Sporran repair advise

[csbdr]

OK, I go and get a nice vintage seal sporran...

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/a...889/index.html

which to my eye seems to be in great wearable shape. I wore it to an event last weekend and 2 problems occured, I think because the seal skin itself was fragile/dry, whereas the cowskin bag, etc. was fine.

1. after opening and closing it through the evening, a crack developed in the sealskin between 2 tassle chains

2. A couple strips came off the gusset, and fell off, exposing the cowhide.

I only carried a card, my license, a bill clip, and an Iphone, so I didn't jam it full of stuff, and it was all relatively flat.

I think I can take a knife blade and work the crack back together the right way and glue it. I also have some similarly colored seal skin in the basement which I picked up for fly tying (ladies gloves and handbag - vintage) Assuming that the spare seal doesn't have the same issue, and is more pliable (I haven't gotten it out yet...)

a. does this repair seem feasible (to cut out a patch and glue it in like a puzzle piece)

b. what to use for glue?

c. should I send it to someone for a repair? if so, who?

d. would I be better off, considering this is likely to happen again, just redoing the whole thing in a differnt, more pliable fur? I have a whole fox and coyote, both skins in good shape, which I could theoretically use. Again, how to glue?

I'd like to save this and still wear it, maybe without carrying anything next time (that's what my wife's purse is for, I guess...)

Any advise from our pro/amateur leatherworkers welcome