap, which of course goes through the leather slot-tab thing stitched to the back of the sporran.

Those double D-ring adapter things appear to be a fairly recent invention.

Because up through WWII Evening Dress sporrans had rings soldered on the back for the chains to clip to:



But in the post-WWII years makers were going away from the old style with a leather flapped pocket in back, to sporrans that opened. Once the cantles no longer had a back-plate an alternate way of attaching the chain had to be found.

I am reminded of a discussion of the D- link thingy with a friend who has been wearing the kilt a tad longer than I have and he has always used a sporran chain for all occasions who had no idea what The D - links were for and he just clips the two clips together and places them quite comfortably in the leather “loop” on the one sporran he owns. Well alright, it works for him!

Yes I know of pipers who, when they can't find their D-adapter, just join the ends together. The only problem with that is it slips out of the leather tab more easily, so the sporran goes off-centre.

I was having that issue even with the D-adapter! So I had to made a wider fatter adapter that stays put.

[Tobus]

Those double D-ring adapter things appear to be a fairly recent invention.

Because up through WWII Evening Dress sporrans had rings soldered on the back for the chains to clip to:

Hmm, I have an older horse hair sporran (pretty sure it's pre-WWII, my guess was late 1800s to early 1900s) which still has the back pocket but no soldered rings. Just leather belt loops. As you can see, the previous owner hastily cobbled together a make-do version of a D-ring adapter to attach the chain.

I figure this sporran hails from a time when these were still considered daywear, and a plain leather strap would have sufficed. That may explain the absence of soldered fixed rings for a chain.

[McMurdo]

I am reminded of a discussion of the D- link thingy with a friend who has been wearing the kilt a tad longer than I have and he has always used a sporran chain for all occasions who had no idea what The D - links were for and he just clips the two clips together and places them quite comfortably in the leather “loop” on the one sporran he owns. Well alright, it works for him!

Glad to see that I am in good company, this is what I do. I have several of the D Ring things not sure if I'll ever use them for anything at all.