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Brokenolmarine

Tooling a Belt for a Fat Guy

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Oh, Wait, that would be me.  :rofl:

I need to work on my tooling and carving, so I decided what better way to practice than to tool a belt.  My biggest problem is I don't have a butt.  I have a gut, but no butt, so my pants are always trying to fall off.  That can be somewhat embarrassing.  :blush:  Well, you know, depending on where you are.  If I'm walking the dog in the middle of the north pasture, no one cares.  We even got rid of the cows.  They used to give me funny looks if my pants fell down, but even they are gone... so it's no longer an issue there. But, if I'm going down an aisle in Home Depot, that might be a different story.  That's why I wear big ol' Suspenders.

So, to get started, I cut out a couple wide strips of nice heavy leather.  Nice looking stuff that should tool well.  I'll carve the first belt, and get in that practice, then the second I'll put some bullet loops on for the 38/357;  and use it for walks thru the woods or on my range.... at least that's the plan.

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Using that pattern, I determined the length I needed at the ends for the buckle attachment and the attachment of the strap with the holes, then lightly drew in the defined end of the tooling window.  Then I could start working the pattern from one end to the other.

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After I transferred the pattern, I sharpened two of my swivel knives, buffed them out on the rouged leather strope, and got busy cutting in.  Fatter blade for the edge, and nice thin blade for the details.

 

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With arthritis, you can only do so much and then you have to take your breaks.  I got this far, then took a lunch break.  I came back after lunch to finish cutting in.

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MY next step is shading in the background.  It helps me to define the areas and to know what is what.  This pattern especially has features that are drawn to appear to go over or under the tooling window edges.  I took two sessions to background the piece but it really made a huge difference.

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The long view gives you a feel for how it makes the design POP.

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Once the hands get a break, I can start beveling the edges of the features and then work on details.

 

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Using a steep bevel, I worked on the features, sharpening the edges of each one and beginning to define them and highlighting.  Beginning the 3D effects.

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During a second session, I really worked hard on the effects, working to push the illusion of items diving under the edge or protruding over the edge.

 

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I had also put more detail into the leaves and acorns, but there is still more to do.  In the next session, I'll work on pear shading leaves, lifting, and edge details in the leaves.  All items I have had some success with, but also some dismal failures.  Wish me luck. :whistle:

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Great job so far! Tooling looks great and it’s going to turn out amazing just like the knife display case. Have a great night and thank you for your service!!!

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See that Strap off to the side?  That came off a Gunfighter Cartridge Belt from a big name I had years ago when I started to shoot IPSC.  (Started to shoot, didn't do well.)  I was young and didn't have the funds for a lot of practice. :no:  I think it would have been in the Late 70s / Early 80s.  It was a Bianchi piece of gear, VERY nice.  I held on to it for years, DREAMING I might one day get back into it.  Yeah, never happen.  I finally dismantled the belt and saved certain parts for templates.  I have used them often here and there.

I "recycle."

2 minutes ago, JH837 said:

Great job so far! Tooling looks great and it’s going to turn out amazing just like the knife display case. Have a great night and thank you for your service!!!

Thanks.  I'm hoping for a good result.  If not, great practice.  I keep a positive outlook.  (I do say nasty things in the shop when I blow it, but there isn't anyone to hear.)

:crazy:

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Nice work. It looks awesome so far. That is going to be a nice belt. 

If you don't mind, would you tell me a bit about Joe's pattern packs. Did it have the plastic type mylar patterns in it? Or was it paper patterns you transfered to mylar sheet. 

Thanks. I've been wanting some of his patterns & just curious what is all in the pattern pack. 

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Looks great!

Looking forward to seeing it when it's done.

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The books are heavy paper, with the drawings for the patterns progressing from very basic lines, to more detail, to a finished tooled picture.  There are no mylar patterns, I have a roll of the tracing stuff I use to copy the pattern.  Sometimes I copy the pattern on my copier then use my backlit tracing screen to make it really easy.

1 minute ago, BlackDragon said:

Looks great!

Looking forward to seeing it when it's done.

Thanks, me too.  I have the basic idea of how I want to have the finished belt to look, but ... like many of my projects, I'm winging it here.  

I live dangerously.  Believe it or not, I have never made a belt.

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Just now, Brokenolmarine said:

The books are heavy paper, with the drawings for the patterns progressing from very basic lines, to more detail, to a finished tooled picture.  There are no mylar patterns, I have a roll of the tracing stuff I use to copy the pattern.  Sometimes I copy the pattern on my copier then use my backlit tracing screen to make it really easy.

Thanks. Much appreciated. I will place a order with him. 

Can't wait to see your finished belt. 

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3 hours ago, DieselTech said:

Thanks. Much appreciated. I will place a order with him. 

Can't wait to see your finished belt. 

The good thing is, many of the patterns you can find a video of him using that pattern to tool IN a video.  The oak leaves and acorns he tools and narrates an excellent HOW TO as he does it.  It was done live so he is interacting with the comments from those watching.  I really loved watching it and it's why I ordered the books.

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