Belts for our beautiful sheaths

R

rtmind

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Mar 8, 2013
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Thanks to the wealth of knowledge shared here, my sheaths have taken a great leap forward in quality. But unforturnatley i haven't been able to make a belt i feel good with. The biggest thing bugging me is that every one of the belts i have made comes out as hard as my sheath leather after dying. Have tried a light application of neetsfoot oil. Not sure if i used enough, or is this something normal for belts made with veg tan? Prior to a year ago i have only had store bought. Any information you folks could share on the subject would be greatly appriciated. Randy
 
leather dyes are harsh on the materials and will stiffen the leather until you make it supple again. I've almost no experience with neatsfoot oil as a solitary used product but I actually prefer my belts and sheaths on the stiff/rigid side.

I'd say take a test piece and dye it like you do the belt and add thin and subsequent applications of the oil to see if the test piece turns out softer as you want it.
 
You know, veg tan belts are always a little stiff when brand new, but they break in rapidly and become supple. A little Neatsfoot oil is generally a very good idea, especially on russet.

Paul
 
Yep, break in time, the thicker the leather the longer the break in.

oil and conditioners are your friend, just use in moderation.

I made myself a very thick load bearing type belt for holster and heavy knife and its still too stiff for my liking. Try sitting down for long periods with a stiff belt and it gets painful. You will notice a well broken in belt has a curve to it when you take it off, working yours in a slight curve might help your break in.
 
I have two ways of doing belts
1. Apply 3 coats neatsfoot oil after stamping and art work is done, it darkens quite a bit, then apply your dye or antique finish, this method gives me a supple soft belt and tight fitting (it doesn't slide around on your jeans trousers)

2. Apply our local sheen 2 coats after stamping and artwork , then antique or dye, again sheen, lastly to bring back some suppleness a coat of neatsfoot or our local leather balm , this method is a stiffer belt but still supple, the belt is smooth to the touch.

Black belts I use method 2.
 
leatherman said:
Yep, break in time, the thicker the leather the longer the break in.

oil and conditioners are your friend, just use in moderation.

I made myself a very thick load bearing type belt for holster and heavy knife and its still too stiff for my liking. Try sitting down for long periods with a stiff belt and it gets painful. You will notice a well broken in belt has a curve to it when you take it off, working yours in a slight curve might help your break in.
Click to expand...

The other option is to follow John Bianchi's lead and cut it on a curve. He covers this on the belt portion of his how to make a western rig DVD set.

I like a big thick stiff belt and sell a pile of them every year since I got my powered stitcher, probably 300 last year. One that's done right and broken in will be your friend for a long time as well as add a lot of support to your waistline. The most obvious effects are not replacing a belt a couple times a year along with the belt actually supporting your pants. I posted this picture on the holster thread but it does a good job of illustrating how it holds your pants up.



Even after oil and final finish they are going to be stiff for a while that is just part of working and wearing leather.

Some folks swear by things like oblong holes for comfort that allow the belt to ride a little flatter. I've worn this belt a lot and can't tell a difference other than the hassle it is to keep that punch straight.

 
I prefer a stiffer belt for its weight bearing load. I make my own belts when I buy a shoulder of leather, I cut out the belts from the best part of the leather and then use the rest for sheaths. Break in time is where one can soften the leather, when it becomes too much put on an older belt as one doesn't have to wear the new one all the time.
 
Are you cementing two layers together? Not sure how well it would translate to a belt, but I glue the layers together on my cuffs so that there is a pre bend. Slightly longer top, shorter length bottom. Gives it a nice curve and keeps the top piece from needing to stretch out.

Here's an example with snake skin.

IMG_20150311_154916_zpsmbp5whvv.jpg


The skin is a bit longer than the leather. Can't have excessive stretch on the skin as it's rather delicate.

Glued and stitched.

IMG_20150316_185204_zps67qg5zlc.jpg
 
Thanks for the feedback folks. Haven't been around hand made belts, sounds like it's a learning curve. Have done single and double layer, both would basically stand up by themselves. Will experiment with oil more and just keep working. I'm finding that this is the most fun hobbie i have now. Never had good leather before, sure is fun to play with. I really appriciate the way everyone shares here. rtmind
 
I realized after getting one of Dave's ( Horsewright ) belts that lined - doubled sided are the only way to go .
Because they need to be fully stitched and I only hand stitch I don't see myself ever making another belt .
I did make a simple hobble belt , but haven't used it much , I'm waiting for my current work belt to wear out .




Ken
 
Ya got pics of that belt Ken I'd like to see how its holding up?
 
Horsewright said:
Ya got pics of that belt Ken I'd like to see how its holding up?
Click to expand...

Dave I only just saw your post .
I'm not at home at the moment , but will put up a pic of your belt when I can .
It still looks nearly BNIB because I only wear it on good occasions . One day it will become my everyday belt , but at the moment I want to protect it for as long as possible :)

Ken
 
Just curious, but has any of you gents ever done a leather belt with a cobra buckle? I know this is probably something akin to Frankenstein's monster, but it sort of just popped up in my head tonight.
 
vilePossum said:
Just curious, but has any of you gents ever done a leather belt with a cobra buckle? I know this is probably something akin to Frankenstein's monster, but it sort of just popped up in my head tonight.
Click to expand...

http://milspecmonkey.com/store/hardware-diy/339-austrialpin-cobra-buckle.html

austrialpin-cobra-buckle.jpg


Cobra buckles [unless I'm mistaken] were load bearing buckles meant for cargo straps on military air-freight ships [C-130's, etc]. I like the idea but also tend to think it a bit "overkill"

I also know that a lot of pro shooters have them on their extra-rigid pistol competition belts.

I also know that if someone were to incorporate one into a belt, the belt attachment method would have to be constructed something like a "Ranger" belt - in a way that allows you to remove the buckle, thread the belt into the pant and add the buckle when you have the belt in place. The buckles don't typically thread through belt loops.
 
Dang learn something new every day. I thought he was talking about a snake's head!
 
You aint the only one Dave! I had the same thing pop into my head.


I have seen rattle snake head belt buckles though, kind of showy I think.
 
LOL.....yeah I guess the way the story goes; as the worn cargo straps were replaced, the crewmen would keep them for the buckles. Stories were reported that the crewmen incorporated them into recreational climbing/rappelling/chute rigs and such....though I have no idea if that's true or not. I guess it could be but I don't know.
 
Are you stitching the sides? I've always found that the stitched ones comes out stiffer than the plain one because the threads restricts the stretching of the belt.

P.s. yup I too thought it was an actual cobra's head :P
 
Mine is saddle skirting, 14 ounce leather and very very dense. Dont need no lining on that unless you like the smooth inner, then its really nice. :D

I'm a 32 waist, so that may affect how that thick a leather acts on my skinny self. :p Its slowly getting better, very slowly.
 
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