DIY Sporran straps

**hospitaller** · 21st July 08, 09:14 PM

I've made my own by simply getting a long leather dog leash at my local PETCO for about $10.95.

It comes with 1 spring loaded snap, so I bought another one for $0.95.

These leashes are about 60" long and are 3/4" wide, they are black, smoothed back and treated edge, they even come with beaded edges!

So I cut them to length (no adjustable buckle), folded the cut end, then drilled 4 x 1/32" holes, then stitched it all through the holes with shoe polyester thread (at my local shoe repair shop around the corner for $3.50 a roll of 100 yards.

So I now have a fantastic leather sporran strap for about $15, and I still have enough thread to make 2000 more.

**Spc. Scott** · 21st July 08, 09:19 PM

That's pretty sharp. Well done and a good reminder to the rest of us to keep our eyes peeled while we are out.

**Mipi** · 21st July 08, 11:15 PM

So, you're universal DIY guy; tanks, starps... and everything made good looking, too.
Open eyes and open mind usually pays off.

**ardchoille** · 21st July 08, 11:20 PM

Great idea, Hector, I never thought about a leather dog leash.. very inventive. I had a similar idea and am happy with the results.

**hospitaller** · 22nd July 08, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Mipi

So, you're universal DIY guy; tanks, starps... and everything made good looking, too.
Open eyes and open mind usually pays off.

hehe, well, it is amazing what being poor can do for your inventiveness.

$32+$7.50 shipping for a sporran strap is excessive in my book, so a $10 dog leash that looks exactly the same (even better looking I would say), and comes standard with beaded edges is a no brainer.

**Carolina Kiltman** · 22nd July 08, 11:02 AM

Beautiful! I'll have to try it. The adjustable ones always caught in the belt keeper when threading it through.

**george7** · 22nd July 08, 01:33 PM

And if your fur sporran ever re-incarnates, you'll have something to take it on a walk with. It looks great.

**cavscout** · 22nd July 08, 05:44 PM

Deleted by Cav.

**cavscout** · 23rd July 08, 07:20 AM

Nice Job. The stitching is very nice as well.

One thing to consider before going with non-adjustable straps is that if you only wear one style of kilt ie. 16 oz. wool with a traditional high waist you can get by with a non-adjustable strap. But, if you ever wear a PV kilt with a low waist, or even a Acrylic kilt with a high waist, your sporran will hang a bit lower. This is where the strap needs to be adjustable. Between my PV kilt and my Heavy wool kilt I will adjust my sporran strap about 3 inches.

But really you are not comparing Apples to Apples. Don't get me wrong, I would never insult your craftsmanship, however, what you have there is not what could be purchased for $32. Actually, what you did there for @ $15 would fetch probably about $20 from some online vendors.

**hospitaller** · 23rd July 08, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by cavscout

Nice Job. The stitching is very nice as well.

Thanks, I've seen it in your straps and in and some of the items at my local Tandy store so I thought it was the easiest stitching for me to do that would look half decent.

One thing to consider before going with non-adjustable straps is that if you only wear one style of kilt ie. 16 oz. wool with a traditional high waist you can get by with a non-adjustable strap. But, if you ever wear a PV kilt with a low waist, or even a Acrylic kilt with a high waist, your sporran will hang a bit lower. This is where the strap needs to be adjustable. Between my PV kilt and my Heavy wool kilt I will adjust my sporran strap about 3 inches.

True, I am already thinking about getting another leash to fashion a slightly shorter strap for my low sitting casual outfits.

But really you are not comparing Apples to Apples. Don't get me wrong, I would never insult your craftsmanship, however, what you have there is not what could be purchased for $32. Actually, what you did there for @ $15 would fetch probably about $20 from some online vendors.

I'm sure of it. This is a perfect solution for those like me, in a permanent state of crisis budget, so it is good for what it is. A fine looking leather strap, cut to measure to fit me. Or whoever wants to make them for themselves for that matter. And for the price of the leash I can still have 2-3 straps for the price of a single store bought adjustable strap.

I am saving my pennies to get one of your belts though, the 2-1/2" Kilt belt, Black Leather, Celtic Knot Embossed with Edge Bead. It has my name written all over it.