sporran mold

[grizzbass]

Does any one know where I can get molds for sporrans. I have built 3 formed sporrans but the mold was a jimmy rigged mixture of wood, nails and duck tape and while they looked pretty good but I'd like to make a sporran that doesn't require as much swearing
.

[Tobus]

Does any one know where I can get molds for sporrans. I have built 3 formed sporrans but the mold was a jimmy rigged mixture of wood, nails and duck tape and while they looked pretty good but I'd like to make a sporran that doesn't require as much swearing
.

I would say with 99.9% certainty that no one sells a mold for sporrans. They are made in all different sizes, shapes, and styles, and any mold that a maker might use would be very specific. But I would also venture to say that most sporran makers don't use any sort of mold for their sporrans. Generally, wet-molding of leather is to achieve a specific 3-dimensional shape that the leather needs to retain after it dries. Sporrans, on the other hand, usually have a flat front and back panel with soft collapsible gussets on the sides. Or they are soft-bodied and wouldn't need any sort of permanent shaping.

What exactly are you trying to achieve with a sporran mold? Are you just trying to make the gussets hold a permanent fold where they are stitched to the panels?

[grizzbass]

Thanks for the reply.
Most of the many sporrans I've made have been as you describe. I have seen formed sporrans for sale or being worn at scottish festivals and games. I have made two with my jimmy rigging and am planning to make one more but getting the smooth bottom is rough with what I have. They are a couple of videos that describe the technic. Years ago Blandford and sons had a you tube video where they made a sporrans with a mold but it required machines I don't have.

I would say with 99.9% certainty that no one sells a mold for sporrans. They are made in all different sizes, shapes, and styles, and any mold that a maker might use would be very specific. But I would also venture to say that most sporran makers don't use any sort of mold for their sporrans. Generally, wet-molding of leather is to achieve a specific 3-dimensional shape that the leather needs to retain after it dries. Sporrans, on the other hand, usually have a flat front and back panel with soft collapsible gussets on the sides. Or they are soft-bodied and wouldn't need any sort of permanent shaping.

What exactly are you trying to achieve with a sporran mold? Are you just trying to make the gussets hold a permanent fold where they are stitched to the panels?

[Tobus]

I guess I'm still unclear on what you're trying to do with the mold. Are you constructing the entire sporran and then inserting the mold into it for wet-forming to a final shape? Or just trying to tighten up the seam folds?

What kind of leather do you intend to use? Certain tanning processes aren't very conducive to wet-forming.

Just generally speaking, if I were going to build a mold for a completed sporran shape, I would probably just cut it out of a solid block of wood. Or layer plywood pieces with glue to build up the thickness, and then trim the whole thing to shape with a jigsaw, router the edges, and sand it smooth. Then I'd cut it in half, removing some of the centre material so that there's a gap. This would be for an adjustment on the width of the mold, either using double-threaded studs, wedges, or similar. That way, when it is inserted into the sporran it can be spread apart (much like a hat stretcher) to the final dimension you want your sporran to achieve. Let the leather dry, then collapse the mold and remove it. This would be fairly simple to do; it just requires you to size it for your specific sporran design.

[grizzbass]

I am making a wet molded front piece and then sew it on a back piece which I have cut out and will use the front to trim it to size.
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I'm bundled a bit because aftewr 25 years in California apparently I've become a californian. I actually think it cold today (38 and raining) The leather is just regular veggi tan medium thickness.
I agree totally on the saws and wood but don't own and don't have access to those or the sander to smooth out the round edges.
This is one of the two I've done before.
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I guess I'm still unclear on what you're trying to do with the mold. Are you constructing the entire sporran and then inserting the mold into it for wet-forming to a final shape? Or just trying to tighten up the seam folds?

What kind of leather do you intend to use? Certain tanning processes aren't very conducive to wet-forming.

Just generally speaking, if I were going to build a mold for a completed sporran shape, I would probably just cut it out of a solid block of wood. Or layer plywood pieces with glue to build up the thickness, and then trim the whole thing to shape with a jigsaw, router the edges, and sand it smooth. Then I'd cut it in half, removing some of the centre material so that there's a gap. This would be for an adjustment on the width of the mold, either using double-threaded studs, wedges, or similar. That way, when it is inserted into the sporran it can be spread apart (much like a hat stretcher) to the final dimension you want your sporran to achieve. Let the leather dry, then collapse the mold and remove it. This would be fairly simple to do; it just requires you to size it for your specific sporran design.

[Tobus]

Ah, OK, now I see how you're building the sporran. No gussets, just a formed front stitched to a flat back. I can see why you're wanting a mold.

It sounds like you're wet-molding the front before stitching it to the back. I agree that's the best way to do it, so the back stays flat and doesn't try to adhere to any other shape if it's already attached to the front panel during the wet-forming process.

Wet-forming just the front panel by itself, when it's not attached to anything on the back, can be difficult. For that, I would probably be tempted to make more of a two-piece press jig. It would be an outside frame and an inside die. The leather gets pushed into the frame by the die and left there until it's dry. That's easy to make if you have tools, but you don't have tools. How do you not have basic tools?! Even just a simple small hand-saw and a rasp would get you what you need to cut the shape yourself, and the rest can be done with sandpaper.

If buying tools and making your own mold isn't in the cards, my plan B would be to pre-stitch your front panel to another hard surface. Maybe a piece of sacrificial scrap leather, fiberboard, a sheet of thick plastic, anything. You could just tack the leather to it through some temporary stitch holes to secure it. Then wet-form to that piece, cut the stitches, and then do the full stitching to your actual leather sporran back piece. For the wet-forming process, since your sporran is fairly square and boxy-shaped, you can use anything for a mold. Take a book, wrap it in a dish towel, wrap the whole thing in plastic kitchen wrap, and use it as a mold. Use anything that gives you the shape and is sturdy enough to hold its own shape while leather is stretched over it. Just wrap it in plastic and its suddenly a mold.

I've done this before when I was making things like holsters and rifle butt-stock wraps to hold charging clips, etc. When there's a piece that's a weird shape and I don't have a blank or custom mold, just take the real thing I want it to be shaped to hold, wrap it well enough to protect it from moisture, and use it as the mold. In your case, books or layers of cardboard glued together would work fine.

[grizzbass]

for the advise. While I've had experience at destroying things (sledge hammer, pick axe etc) building stuff hasn't been part of my life so no saw etc. I've spent most of my life as a singer, actor and educator where I've learned a different skill set.
The jig is actually more what I was thinking of. I did create an inner piece a year ago by using 2 pre-cut plagues or bases made of wood from hobby stores wrapping them in duct tape but have not been able to make the outer. I bought some clamps and that seems to have helped but not as much as the outer gigi would.
I am pretty pleased with how this one is turning out though. When I'm done I'll put up pictures.

[OC Richard]

Interesting, because as far as I know sporrans were never made in that way.

As we know, sporrans are made using matching flat front and back panels, with a side gusset in between (except for the Rob Roy style which is a simple soft leather bag).

The front and back panels are soft flexible leather on Culloden style sporrans (which have a suspended bag) but more firm on most styles. The side gusset is always soft and flexible, allowing the sporran to expand.

Using a mould, like a holster or firearm magazine pouch, makes sense for that purpose because these are moulded to a specific item which never changes shape. You don't have to reach down inside to remove the revolver or magazine. But a sporran, which might be called upon to accommodate ever-changing cargo, and have room for your hand to reach to the bottom to grab something, would be limited by being moulded.

[grizzbass]

here is the finished project. I made it for hiking, especially this spring for my regular time in wyoming and montana looking for grizzlies to photo. (I'll do wolves, foxes, bison, moose or pika if they make themselves available and scenic but the goal is grizzlies
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It turned out okay, not perfect, but I am fine with.
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From the side
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It'll be fun with my kilt, toe shoes and new sporran as I wander the trail.

[Tobus]

Very nicely done! Did you do the bear patch yourself from scratch?

Have you considered rounding the shape of the sporran at the bottom instead of making it squared with corners? For hiking, I would think the corners would become annoying and possibly painful after a while.