Gun belt question

[ps0303]

Are two 8/9 oz belt blanks glued together too much for a sturdy gun belt? Looking to make my first belt and wasn't sure if that would be too much. Also, someone told me that after I glue and sew, that I should wet the inside and wrap the belt around something like a large pot or something round like that and let it dry. Something about doing this would make it less likely to form "wrinkles" when it is first worn??

Been looking at belt blanks on Zack White and it looks like all of their blanks are the 9/10 oz size. However I see they are already beveled and the sides are painted. I also see they have 1 1/2 Vegetable Tanned Leather Strips in different weights. Is this product suitable for belt making?

Edited June 3, 2009 by ps0303

[rdb]

Zacks steerhide is fine for belts. As far as a gunbelt, you can make it 2 8/9s. 2 7/8s, or 2 6/7s. It all depends on you or your customers wants. If you're going to make a gunbelt from belt blanks, ask for the weight belt blanks you want, and tell them to leave off the edge dye. You'll need to burnish the edges of the two layers, yourself, then burnish and dye the edge. It will look much better that way.

Edited June 3, 2009 by rdb

[Lobo]

As stated, you may make a belt from any combination of weights of leather.

What you have proposed would certainly be suitable for the heaviest handgun. Whether you use 9/10, 8/9, 7/8 or any of the heavier leathers, I would suggest that you either (1) delete the liner at the tongue, or (2) utilize billet straps for the buckle and tongue (ranger-style belt); otherwise it will require a specialized buckle to connect such a thick combination.

Any of the veg-tanned straps you mentioned would probably be suitable for belt-making purposes. You really don't want pre-beveled or finished edges, as you will need to dress the edges after construction anyway and that would actually add more work for you.

Unless you are dealing with the heaviest applications, you might want to consider using a primary strap of 8 to 10 oz. weight, then a lining of around 3 to 5 oz. weight. This results in a very sturdy belt that is somewhat easier to wear and use for most purposes.

As for the idea of pre-forming the belt around an object, that might work pretty well. I like to finish all of my products with neatsfoot oil, which provides flexibility in the finished piece (it also profoundly effects dye colors, so some experimentation with scrap may be a good idea in order to get the colors you want in the finished piece).

Attached photo shows my heaviest gun belt, which is a 1.5" width strap of 9-10 oz. with a 1" width strap of 9-10 oz. sewn over it. The 1" strap is used to form billets for the buckle and tongue. As you will see in the photo, the resulting thickness if equal to 6 U.S. quarters stacked up alongside (about one-third inch). This approach is probably an over-kill for most uses, but it will certainly carry the heavier handguns easily.

[Dwight]

The belt I am wearing right now is made of two 7 oz blanks that were contact cemented together, . . . and the edges sewn all the way around. It is 1 1/2 in wide.

I prefer a Western buckle, . . . and it is attached by folding back the outside layer and snapping it just like a standard one layer belt.

I carry a full size, all steel, 1911 on that baby, . . . and after about a three week "break in" period, . . . has been comfortable as possible.

Any of my customers wanting a "gun belt" get this same treatment for theirs.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Shorts]

I too wear a 1.5" doubled 7/8oz belt. The buckle end I folded the outer layer over for the (heel bar buckle) as Dwight mentioned in his post, Keeps the bulk to a minimum without needing to cut thin the leather. I wear a steel Commander all day and it does the job.

The thing I might do different is punch the tongue holes with an oval punch. I used a round punch this time. When the tongue lays flat, it stretches the edges of the hole. Oval hole would alleviate this effect and allow the tongue to lay with less resistance. The good thing is that I can easily see which hole I wear my belt on lol

[badger]

Oval punches are the business. I never punch a round hole for a buckle pin.

I love mine.

Badger

[celticleather]

Oval punches are the business. I never punch a round hole for a buckle pin.

I love mine.

Badger

Likewise . . . I have four different sizes of oval punches which I use all the time!

[ps0303]

I too wear a 1.5" doubled 7/8oz belt. The buckle end I folded the outer layer over for the (heel bar buckle) as Dwight mentioned in his post, Keeps the bulk to a minimum without needing to cut thin the leather. I wear a steel Commander all day and it does the job.

The thing I might do different is punch the tongue holes with an oval punch. I used a round punch this time. When the tongue lays flat, it stretches the edges of the hole. Oval hole would alleviate this effect and allow the tongue to lay with less resistance. The good thing is that I can easily see which hole I wear my belt on lol

That's what I thought about just folding over the top layer like that. I see most blanks are skived but that probably is if you plan on using it as a single layer belt. I'll do the double layer with a 9/10 for the front side and then a 4/5 for the back. No need to skive anything when doing it this way I would think. Cut the back short of the buckle slot and bend the front side over.

Would you sew all the way around the top layer including the portion that gets folded over? So you would end up just continuing the stitch even on the fold over portion for looks I guess.

[Billsotx]

Are two 8/9 oz belt blanks glued together too much for a sturdy gun belt? Looking to make my first belt and wasn't sure if that would be too much. Also, someone told me that after I glue and sew, that I should wet the inside and wrap the belt around something like a large pot or something round like that and let it dry. Something about doing this would make it less likely to form "wrinkles" when it is first worn??

Been looking at belt blanks on Zack White and it looks like all of their blanks are the 9/10 oz size. However I see they are already beveled and the sides are painted. I also see they have 1 1/2 Vegetable Tanned Leather Strips in different weights. Is this product suitable for belt making?

I use two 8 oz. straps glued and stitched. Start stitching at the buckle end about 4 stitches in, go out the four to the fold end and come back, that ties it off, then go around the billet and back the other side to the buckle end, back stitch about 4 stitches and you're done - tied off. I use oval punches like Shorts and others mention. I place holes in the billet end 3/4" center to center and put 7 holes, unless the customer has other specs. I split both straps only at the billet end starting about an 1.5" out from the closest (tightest) billet hole, and 3 inches in on the other strap so there's not an obvious step down. The buckle end is simply folded back and two Chicago screws are inserted so buckles can be changed easily.

You can also step down in width, especially if you're a buckle short, and the buckle is an 80 mile drive round trip ... lol!

I copied this from an old Bruce Nelson belt and it's good as any, but not the only way. Most of the Nelson belts I've seen have only one screw, so my two are probably over kill.

If you get a copy of Al Stohlman's Belts Galore, I'd be surprised if you didn't find ideas there you like. At the very least, his blueprint is easy to follow.

Hope to see some pix of what you end up with. Good luck....

Edited June 6, 2009 by Billsotx

[Shorts]

That's what I thought about just folding over the top layer like that. I see most blanks are skived but that probably is if you plan on using it as a single layer belt. I'll do the double layer with a 9/10 for the front side and then a 4/5 for the back. No need to skive anything when doing it this way I would think. Cut the back short of the buckle slot and bend the front side over.

Would you sew all the way around the top layer including the portion that gets folded over? So you would end up just continuing the stitch even on the fold over portion for looks I guess.

I began stitching a couple stitches on the single layer at the buckle end and continued through the double layer and all the way back around. Ending the backstitch in the double layer.

These are pics of my first belt up close on the buckle end. You can see where the stitching starts. Also there are several ways to get the keeper on there. Since I wanted the basic thing built I went ahead and used a staple to form the keeper and looped it over both layers. So it can be replaced if it tears apart from the staple. Another way is to install the keeper between the two layers when you stitch. This lakes the backside of the belt less bulky and lumpy. The stitching may be tricky though getting under the keeper, at least on the closing side. If you're completely closing the buckle end off, then you can stitch the flap to the layers. I don't. I secure it with the chicago screws you see there.

Sorry about the blurry pics.

I've been wearing this belt since Nov or December. So it's been used, dinged, rubbed and dirtied. While not the prettiest anymore, it has held up well. It's also conformed to me as you can see in that pic. It use to wear like I had a hoola-hoop in my jeans

Edited June 6, 2009 by Shorts

[ps0303]

I began stitching a couple stitches on the single layer at the buckle end and continued through the double layer and all the way back around. Ending the backstitch in the double layer.

These are pics of my first belt up close on the buckle end. You can see where the stitching starts. Also there are several ways to get the keeper on there. Since I wanted the basic thing built I went ahead and used a staple to form the keeper and looped it over both layers. So it can be replaced if it tears apart from the staple. Another way is to install the keeper between the two layers when you stitch. This lakes the backside of the belt less bulky and lumpy. The stitching may be tricky though getting under the keeper, at least on the closing side. If you're completely closing the buckle end off, then you can stitch the flap to the layers. I don't. I secure it with the chicago screws you see there.

Sorry about the blurry pics.

I've been wearing this belt since Nov or December. So it's been used, dinged, rubbed and dirtied. While not the prettiest anymore, it has held up well. It's also conformed to me as you can see in that pic. It use to wear like I had a hoola-hoop in my jeans

Thanks for the pics. OK I purchased two 8/9 blanks for two different belts I am going to make. I will then add another piece of 3/4 to each one. That should make a decent belt. It'll be a few weeks before I post the results but I will.

Thanks again everyone!!

Edited June 6, 2009 by ps0303