New sporran belt

[Pleater]

Good quality leather is well worth time and effort to work into useful items.

There are bits of the satchel I was given when I was eleven years old - 1962, still around and in good condition after decades of use. Belts and bags from the 1960s and 70s - my hippy era, waistcoats, even some skirts which would just about make a hand bag these days. I am slowly working my way through the stash to do repairs or make small items as required.

Many of the belts are now shaped like a scimitar after being worn in all weathers, but kilt straps and buckles, having probably been swapped over quite a few times remain straight.
I sew the straps through the same holes using black silk which is retained for reuse when removed so the kilt can be washed.

I have always had a vague intention of getting the proper leather working instruments, the comb for cutting slots for the stitching, the flat needles, the edge compressor - but having managed without them for so long I doubt I'd get the use out of them to make it worth the expense.

A single sharp point to use as an awl and darning needles work well enough for small projects

Anne the Pleater

[geomick]

unless we are thinking about different things, the flat needles are used for lacing (with leather lace) and conventional eyelet needles are used for thread. I use mostly harness needles but occasionally glover's needles and curved upholstery needles. Never tried silk thread for leather, I have always used waxed linen thread.

For burnishing edges, a smooth piece of plastic (such as a toothbrush handle) will do nearly the same job as a fancy dedicated leather working "burnishing bone".

[Pleater]

unless we are thinking about different things, the flat needles are used for lacing (with leather lace) and conventional eyelet needles are used for thread. I use mostly harness needles but occasionally glover's needles and curved upholstery needles. Never tried silk thread for leather, I have always used waxed linen thread.

For burnishing edges, a smooth piece of plastic (such as a toothbrush handle) will do nearly the same job as a fancy dedicated leather working "burnishing bone".

The flat needles I have seen have thread sized eyes and can pass eachother going through the holes or the eye is pushed through all the layers, a loop is caught and then the second thread is put through the loop and both threads are drawn tight.

I use a piece of stone - probably granite - on the edges. I think it was an inkstone at one point as it is curved, part of a shallow bowl maybe.

Anne the Pleater

[geomick]

that is a very different style of flat needle than what I have, and sounds very useful

[Jock Scot]

The D-ring adapter?

Some of those are made of thin leather and don't hold up.

They're easy to make with a scrap of leather, two D-rings, and two rivets (or Chicago screws if you don't have the thing to set rivets).

This being the DIY forum...

Top: crappy Pakistani adapter

Centre: decent adapter

Bottom: DIY heavy-duty adapter I made with Chicago screws. I made it wider so that it would fit snugly in the tab and not slide out making the sporran off-centre.

I have not used those D link things for more than twenty years. With my day sporran I just thread the leather strap through the "channel" on the sporran. And, on the rare event that I wear a dress sporran and chain, I just clip the two ends together and they reside in the place that that "D link thingy" lives. One does not necessarily need those D link things.

[SF Jeff]

I have not used those D link things for more than twenty years. With my day sporran I just thread the leather strap through the "channel" on the sporran. And, on the rare event that I wear a dress sporran and chain, I just clip the two ends together and they reside in the place that that "D link thingy" lives. One does not necessarily need those D link things.

Totally agree. They seem unnecessary, just clip the two ends of the chains together. Nevertheless, that was the only part of the old sporran belt that I kept. I had some of the new leather strap leftover but it was much too thick to fold over and rivet together to make a new one.