belt leather?

[Keltrey]

I decided it was best to come to the experts. Where is the best place to get 8-9oz leather for belts for quality and price?

[ABC3]

keltrey;

There are several:

Tandy's in your area. Zack White in NC, Weavers - the list could go on. I guess it would depend on how much you want. Since you are in Il maybe someone could offer you a closer suggestion.

[Keltrey]

keltrey;

There are several:

Tandy's in your area. Zack White in NC, Weavers - the list could go on. I guess it would depend on how much you want. Since you are in Il maybe someone could offer you a closer suggestion.

Thank you Tom! I was just seeing if there were any other places I did not know about. I will probably just end up using Weaver or Tandy as I had thought.

[ChuckBurrows]

IMO - get backs from Wickett & Craig - less stretch, no belly scrap, just the all around best leather for belts - a bit pricier to begin with but with less scrap, the price winds up close......plus you're buying American made goods......

Edited March 30, 2009 by ChuckBurrows

[Randy Cornelius]

I will second that on Wickett & Craig. It is wonderful leather to work with and you can call direct to the Tannary and order 1 side at a time. Talk to Glenn at extention 222. The backs are worth it as there is very little waist. Also If doing black belts they have a black bridle in a double shoulder that is very good also.

Randy

[DeeAnna]

I will also chime in to recommend Wickett and Craig, 1-800-826-6379, for fair prices, excellent quality, and great customer service. Glenn, extension 222, is the old hand and seems to know the most about the finer points of the tannery, but the other reps are good too. You can order just one hide or a truckload -- no minimum. Shipping will run roughly 10-15% of purchase cost.

I use their bridle leather for most of my strap work (belts, harness, tack, dog collars, etc.) It would be hard for me to use another leather -- I'm really happy with it. Colors are nice and don't bleed, the leather has minimal stretch (not counting the belly), the leather has a nicely firm yet pliable hand, and it looks great even after hard use.

W&C has three grades of leather. When I first bought from them, I was concerned about using their lower grades, so I asked about the differences. Glenn told me all grades are tanned and finished exactly the same. The ONLY difference is the number of defects in the hide -- butcher cuts, brands, scars, etc. I bought one hide from each of the three grades to see the differences. I've found for strap work the defects in the "special" grade aren't a big deal, but that's just my opinion. For saddles or other projects where you need a big piece of defect-free leather, then I'd go to the better grades.

If you are making dress belts or want to line your belts, then 8-10 oz would work fine. If you are making casual or work belts, you may want to consider 10-12 oz. That's what I use anyway, with good results. --DeeAnna

[Bree]

I am very happy with Weaver for my blanks, double shoulders, and bends. Most recently, I picked up some bullhide double shoulders from them had them cut into blanks and split. They did a beautiful job at a great price. The leather is lovely with excellent color, body, and no flaws.

There are lots of good folks from whom you can get quality leather. Try several and find a couple that you really like. For me I enjoy working with the Weaver people. They have been highly responsive and have given me good service along with some real nice product.