Belt sizes

[JustWakinUp]

What's the standard belt sizes. If someone says i have a 34 inch waist how long is the actual belt?

Of if they say hey my waist is 42 , how does one figure the length of the leather needed to make that

particular belt? Is there a general "Add 5 inches" or something? Any assistance greatly appreciated.

[Luke Hatley]

IF THEY ARE WEARING A BELT I MEASURE IT. OR IF THEY ARE NOT WEARING A BELT, I HAVE A TRY ON

BELT FOR THEM TO PUT ON, FOR THE LIKES I HATE TO TAKE THERE WORD,MOST OF THE TIME THEY ARE WRONG.

IF I PUT A NAME ON IT I WILL HAVE THEM TO WRITE IT DOWN.........

DID A BELT FOR A CUSTOMER THAT I KNEW FOR A LONG TIME. HE WANTED HIS NAME "JOHN"..... NOPE....."JON"

THIS IS HOW I DO IT.

WHEN I CUT A BELT STRIP I WILL CUT IT 10'' LONGER THAN THE WAIST SIZE.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Luke Hatley

[Jordan]

The info I have read in belt books is basically measure an existing belt, or measure from the inside of the buckle where the tang touches the rim after going thru the hole of the belt to the middle hole of the 5 to be punched on the other end of the belt. Those 5 holes are usually 3/4" on center, then there is an additional 4 to 5 1/2" of belt past the last hole. Also on the buckle end the leather is skived sloted and folded over, I usually allow 2 1/2 to 3" for that area, so 6" total. Visually easier to understand if you visit some web sites that sell belts they will have a sizing section that probably has a drawing of what I am trying to explain. Disclaimer....I do it this way but it is not the only way....just gets me in the ballpark. Never take the customers word for it, most still have the waist they had in high school in their minds eye. So a 42" would need approx 53 1/2" of leather according to my poor mathmatical mind.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Jordan

[Rawhide]

I add 3" for the buckle end and 6" for the billet end. That's 9" total. I have the customer give me the belt they are wearing to measure or I have them put a tape measure THROUGH THE BELT LOOPS to measure the waist.

Marlon

[rdb]

Here's how I do it.

I measure the buckle end in 3 1/2". That's the center of the buckle slot.

From the center of the buckle slot, I measure down the size, as Jordan described...from the tang tip to the center hole.

Then I punch two holes either side of that, 1" apart..

From the first hole closest to the belt tip, I measure 3 1/2" to cut the belt. Some people make that 4".

So, the total length of say, a 36" size would be:

36" +3 1/2" + 5 1/2" = 45" or 45 1/2".

[pete]

do yourself a favor and get the Al Stohlman belt book at TLF. It's cheap and answers that and many more questions regarding belts. Good tips on layout and tooling, skiving, etc. Made a lot of belts over the years and still refer to it from time to time.

pete

[Cecil]

I had the same question so I went to a store and measured the belts. These measurements are from the tip of the belt to the front inside surface of the belt buckle. Where the belt buckle prong fastens to the belt.

Waist-- Belt

Size ---Length

32 -----38 7/8

34 -----41 1/8

36 -----42 1/4

38 -----44 7/8

40 -----47

42 -----48 1/8

Hope this is useful.

Edited April 19, 2008 by Cecil

[tonyc1]

I had the same question so I went to a store and measured the belts. These measurements are from the tip of the belt to the front inside surface of the belt buckle. Where the belt buckle prong fastens to the belt.

Waist-- Belt

Size ---Length

32 -----38 7/8

34 -----41 1/8

36 -----42 1/4

38 -----44 7/8

40 -----47

42 -----48 1/8

Hope this is useful.

A good way to get an accurate waist measurement is to measure from the tip of the buckle tongue to the hole that is used when the belt is worn.

Tony.

[Cecil]

A good way to get an accurate waist measurement is to measure from the tip of the buckle tongue to the hole that is used when the belt is worn.

Tony.

This is the best way because belt size does not correspond to the waist size of the pants. It depends on how the person wears the pants, on the hips, waist or belly.

When the belt is a gift I am often only given the waist size and do not have access to a belt used by the person until after I have completed the belt. The measurements in the table were to allow me to determine the Length of the belt so I can cut the belt to proper length. To cut the belt , I put the buckle on the belt and then, based on the measurements in the table measure from where the buckle tang will catch the belt to the tip of the belt. Then I make and finish the belt. When I deliver the belt I cut the holes based a belt the person now wears or measurements taken from them for the way they wear there pants.

Edited April 21, 2008 by Cecil