DomsLeather Report post Posted November 1, 2009 I am using a 7/8 inch strap of Latigo 5/7 ounce. I am cutting the ends down to 3/4 so I can use a 3/4 buckle...I tryed to use a belt end punch to make the (turn out) but because its only a 1/16th it doesnt do a very good job then when i go to burnish the edge it also messes the alignment up of both cuts so they dont align well...how can i get even cuts that look professional? Best I have found is cutting them with a mat knife and doing the best I can. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawhide1 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Doms Mark a 1/16 down each side for the length ya want to narrow down. Then use your end punch to start your cut from 7/8 to 3/4". Then use a round knife to finish the cut to the end. If your having trouble with the end punch just use the round knife. With a little practice you should be able to do a real nice job. Best of luck, Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thecapgunkid Report post Posted November 7, 2009 I am using a 7/8 inch strap of Latigo 5/7 ounce. I am cutting the ends down to 3/4 so I can use a 3/4 buckle...I tryed to use a belt end punch to make the (turn out) but because its only a 1/16th it doesnt do a very good job then when i go to burnish the edge it also messes the alignment up of both cuts so they dont align well...how can i get even cuts that look professional? Best I have found is cutting them with a mat knife and doing the best I can. From your post, it sounds like you are trying to make the billet end for your belt or the cut for the buckle itself. Else, you can disregard what I wrote below because I'm just blowing smoke Divide 7/8 into 14/16th's. Divide 3/4 into 6/8ths. Fold a common piece of paper or, better yet, a chunk of thicker, grocery bag in half. Mark it 7/16ths from the edge in two places and draw that parallel line. ( 7/16ths is half of the original width of 14/16ths). Between that line and the fold, mark another line parallel to the fold at 3/8ths ( half of the 6/8ths of your tapered end). About four inches from the end of the folded paper, draw a nice even curve where you want the belt to taper, and an then an even curve for the belt end where you want it. Those four inches aft of the taper will help you line up the pattern on the belt and ensure that everything is centered, even and pretty. Strop your razor knife and cut out the pattern. Lay it down and paste it on on a piece of poster board to make a template. Now cut the pattern out onto the poster board. I like to use posterboard templates rather than paper because I don't trust my drawing hand enough to keep it from wandering into the soft edge of the paper and disrupting the even-ness on the leather. The point is that the fold is going to keep your end cut and taper even because the two parallel lines you drew and cut out unfold into an even pattern that matches the widths and tapers you want. Using your sharp knife, whether clicking or moon, will also help you in the burnishing process because they don't rip the leather the way a sometimes duller punch will. I have about six or seven of these templates for re-use with all the gunbelts I make where my clients want everything from their SASS award buckle to an off the shelf Tandy special and I don't wanna go through this every time...so I make and keep templates. Hope this helps. Don't shoot yore eye out kid, The Capgun Kid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
