Wyvern Report post Posted March 29, 2010 I just finished my first sporran made with fur. This is badger. Any suggestions as to improving anything? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomBanwell Report post Posted March 29, 2010 Very beautiful work! Top notch. I can't see anything to improve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyL1 Report post Posted March 30, 2010 I just finished my first sporran made with fur. This is badger. Any suggestions as to improving anything? It looks horrible in the photo. Could you please send it to me so I can make a better assessment? Seriously though, beautiful work. Cheers, Andy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MADMAX22 Report post Posted March 30, 2010 That looks killer man. Any larger photos by chance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottishshoemaker Report post Posted March 31, 2010 Looking good Wyvern, maybe next time use the badgers mask on the front. How did you get on locating a pinking iron? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wyvern Report post Posted March 31, 2010 Looking good Wyvern, maybe next time use the badgers mask on the front. How did you get on locating a pinking iron? My friend, I am not very good with fur yet. I also have a personal bias against full face sporrans. Also wouldn't have the foggiest idea of how to mount the face. I am trying to reinvent the wheel with the whole fur thing. Can't find very much in the way of instructions. JD Ramsey has helped me quite a bit so far. As far as the pinking iron, the only ones I have found are much too expensive. I don' want to pay as much for one as folks are asking. I guess it's my Scots blood. I am "thrifty". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whinewine Report post Posted March 31, 2010 Beautiful! russ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JDRamsey Report post Posted April 2, 2010 I just finished my first sporran made with fur. This is badger. Any suggestions as to improving anything? Wyvern, Fantastic! I have not logged into this site for a while, and just look at what I find when I do! This is lovely. It is uniquely your design, that's easy to see. I really like the Celtic knotwork under the cantle, and the contrasting colors are well done. Excellent job on the stitching. What was the order of assembly? What are the dimensions, about 8 x 9? Is the gusset tapered? Please drop me an email and tell me the nitty details of the good, bad, and ugly in its creation. I hope to learn from what you can tell me and any hints & tips you may have learned. How was the badger to work with? Cantankerous I bet. I had much trouble keeping the silver fox fur out of my way when constructing my own, not to mention the attraction it seemed to have for my nose. Couldn't keep the stray fibers away from my face. I'm in the thought process of making another one for myself that will have my clan crest on the leather under the cantle. It should be fun to do. You should be proud of this first of its kind. Great job from all I see in the picture. Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
druid Report post Posted April 2, 2010 While I typically love the designs of your Sporrans, the Cantle on this one looks a little to 'busy' for me. I'm not sure if it's the 2 tone color scheme, the 'large' nature of the Cantle, or the size of the Triquetra in the center...or if it's how the tassels connect to the Cantle... I think for me, it's a combination of two...a too large Triquetra and how the tassels connect to the Cantle... Personally speaking, I think if the Tassels attached to the center of the fur with about a 1" thong showing, I'd like it a lot more and regardless of the Triquetra. I think it's just a matter of personal preference with me and hope that you don't take offense to my commentary - it is a very nice sporran regardless of my insignificant preferences... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wyvern Report post Posted April 2, 2010 While I typically love the designs of your Sporrans, the Cantle on this one looks a little to 'busy' for me. I'm not sure if it's the 2 tone color scheme, the 'large' nature of the Cantle, or the size of the Triquetra in the center...or if it's how the tassels connect to the Cantle... I think for me, it's a combination of two...a too large Triquetra and how the tassels connect to the Cantle... Personally speaking, I think if the Tassels attached to the center of the fur with about a 1" thong showing, I'd like it a lot more and regardless of the Triquetra. I think it's just a matter of personal preference with me and hope that you don't take offense to my commentary - it is a very nice sporran regardless of my insignificant preferences... Druid, no offense taken at all! I asked for an opinion from everyone. I think your thoughts on the tassels is a VERY valid point. My concern even before your suggestion has been 1. placement of the tassels, and 2, How to attach the tassels inside. I don't want knots inside the sporran (offensive to the hand). I have to figure out some way to attach the ends of the tassels inside the sporran. I am also struggling with keeping the gusset from bulging at the top. I am going to have to try JD"s tapered gusset. Wyvern, Fantastic! I have not logged into this site for a while, and just look at what I find when I do! This is lovely. It is uniquely your design, that's easy to see. I really like the Celtic knotwork under the cantle, and the contrasting colors are well done. Excellent job on the stitching. What was the order of assembly? What are the dimensions, about 8 x 9? Is the gusset tapered? Please drop me an email and tell me the nitty details of the good, bad, and ugly in its creation. I hope to learn from what you can tell me and any hints & tips you may have learned. How was the badger to work with? Cantankerous I bet. I had much trouble keeping the silver fox fur out of my way when constructing my own, not to mention the attraction it seemed to have for my nose. Couldn't keep the stray fibers away from my face. I'm in the thought process of making another one for myself that will have my clan crest on the leather under the cantle. It should be fun to do. You should be proud of this first of its kind. Great job from all I see in the picture. Jim JD, as soon as I get the chance, I will send you the details. My summer time job has started and I am having a time getting everything done. Donnie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
druid Report post Posted April 2, 2010 Druid, no offense taken at all! I asked for an opinion from everyone. I think your thoughts on the tassels is a VERY valid point. My concern even before your suggestion has been 1. placement of the tassels, and 2, How to attach the tassels inside. I don't want knots inside the sporran (offensive to the hand). I have to figure out some way to attach the ends of the tassels inside the sporran. I am also struggling with keeping the gusset from bulging at the top. I am going to have to try JD"s tapered gusset. Whew! Sometimes my thoughts aren't conveyed properly in print and I think that I'm misunderstood at times...lol. 1. Placement - As I said earlier, a hole punched into the front of the Sporran pouch, perhaps 2"-3" below the lower horizon of the Cantle. The thong, about 1"-2" long. 2. How to attach - I know exactly what you mean about hand-offensive knots. If the thong is braided, you can "open" the ends of the braid to make a "star" pattern like an asterisk and cement the ends down flatly. Either a piece of lining cemented over top of the area or completely line the pouch with a pig skin split, will cover that area and not be offensive. I too don't like a bulging gusset...my rabbit hair/chrome Cantle version does that. What I did was to take a toothpick and some cement, fold the gusset at the natural crease,add a tiny bit of cement and clamp it. Think about "glued pleats" on a modern Kilt made from camouflage material. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JDRamsey Report post Posted April 2, 2010 (edited) Druid, no offense taken at all! I asked for an opinion from everyone. I think your thoughts on the tassels is a VERY valid point. My concern even before your suggestion has been 1. placement of the tassels, and 2, How to attach the tassels inside. I don't want knots inside the sporran (offensive to the hand). I have to figure out some way to attach the ends of the tassels inside the sporran. I am also struggling with keeping the gusset from bulging at the top. I am going to have to try JD"s tapered gusset. JD, as soon as I get the chance, I will send you the details. My summer time job has started and I am having a time getting everything done. Donnie Take your time, Donnie. I have a very full, demanding day job, so I understand completely. I have a thought about the center tassel that you don't want to be knotted inside. You could make a 3 strand braid for about 3/4" to an inch in the middle of the strands, which are cut long enough to develop a braided cord of the desired length, pull it through a couple of strategically placed holes in the front, and then combine them into a 6 strand braid on the outside, comng down to the length you want, ended in a terminal knot that is covered by the tassel, or the six strands beyond the terminal knot could be all or part of the tassel. You would have a loop inside rather than a knot. If that's a concern, you could sew a small patch style leather pocket or cover over the two holes to prevent the loop being pulled inward by a stray finger and thread the 3 strands through with a live eye needle. Might have to tape one end of the 3 strands to the needle to get it through, but I think that should work. The braiding takes a bit of time, but I think the results look very good. Down side is keeping the badger fuzz out of the way while you braid. Maybe a plastic protective cover over the braid between you and the fuzz would help. Just split the plastic in a couple of spots to about half way in, slide it over the two ends of 3 strand & tape the slots to keep it in place as a shield while you combine the two into 6 strands and then braid to length. You may already be familiar with this type of braiding, but if not, Robert Black has an extremely good set of instructional DVDs on braiding and tying several different decorative knots. That's where I learned to do all of the braiding that I do. This set of tutorials is well worth the 60 bucks. He has also put several good articles in the "Leather Crafter's and Saddler's Journal" that provides instructions on doing this very thing, but it may be a set of 4 strand looped into an 8 strand braid, I don't remember. I have several issues that contain some of his articles. The idea above is in my mind and there is an understanding of what I would do, but there may be assumptions I've made that shove my instructions into the realm of vague and incomplete. If there are any questions, feel free to ask. Do you think this would work ok, or are there pitfalls I just do not see? have a wonderful Easter. Jim By the way, I'm impressed with your Super Squirrel. Edited April 2, 2010 by JDRamsey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
