BridleButt

I'm going to refrain from trying to make this one 100% perfect so I have something functional until the next one I make. Otherwise I'll whittle it down to nothing...lol That's a 10 year old Barry King awl.

Finally got one I'm happy with after going through probably 15 rods of HSS. Slides right through 2 layers of 10oz hard-rolled horsehide with a perfect, slightly flattened diamond. All it took was 8 hours in front of a sanding machine. lol There's a lot more work involved if I want to be able to reproduce it at will. Definitely something to be said for being able to create your own tools. I started with this gentleman's video and went from there. https://www.leathercraftmasterclass.com/post/how-to-make-your-own-blade-for-an-awl

I just picked up two sets of historically accurate from the correct time period on fleabay. Looking forward to the project this weekend. I bought 2 Armalite AR-10 National Match rifles and decking them out right. I’ve got a bunch of Sedgwick Bridle Butts in 4 colors so they are perfect for belts.. They use them for the horses stirrups which take a great deal of shock. I’ve also got long butts of hard and soft rolled horsehide. One sling for the weather and one for bright sunny Fall days https://www.abbeyengland.com/sedgwick-bridle-butt-4-4-5mm-dark-havanna-e1a02a

Anyone know where I can source these brass claws? Worse comes to worse, I’ll just make them myself

Going to use sheets of ballistic nylon.1050d. Inside the pocket Sewn top and bottom will give it mad strength with just a smidgeon more weight

That’s the modern version

Picked up this one off from Maverick leather. 5 oz Latigo w/Western Floral print. Will make a nice gunbelt and a couple of Vaquero holsters

Thank you Chuck. SASS. Definitely a stiff leather. Let's see your bag!!!

I was wandering through Tandy's last week and came across some "Vintage, glazed, Water Buffalo Bend". It was actually pretty nice and even reasonably priced. Was all set to sew it last night and my damn awl blade tip snapped off so I'll have to break out the whetstone today. I want to do a sword belt later on but have to do some research so it's period correct. The buckle is from Hanover Brass.

Ordered some of this from Springfield Leather. Buffalo Calf...I think it will work nicely.

PonyEdwards is the man!!

Has anyone personally handled an original? Some of the examples in "Packing Iron" say were made of calfskin but all the calfskin I've ever seen was nowhere near firm enough for a holstered revolver or take the loop stitching, let alone hold up for over a hundred years to end up in a museum. Even the modern "heavy chap leather" used for biker items has a lot of stretch that would preclude it being used for this type of belt. ( All credit for the picture goes to Mr. Rattenbury from his wonderful book...which I bought about 10 years ago and based on the prices now I'd better put into a temperature controlled, airtight vault)

If you’re set on lead, you’d be better off with a folded cartridge belt style without the cartridge loops. 2" after folding/sewing the top is probably the the thinnest you could go. One piece of leather about 4" wide. Fold it over. Sew/rivet in the chape and billet, then sew up the top seam. You can form the lead into silver dollar size pieces and they go into the belt in on the side with the buckle. The billet goes through a slot under then through the buckle and keeps everything locked in. That’s what the style was made to do. Although, using a lead filled object on someone could get you a felony assault charge. You’d be better off using pennies in there. Same effect but more deniability about it being a weapon

That’s what I used. Keep the flesh side damp and go slow. I do the entire horsehide strip at the same time to get one uniform thickness then cut the loops. If you get the 9 oz start with 60 grit

@PastorBob The "hard rolled" is pretty good stuff for making things like knife sheaths and IWB holsters too. Edge burnishes like nobody's business. "Soft rolled" is more malleable Tannery Row is having a special on bundles of 5 that are "stained"...that only makes them better for this kind of work.