Kilt belts?

[Nighthawk]

Frank, do you have a FaceBook account? If you do, look up RsLeather. That's my FaceBook page for my living history persona- I just happen to be a professional leather artisan, and I have some tutorials on my FB account. I plan on posting a belt making tutorial in the next couple weeks as a matter of fact. I'd be more than happy to offer whatever help and advice I can.

[frank_a]

Yes I do Nighthawk, thanks! I will check it out. So far, I have determined that other than a double shoulder of something, I will need at least:

1. Strap cutter
2. Rotating punch
3. Rivet setting tool
4. What other tools would I need to make belts?

For materials, I need:

1. Leather, some piece of relatively easy to work double shoulder stuff. It would be good if it was consistent in thickness.
   
2. Rivets - 10mm?
3. Big buckles for 2", 2.5" and 3" belts?

I can find everything I need online but buckles. I'm sure I'm just not looking in the right places.

We used in live in Rawlins WY and our house was at 5385' elevation!

Off to check out your Facebook page! Thanks again.

Frank

[Downunder Kilt]

Frank, I am no kind of leather worker but, have alsways replace rivets on belts I have purchased with "chicago screws". Makes it a whole lot easier if you want change out buckles for a new look to the belt. Just something to think about.

[frank_a]

That's a great idea DK, thanks! I was looking at those and thinking the same thing. They don't come unscrewed on ya huh?

Frank

[frank_a]

Nighthawk, how does one get to your tutorials on your Facebook page? I can't figure it out.

Frank

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I've made a few assorted belts in my time; never a dirk belt as it happens. Like Tobus, I'd recommend a half hide over a double shoulder -- you want that kind of length which you can cut, and you want to cut belts only from the uppermost half of any half hide anyway -- this is where the leather is densest and strongest. A belt from there has a modicum of stiffness to it that is handy in belts -- the soft floppy leather from down in the belly regions is suited better to soft-feel things like pouches, sporrans, wallets -- anything that doesn't need to be at all stiff but is better if really flexible. Nice soft cuarans, say -- and their thongs or laces. There's a leather tool specifically for cutting leather lace from bits of otherwise unusable leather scrap.

Double shoulders are for things that don't need to be as long as a belt -- or else you're going to end up piecing your belt together by skiving, gluing, and sewing pieces together. But you can do better.

A half hide, dividing a full hide lengthwise down the spine in a long clean cut as it does, makes a superb starter, with that StrapCutter, for a good stout belt of simply any likely length, and sporran straps too. It's more expensive, but it gives you a leather supply for many years for a remarkable lot of stuff.

Leathercrafting's a fun craft too. It even smells good. The tooling and carving give artistic expression even to somebody who's in a lifetime habit of downplaying his own creativity (phooey to that). Though the dyeing will stain your fingers something awful -- likewise anything permeable your wet dye-covered fingers might happen to touch. It doesn't so much wash off as wear off -- it is intended, after all, to color dead epidermal cells, and that is exactly what's on your skin.

Finish any belt's edges with an edge slicker or else a bone folder. Teamed with an edge beveler tool, which knocks the corners of the leather off to then be rounded over and glazed with the slicker or folder, this finishes the otherwise raw-looking edges of the belt and completes the look of the thing.

[rscow]

Musings on beltmakiing.

Buying a double shoulder would yield a bunch of belts. Be sure to buy either 7 or 8 oz leather or thinner if you plan to line the belt. I make most of my belts lined. I like a thick stiff belt.

True, it is hard to get longer blanks...and even harder to find long blanks in widths above 1 1/2 inches. If you decide to go this route: You need the leather, of course. You need something to cut the straps with, and a strap cutter is a pretty good way to do it. They don't cost much. And they will cut a nice straight/parallel strap. You can ask the leather supplier to ship it with a straight edge cut on it. Otherwise you have to make a straight edge to work from.

If you are going to put any stitching on it, especially if you line it, you need stuff with which to do it right. The best method is the saddle stitch. So, needles, a means to mark the stitch line, a way to make stitch holes, waxed linen thread, and a way to mark where you want the individual holes/stitches.

I like to use a pair of metal dividers. Run it down the edge of the leather, and you can mark your stitch line. Set it for the width of your stitches and walk it down the stitch line and you have your holes marked. You can also buy separate tools for this.

You need a stitching awl. This makes your holes.

An edger is a good thing to have. A #2 will take the edges off the leather, and aid in the edge treatment you use.

Dye...use a decent quality one. I like the alcohol based ones. They seem to penetrate well. And you need something to seal the dye or it will rub off/run/stain your clothes/kilt.

Chicago screws work really well. Don't buy ones that are too long, though. the 1/4" or 3/8" ones are about right. I've never had one come unscrewed, but some loc-tite would take care of that.

Sources? Sometimes I shop Tandy. But my preference is Springfield Leather, in Springfield, Missouri. http://www.springfieldleather.com They have a good selection, are really good to work with. I don't work for them, etc.

Sporrans: I use 4 oz leather. It is flexible. Doubled up it is stiff enough for the front and back sides. A little hard to carve, though, since it's so thin.

Belt making tutorials?
https://plus.google.com/photos/11548...441?banner=pwa

And of course, the classic on sporrans for the leatherworker...sure it has been posted here lots of times:
http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0958

Roger

[artificer]

Yes I do Nighthawk, thanks! I will check it out. So far, I have determined that other than a double shoulder of something, I will need at least:

1. Strap cutter
2. Rotating punch
3. Rivet setting tool
4. What other tools would I need to make belts?

For materials, I need:

1. Leather, some piece of relatively easy to work double shoulder stuff. It would be good if it was consistent in thickness.
   
2. Rivets - 10mm?
3. Big buckles for 2", 2.5" and 3" belts?

I can find everything I need online but buckles. I'm sure I'm just not looking in the right places.

We used in live in Rawlins WY and our house was at 5385' elevation!

Off to check out your Facebook page! Thanks again.

Frank

Here's what I'd consider a bare minimum for making a decent belt (working off your list)

1) you don't need a strap cutter. If you have a GOOD razor (even a utility knife) and a 48" metal straight-edge you're fine. - Save yourself some money unless you're going to be making dozens of belts.
If you are planning on making LOTS of belts, this Tandy Strap Cutter is great for the money.
2) I'd skip these. Unless you get the BEST one around (with changeable punch points) they're almost always crap. It's way faster to use a punch set and a mallet.
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/e...s/3004-00.aspx
3) I'm 100% onboard with Downunder Kilt on this. Chicago screws (and a bit of thread tite) are WAY better than nearly any rivet.
4) a good edge beveler and a slicker. One of the instant give-aways to less than stellar leather work is a square-cut, unfinished edge. An unfinished edge will cause tremendous wear on your kilt over time, especially on a sporran strap.

Good luck, Post pix!

ith:

[frank_a]

I have lots of good razors (always keep backup blades, both straight and utility), and a good metal 6' straightedge. I was wondering if that would work, so thanks!

"a good edge beveler and a slicker" get that stuff from Tandy too?

I'm off to Jo Ann Fabrics today to see what they might have.

Veg tan double shoulder, or where would I find strips of 2, 2.5 and 3" 55 or more inches long? Are these double shoulders pretty consistent in thickness?

Thanks for the help, this is great! Pics as soon as I get a few tools, some Chicago screws and leather. Already have loctite...

Frank

Here's what I'd consider a bare minimum for making a decent belt (working off your list)

1) you don't need a strap cutter. If you have a GOOD razor (even a utility knife) and a 48" metal straight-edge you're fine. - Save yourself some money unless you're going to be making dozens of belts.
If you are planning on making LOTS of belts, this Tandy Strap Cutter is great for the money.
2) I'd skip these. Unless you get the BEST one around (with changeable punch points) they're almost always crap. It's way faster to use a punch set and a mallet.
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/e...s/3004-00.aspx
3) I'm 100% onboard with Downunder Kilt on this. Chicago screws (and a bit of thread tite) are WAY better than nearly any rivet.
4) a good edge beveler and a slicker. One of the instant give-aways to less than stellar leather work is a square-cut, unfinished edge. An unfinished edge will cause tremendous wear on your kilt over time, especially on a sporran strap.

Good luck, Post pix!

ith:

[artificer]

I have lots of good razors (always keep backup blades, both straight and utility), and a good metal 6' straightedge. I was wondering if that would work, so thanks!

"a good edge beveler and a slicker" get that stuff from Tandy too?

I'm off to Jo Ann Fabrics today to see what they might have.

Veg tan double shoulder, or where would I find strips of 2, 2.5 and 3" 55 or more inches long? Are these double shoulders pretty consistent in thickness?

Thanks for the help, this is great! Pics as soon as I get a few tools, some Chicago screws and leather. Already have loctite...

Frank

Edge beveler

Slicker

Also handy is the adjustable groover- not so much for the spoon, but for the cutter.

I'm fairly certain Tandy has straps in 60" and 72" lengths. You'll find that if you are buying veg-tan from Tandy that you'll have to do a fair bit of searching to find really good quality.
A lot of what they have is pretty... iffy in terms of quality.

ith: