Belt Border Width?

[terrymac]

I am fixing to tool a 1 1/2" belt that will be lined and hand sewn. It looks to me like the border needs to be at least 3/16" wide with the stitching right down the middle if you are going to have enough leather left on the outside of the belt to edge and not worry about stitches busting out the side in the future. Just curious as to what are other people doing as far as border width? Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Terry

[MADMAX22]

Personally on the ones I have made I will run my stitching groover down around it then try to get the edge of your border to match how much leather you have left outside your stitch groove. that way its kind of equal. You have to take into account the edging and burnishing.

If I dont use a stitch groove I would take my divider and run my stitch line, probably about 1/8" for a double layer belt then run another one thats 1/8" farther in for the border.

Thats just how I do it, Ive only tooled a couple of double layer belts and went primarily from photos of people with much more experience.I wanted to throw up the links to the belts that I have made since I started.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=17591&st=0&p=113804&fromsearch=1entry113804

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=19176&st=0&p=124609&fromsearch=1entry124609

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=19970&st=0&p=129306&fromsearch=1entry129306

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=20216&st=0&p=130726&fromsearch=1entry130726

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=23876&st=0&p=152210&fromsearch=1entry152210

Edited May 4, 2010 by MADMAX22

[Dwight]

I had to get up and go find a ruler to answer your question, . . . but 3/16" is where I have my stitch groover set. The border will be something a bit wider than 3/16" because 3/16" is my stitch line dimension.

I cut the blanks, . . . punch all holes at the buckle end and cut whatever shapes necessary there, . . . cut the tongue end about 1/2 to 3/4 inch longer than necessary, . . . glue up the pieces, . . . sand the edges smooth and even, . . . shape out the tongue and punch the buckle holes, . . . edge the belt, . . . then stitch groove, . . . sew, . . . decorate/carve/stamp, . . . dye, . . . burnish, . . . and finish the thing.

Since I make em basically one belt at a time, . . . this works for me.

My next project is to figure out how to glue up an 18 to 24 inch slab of face/liner leather, . . . and still be able to do what I do now at the buckle end.

May God bless,

Dwight

[pete]

I had to get up and go find a ruler to answer your question, . . . but 3/16" is where I have my stitch groover set. The border will be something a bit wider than 3/16" because 3/16" is my stitch line dimension.

I cut the blanks, . . . punch all holes at the buckle end and cut whatever shapes necessary there, . . . cut the tongue end about 1/2 to 3/4 inch longer than necessary, . . . glue up the pieces, . . . sand the edges smooth and even, . . . shape out the tongue and punch the buckle holes, . . . edge the belt, . . . then stitch groove, . . . sew, . . . decorate/carve/stamp, . . . dye, . . . burnish, . . . and finish the thing.

Since I make em basically one belt at a time, . . . this works for me.

My next project is to figure out how to glue up an 18 to 24 inch slab of face/liner leather, . . . and still be able to do what I do now at the buckle end.

May God bless,

Dwight

INteresting! Do most of you guys finish the belt before tooling? I always cut the blank, scribed the border, tool, and then punched,line, sew and finish.

Have I been doing it backwards!!!!???????

[terrymac]

Personally on the ones I have made I will run my stitching groover down around it then try to get the edge of your border to match how much leather you have left outside your stitch groove. that way its kind of equal. You have to take into account the edging and burnishing.

If I dont use a stitch groove I would take my divider and run my stitch line, probably about 1/8" for a double layer belt then run another one thats 1/8" farther in for the border.

Thats just how I do it, Ive only tooled a couple of double layer belts and went primarily from photos of people with much more experience.I wanted to throw up the links to the belts that I have made since I started.

http://leatherworker...=1entry113804

http://leatherworker...=1entry124609

http://leatherworker...=1entry129306

http://leatherworker...=1entry130726

http://leatherworker...=1entry152210

Thanks for the feedback. I would like to us a 1/4" border, but I have some sterlling silver letters that are 1", and a need just a small space above and below to look right. I'm also afraid it would cut the tooling pattern down to much. Your belts are very professional!

Terry

[terrymac]

INteresting! Do most of you guys finish the belt before tooling? I always cut the blank, scribed the border, tool, and then punched,line, sew and finish.

Have I been doing it backwards!!!!???????

I do things in the same order you do. I guess if you weren't putting a pattern on the belt, you could do it in the other order. There is no way to tool a piece of leather that has been finished, or at least I don't think so.

[MADMAX22]

Thanks for the feedback. I would like to us a 1/4" border, but I have some sterlling silver letters that are 1", and a need just a small space above and below to look right. I'm also afraid it would cut the tooling pattern down to much. Your belts are very professional!

Terry

Thanks,

One thing with the border it also depends on the thread you use. I was using 6 cord for most of my belts. You can get away with using 4 cord (not sure what that would be for a sewing machine) and do your 3/16 inch border and you should be fine. Just when you start getting smaller thread toward the edge you need to be very careful with your awl hole placement and alignment.

[Dwight]

INteresting! Do most of you guys finish the belt before tooling? I always cut the blank, scribed the border, tool, and then punched,line, sew and finish.

Have I been doing it backwards!!!!???????

As long as one does the tooling and stamping before the dyeing and finish coating, . . . I am not sure it makes a difference, . . . at least none that I have seen.

Madmax saves his stitching for later, . . . he wants to be sure his tooling is good.

I save my tooling for later, . . . because if I'm going to mess up on a belt and make a training aid out of one, . . . it will be with the sewing machine. Once I have a belt blank ready for tooling/stamping, . . . it is cut, punched, edged, glued to the liner,. . . and sewn, . . . but there has been no dyeing or finish applied.

So far, . . . most of my customers have been semi oblivious to my proceedure, . . . just the product.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited May 5, 2010 by Dwight