drof99 Report post Posted January 24, 2009 I've recently made a heavier belt to carry my gun on and want to make another one. The first one I made came out good and I've been using every day since completion. I'd like to make another one of these that is just a little more fancier. I am wondering what is the best way to put some stamping on the belt. I'm throwing around the idea of a new border tool I just bought or a new basket weave tool. Here is my question. After I run my stitching groover around the outside for my stitches, how close should the stamping be to the stitching? I have a tool that will put another border (swivel knife goes into it) around the belt. I would like to use this tool so that I can get a uniform shape around the outside of the pattern. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorts Report post Posted January 24, 2009 drof99, in the 'How do I do That' section IIRC there is a belt tutorial. It builds a belt with stamping. If you haven't gone through it yet, it might give you some ideas. I've never stamped anything so I can't point you in the right direction. I would guess, only if I had too!, that you'd line up your stamps with the groove/stitch line. You could give yourself a dash of room and put the stamp just inside the line Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted January 24, 2009 drof99, I typically use the same margin from my stitch line to the edge of the belt as from the stitch line to the edge of tooling. I think 3/16" is a good distance from the edge for a stitch line. If you want to create a cut border, I recommend using a pair of dividers to make a deep line that you can then cut with your swivel knife. In my opinion, a gauge placed on the swivel knife is difficult to use. I think you are more likely to slip or run off your cut line with the gauge than by cutting freehand or using a staightedge as a guide. Just my opinion, others may disagree... Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drof99 Report post Posted January 25, 2009 Nice how to shorts. I picked up a few things. Here's a couple other questions now that I think of it. The belt I am making is made with a 8 oz. and a 4 oz. liner. If I want to stamp the belt when is the best time? I'm thinking I should go ahead and cement the two straps together before stamping. This way it would help with stretch and keep both sides the same. Does that sound like a good way to do it? Thanks for the measurement hidepounder! The way I understand it I should groove a slot for my stitching and them make another groove for a border. If it matters at all the belt I'm making is 1 1/2" wide. I'm thinking I'd like to run the second border line very lightly. Just enough so that I have a straight edge to follow for my border tooling. After that I think I'd like to run the new triangle type basket weave tool I got on the inside of that. Does all this sound like a decent plan to you guys? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted January 25, 2009 drof99,I typically use the same margin from my stitch line to the edge of the belt as from the stitch line to the edge of tooling. I think 3/16" is a good distance from the edge for a stitch line. If you want to create a cut border, I recommend using a pair of dividers to make a deep line that you can then cut with your swivel knife. In my opinion, a gauge placed on the swivel knife is difficult to use. I think you are more likely to slip or run off your cut line with the gauge than by cutting freehand or using a staightedge as a guide. Just my opinion, others may disagree... Bob Bob... I think you are right. I have one of the original aluminum Tandy swivel knife gauges and I trashed a belt with it. I keep it as a souvenir piece of a motorcycle trip to Arkansas where a leatherworker gave it to me. But I won't use it. It's too chancey at least for someone like me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
