Leather spinal traction harness help

[NAndershock]

I am in need of advice and guidance. I am a physical Therapist. I have a leather harness that is intended for spinal traction and unloading treatment as a form of manual therapy. The company that made them is longer available and I am interested in trying to make my own as a personal project for learning a new skill set but also contributing something to my practice that I made myself. I am able to determine if it would be safe for use and frankly it would only be used for myself.

I have the actual product already but would like advice on what type of materials I would get in terms of the type of leather for the hip pads as well as the straps. From what I have read, it seems like the saddle leather would be good for the hip pads and perhaps either harness or bridle leather for the straps. The straps are also lined with a polyester webbing straps that is designed for high load capacity( 300lbs  ** way above what I would need). 

This is a website with a few pictures of it. 

https://www.freddykaltenborn.com/books-tools/morgan-lumbar-traction-harness/

 

Any thoughts?

[Dwight]

Personally . . .  I would not try to overthink this as a project.  There is in my opinion no "special" leather that would be needed.

In fact . . .  I would go straight to a Tandy Leather shop or some other large leather supplier . . .  and I would get regular vegetable tanned leather . . .  and just looking at it from what I could see in the pictures . . . I would probably go with something in the 10 oz or 12 oz category . . . and for reference 12 oz is 3/16 of an inch thick.  That is some serious strong leather.

Cutting 1 1/4 inch wide straps . . . provided you didn't go over that 300 lb weight you were talking about . . . it should be sufficient without the webbing.  My guess is the webbing was sewn on to the leather to keep it from stretching under the load.

The other really nice thing about vegetable tanned leather . . . you can cut the general shape of what you want . . . then wet the leather and shape it to what you want . . .  let it dry . . . and it will retain that shape.  If you dry it in a "hot box" or something similar . . .  (do not go over 140 deg F) . . .  and it will not only retain the shape . . . but it will become very hard as well.  I make a few holsters that way . . . when I do not want any or at least very little flexing . . . I hot dry them . . .  they get hard.

Adding a couple coats of neatsfoot oil to the straps will make them very soft and supple . . . easy to work with.

Have fun . . . I wish you were a lot closer . . .  I would love to see that project . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[tsunkasapa]

I agree with Dwight, but I would line the hip pads with milled veg tan if padded, or plain 2oz veg tan if unpadded.

[NAndershock]

Thank you so much. This is exactly the type of information I needed. I greatly appreciate it. I will update as I work on it. I don't have a ton of free time so this will be a multi month project.

[Doc Reaper]

What state are located in? I actually had a guy that wanted a belt for an inversion table, and could you send individual pictures to this post or email them to me???

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, NAndershock said:

Thank you so much. This is exactly the type of information I needed. I greatly appreciate it. I will update as I work on it. I don't have a ton of free time so this will be a multi month project.

I just happened to see in my earlier post the other thing I wanted to tell you . . . and forgot.

Make the item . . . and get it where you can actually "strap it" onto yourself.

Then wet the rascal  . . .  and I'm serious about the wet . . .  dunk it in a pan of water for at least one full minute . . .  I usually gauge it when I don't see very many bubbles coming up . . . and just wear it while you are out doing something.  It'll take 45 minutes to maybe an hour and a half . . .  to "take a set" . . . but that will get it pretty much in the shape you want it.  

Then . . . into the hot box . . . or if you want to  . . .  turn on your oven at the very lowest setting you have . . .  put a thermometer in there wherever you want to lay this . . . and don't let it get above 140 deg F . . . 

It'll dry out faster that way . . . and much more rigid.

If you want the outside to be fairly rigid . . . a leather store selling Resolene . . . buy a small bottle of it . . . mix it with an equal amount of water . . .  apply coats of it with a 1 inch bristle brush . . . and with 4 or 5 coats . . . it'll be pretty firm.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Mulesaw]

Looks really interesting.

My wife is  physiotherapist, she used to do manual therapy but I think she has gravitated more towards Mulligan lately. I don't know if she has ever seen/used a belt like that, but I sure wouldn't mind trying to make one. It seems like a great project, and if it can help someone with back pains - well then it is a SUPER project.

 

[NAndershock]

18 hours ago, Mulesaw said:

Looks really interesting.

My wife is  physiotherapist, she used to do manual therapy but I think she has gravitated more towards Mulligan lately. I don't know if she has ever seen/used a belt like that, but I sure wouldn't mind trying to make one. It seems like a great project, and if it can help someone with back pains - well then it is a SUPER project.

This is essentially an extension of manual therapy. It is a fantastic tool that requires training to do safely and appropriately. I am fortunate to be with one of those groups that knows how to use them.

 

Phoenix, AZ.