Great kilt belt, baldric, and dirkhanger

[Mark E.]

Well, I am sure we have all encountered certain items that have bugged us with their poor design, poor quality, or general unusefullness. On my side, since I happen to be a very active kilt wearer, some of these issues have left me in some very memorable situations-hence the methods, materials, and forthrightness I used to make what I have pictured below.

The Belt: Crafted of 12 ounce English cowhide (I don't know if any of you are familier with Sedgwicks, or Siegel of California, but if you have an interest in harness at all, hide the credit card and look them up). Yes, that is industrial leather-what the old factories used to make belting out of, for machines. I have had problems with belts "turning over" in the past, even tearing in intense engagements. So I doubled it. Riveted behind the buckle-a tempered steel piece set to handle a 3.5" strap, curved to sit against rather than poke out-and sewn lengthwise down both outside edges (no crossover stitches-would weaken the leather) with doubled waxed LINEN cord (saddlemaker stuff, old school-will never stretch or rot). The loop on loop leather features, and the narrow strap are riveted and sewn to only the outside strap-no piercing rivets thru the backside. These are for a pair of pistols and a quivver, respectively.







Now, I have a dillema-how the devil am I to hang a dirk from this monster? Well, a bit of research amongst my other toys led me to design something that was a combination of a WW2 British Enfield bayonet frog, combined with an American cavalry 1911 pistol holster pivot. Not wanting to waste money on a pound of brass pivoting rivets and only use 2 (I know I would booger one), I evaluated what a rivet was...then dug out of my junk fastners box a bent landscape nail and a pair of nickel plate fender washers. Reaming the washers to match the nail, I dropped them into some leftover battery acid (I KNEW I was saving that stuff for a good reason) to eat off the nickel, and chopped the head off of the spike. Sewing an extra piece of leather inside of the frog to avoid chafing my scabbard chape, I waited. A few hours later, I utilized the spike section as a pivoting 1/2" shank rivet, and the washers as whopper burrs-after negating the acid action and blueing things with gun blue. Now I have a dirk hanger that I can pivot horizontally when I sit down. A big necessity for the dirk I am building out of a shatterd backsword-but thats later. It's still on the bench.











Ok, belts done, dirk will hang...I ended up sewing buckles to the back of my fullbadger skin sporran-yup, thats right-why just use the face? I got one hollowed out, and made myself a modesty feature conversation piece, and one darn big pocket. The buckles on the back of he sporran are a handy feature as well-means I can remove it without removing the belt, incase I need to cool down or end up in an organized fight. Or change to a different sporran (no idea why I would ever want to do that). Pictures will appear later of this revolutionary system. Not for the faint of heart, trust me

Ok, the baldric. We've all seen the leather ones that get sold at costume shops and vendors. Ever tried wearing one of those all day, packing a 3 pound broadsword and 4-6 pound of pistol and bow? In the rain? They dig, they chafe, buckles bend, leather tears. My solution? You guessed it-12 ounce harness leather, 3.5" wide, buckle to get it together, linen cord and harness rivets. Oh, and real lambswool-not a blanket swatch, but real still attached to the leather close nap winter wool at all the pressure/chafe spots.





http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...-baldric-3.jpg

Sometimes you just have to do things right-and that means doing it yourself.