How to prevent sporran wear?

[Kilted KT]

I've a leather semi-dress sporran, made of decently thick leather. Recently I've discovered that the top of the flap is starting to wear, similar to black leather boots that you wear all the time. The color is fading, and is now a greyish color in some areas.

I am fairly certain it is because I wear it almost every day, and use it as designed. I also wear it a bit high, to prevent it from becoming a pain when walking.

anyone have any ideas on how to prevent or repair this?

( and yes, wearing it lower may work, but is not very comfortable )

thanks!

[cavscout]

Is the wear caused by the opening and closing of the sporran or is something rubbing across the top of the sporran?

[Kilted KT]

Is the wear caused by the opening and closing of the sporran or is something rubbing across the top of the sporran?

prolly both, I've always got my kiltbelt on ( the kiltmaker thought I was a wee bit larger than I am....).

any idea on how to re-color the leather, aside from a black sharpie?

[cavscout]

To ensure the entire sporran stays the same color and "glossiness" you may have to refinish the whole thing. Use extreme caution with this also as whatever is rubbed onto the sporran could easily end up on your kilt, so take everything I say with a grain of salt as I've never done this on a sporran, only shoes.

In the military we would take the new boots and strip them down with shaving cream (squirt it on and scrub the sporran with a stiff brush. not a wire brush, just something that will lightly scuff thru the manufacturers finish without gougeing the leather.)

Rinse it well with water and let dry.

Once dry, take black leather dye and coat the whole sporran with it. This penetrates very deeply. in an hour or so you can start rubbing in black shoe polish to get back to a more glossy even finish.

Once the polish is on you now have to be careful not to get it on the kilt so there are several products available at tandy leather which you can seal the sporran with and prevent smudging. They also have an "all-in-one" product which is supposed to dye and finish at the same time, but I have never used it.

[Kilted KT]

thanks for all the ideas...I'll have to try them and see what happens!

thanks!

[James]

All leather will dry out, lose colour and crack unless cleaned.

So belts/sporrans etc must be cleaned on a regular basis.

A decent shoe polish of the right colour will do the trick, and will no more damage your kilt or anything else than cleaned shoes will stain the cuffs of trousers.

I do this with kilt belts and sporrans and have never yet had a problem.

James

[Hamish]

All leather will dry out, lose colour and crack unless cleaned.

So belts/sporrans etc must be cleaned on a regular basis.

A decent shoe polish of the right colour will do the trick, and will no more damage your kilt or anything else than cleaned shoes will stain the cuffs of trousers.

I do this with kilt belts and sporrans and have never yet had a problem.

James

Well said, James. That is precisely what I do. About once a month I have a jolly good session with the black and brown shoe polishes and treat all my belts and sporrans - much as I do with my shoes and boots, but they're done weekly!

[KiltedKnight]

Find a leather supplier, get a small bottle of leather dye and re-dye the entire sporran or whatever is plain leather. Then get some saddle soap and rub it into the worn area a few times over a couple of days. Once that's set in, rub out EVERYTHING that you've dyed with a good clean cloth and rub it hard. Then BRUSH on regular shoe polish and let the wax polish dry and harden before you buff it, wax polish it again and brush it once it's completely dry and then rub it down with a clean cloth. It won't transfer any dye or polish to your tartan. I do this all the time.

Chris.

[Southern Breeze]

Great advice from everyone. I'll have to remember this for when mine start to show wear.

[James]

There must be a problem if Hamish and I agree-no fun left in life.

But as Hamish says-do not wait for a problem-for once leather cracks-it stays cracked, and even the best will if uncared for.

Regular cleaning with a good polish is all that is needed-and it looks better with time.

As for staining the kilt-if cleaned well with polish-it will not*. But that does mean you polish it, not just put the stuff on and leave it.

1 A good coating of polish.

2 Leave for about twenty minutes.

3 A good brisk brushing to a nice shine.

4 Finish with a used yellow duster [a new one scratches]

Repeat that over the years and you'll have a lovely lustre.

*The above method was used by me for years in the military-Sam Browne-sword frog, leather day scabbard for sword, wellingtons: all in contact with uniform-be it blues or service dress/overalls-and never once did I have polish on the cloth of my uniform.

James