kilt belt (velcro)

[NewEnglander]

I just got my new kilt in the mail this afternoon. <insert babbling excitement here> I'll get some pics taken soon to prove it. Right now I'm just too absolutely thrilled to be finally wearing the MacPherson tartan.
In the meantime, I have a question about the kilt belts many of the online merchants sell. I have a brown on from Sportkilt and just received a black one from USA Kilts. My question is if there's a way to flatten out the loop where the belt doubles back on itself after it goes through the loop. I guess my waistline is on the smaller size for the belts I have and there's quite a bit of belt that gets doubled back (I feel like Hulk Hogan just strapped a WWF belt on me). The problem is that the loop where it passes back through the buckle causes it to not lie flat against the kilt, which looks sloppy to my eye. Any suggestions on how to reduce the thickness of the loop?
I'll try to get some pics posted soon, not only of the kilt, but of this belt issue too.

[wildrover]

A loop of sturdy leather which wraps around the two pieces does the trick, you snug it up against the buckle. I don't recall seeing it on the velcro style belts, but it's part of the sort I'm wearing right now, with the small buckle on the inside to adjust length, if that makes sense.

-Sean

[cavscout]

There should have been two "keepers" with the belt. They are intended to flank the buckle on each side and cover the rivets on one side and help hold fast the turned back side as well as provide visual balance to the belt.

You can lay it out on a smooth, flat surface and apply HEAVY pressure to the turn. Sometimes it just takes breaking in.

[NewEnglander]

Alright, I guess I just need to give it (and the keeper loops) more time. Those keepers are tough to get through the belt loops.

[Tobus]

A picture of the belt would probably help. Are you talking about where the buckle is attached to the belt?

Usually when making a belt (or any leather item that folds back onto itself), a good leather worker will skive the leather down to reduce the thickness without sacrificing strength. Even scoring the backside of the leather at the fold will let it lie flatter at the bend.

What you can do with stiff leather that doesn't want to fold flat enough to suit your tastes is wet the leather and then pound it flat with a rawhide mallet or whatever you have handy. You may even want to clamp it in something to keep it compressed in the shape you want, and let it dry like that. Oil it after it's dried out and it should stay in the shape you want, while not being too stiff.

All leather will, over time and with enough oiling, soften up and stretch so that it lies flat. New leather is always a bit stiffer.

This is always the complaint of people who buy new saddles. They say their saddle is stiff and squeaky. It can take years of hard riding to get a saddle to 'lay down', loosen up, and mold itself to both horse and rider. So the old cowboy trick is to dunk the saddle in a water trough until the leather has soaked up a good bit of water. Throw it on the horse and ride until it's dry. It will take repeated re-tightening of cinches, adjustment of stirrups, etc., but by the time it's dry it will have stretched and conformed nicely. Then several good applications of oil are in order.

You'll basically want to do the same thing if your new belt is stiffer than you'd like, and the loop isn't laying as you'd like it to.

I'd recommend Neatsfoot oil or mink oil for any leather items you want to keep supple and soft.

[NewEnglander]

Thanks for the expert advice. Once I'm sure I have the buckle in the correct position I'll wetting, pounding and clamping the belt. These belts are a "one size fits all" sort which is probably the reason thickness couldn't be decreased where the buckle attaches.

[Chas]

Thanks for the expert advice. Once I'm sure I have the buckle in the correct position I'll wetting, pounding and clamping the belt. These belts are a "one size fits all" sort which is probably the reason thickness couldn't be decreased where the buckle attaches.

Actually they are not 'one size fits all'. They are made in S M L and probably XL for the men of substance. You might have one that is too large. This is normally not a problem, unless you have to fold too much back. There is no need for the velcro to go through the loop on the back of the buckle - if it does, cut it off.

I have found wetting the leather to be the best, but I used a large stack of books, rather than pounding or clamping.

Regards

Chas

[NewEnglander]

Actually they are not 'one size fits all'. They are made in S M L and probably XL for the men of substance. You might have one that is too large. This is normally not a problem, unless you have to fold too much back. There is no need for the velcro to go through the loop on the back of the buckle - if it does, cut it off.

I have found wetting the leather to be the best, but I used a large stack of books, rather than pounding or clamping.

Regards

Chas

Do you have a picture of the back of the buckle? Now I'm wondering if I'm doing this wrong entirely. The belt I received with my new kilt is a large and I assume I was given this one based on my waist measurement. There's quite a bit of belt that is doubled back. How would one cut it off?

[GG]

I have or rather had one of these belts. There are two major problems built into them, so to speak.
1) They cannot be flattened, as you say
2) If you have to adjust the length rather frequently, due to using it with various kilts and your waistline is changing (I lost 10 kilos last year) the Velcro is loosing its ability to keep the surfaces together.

Therefore my advice: Pay a little bit more and buy yourself a belt which is to adjust by means of an inside strap and a buckle. It is also thinner and accordingly no flattening problem exists.

Greg

[cavscout]

No, you are correct. The belt passes through the buckle, then turns back on itself with the loose end being held in place by the velcro. Her's one a pic before I've skived (thinned) the leather down to bend tighter to show the belt passing through the buckle.


The keepers should be at each end of the belt as shown in this picture.


The keepers can be tough to get through the "belt loops" on the back of the kilt but you don't have to run the belt through the "belt loops". The general consensus is that the "belt loops" are not intended for the belt anyway even though they are 2.5 - 3". They are intended for your sporran strap to pass through to help hold it up and the larger size is to simply make it easier to pass the strap through behind your back when you can't see what your hands are doing.

I'm assuming this is the belt you purchased


Just to make sure we are on the same "sheet of music":
You will have a good bit of belt turned back on itself. That is the expansion. If you are larger you will have less on the inside, smaller and you will have more on the inside.

The Velcro on these belts are held on by the stitching you see running the length of the belt. The continuous run of velcro also contributes to the stiffness you are experiencing. This is why I leave long space between the to velcro faces so the wearer can easily fold the belt.

You could wet it but I really would not recommend doing that with a belt like this. These belts have a factory finish on them that will prevent water from easily soaking into them as well as if you do soak it, you would need to soak the entire belt (IMHO) to prevent there being a change of appearance in one spot, especially with the embossing.

Your best bet is to sit down and work the spot where you need to bend the leather back and forth to loosen up the fibers. When you get tired of that put it under a stack of heavy books on a smooth flat surface. It will fold tighter over time.