Curved Belts?

[ShortBBL]

I want to make a nice belt for my wife. For a nice womens belt, I think it would be best if it was made with a curve shape instead of striaght, so the belt would follow the curve of her hips.

How would I go about making a nice cirved cut though? I'm stumped!

Any good methods you use?

[Aggiebraider]

I would say just make it straight and let her wear it....Almost all of my belts have gained a slight curve through normal use, but then again im not a woman.....i just dont think ive ever seen someone make a curved belt for that reason, either mens or womens

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Tandy used to have patterns for curved waist belts.

You could always use heavier paper, muslin to make a pattern. Cut a strip, wrap it around her, and trim to fit. Clean up the edges, and you have a pattern.

[Luke Hatley]

There is no need to cut the belt in a curve shape ....Just wet the belt blank and shape it to the

curve and let it dry.

[ShortBBL]

Bianchi used to sell one. I bought one for myself even. It for sure came curved. I'm not sure why, but it did. It was their fancy stitched belt.

I can make it straight and see how that works out. It's not like she has giant hips or anything. She is 5'6 and about 120# soakin wet.

Edited to add: I guess Bianchi still makes it. Here is the link....

http://www.copquest.com/14-1800.htm#Bianchi_B21_Countour_Belt_-_1-3/4_inch

Edited July 31, 2010 by ShortBBL

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

That is totally different than the ones I was thinking of. Tandy's old ones had a larger section in the back similar to a weight belt that was tooled. Kind of like taking a corset, and cutting the bottom off of it.

[Dwight]

Take a flexible aluminum 48 inch rule, . . . bend it so it flexes about 6 inches in the middle (looks like a 48 inch Robin Hood bow). Tape a string to it at each end so you can keep the bow in it.

Trace that bow on a large piece of brown wrapping paper or something similar. Set your pencil divider/compass at the width of the belt and trace outside of the first line the width of the belt, . . . cut this out and see how it fits for your pattern.

You may have to flex it deeper than 6 inches or less, . . . to get the effect you want. This is the John Bianchi technique for getting the right cut on one of his Western gun belts.

May God bless,

Dwight

[ShortBBL]

LOVE this site!!

Thanks for the help Dwight! That is a very good method and an easy one as well. You rock!

:You_Rock_Emoticon:

Take a flexible aluminum 48 inch rule, . . . bend it so it flexes about 6 inches in the middle (looks like a 48 inch Robin Hood bow). Tape a string to it at each end so you can keep the bow in it.

Trace that bow on a large piece of brown wrapping paper or something similar. Set your pencil divider/compass at the width of the belt and trace outside of the first line the width of the belt, . . . cut this out and see how it fits for your pattern.

You may have to flex it deeper than 6 inches or less, . . . to get the effect you want. This is the John Bianchi technique for getting the right cut on one of his Western gun belts.

May God bless,

Dwight

[alb]

I'm trying to imagine this. So if you took the 48 in rule when it's flexed and tied, and laid it on a table with both ends flat, the middle of the ruler would be 6 inches above the table top. So you're curving the entire piece 6 inches over the 48 in total length. Is that right?

Ann

Take a flexible aluminum 48 inch rule, . . . bend it so it flexes about 6 inches in the middle (looks like a 48 inch Robin Hood bow). Tape a string to it at each end so you can keep the bow in it.

Trace that bow on a large piece of brown wrapping paper or something similar. Set your pencil divider/compass at the width of the belt and trace outside of the first line the width of the belt, . . . cut this out and see how it fits for your pattern.

You may have to flex it deeper than 6 inches or less, . . . to get the effect you want. This is the John Bianchi technique for getting the right cut on one of his Western gun belts.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

I'm trying to imagine this. So if you took the 48 in rule when it's flexed and tied, and laid it on a table with both ends flat, the middle of the ruler would be 6 inches above the table top. So you're curving the entire piece 6 inches over the 48 in total length. Is that right?

Ann

Sorry, Ann, . . . I should have mentioned that you lay the ruler down on the table on it's edge, . . . that gives you the first curve which will become the top edge of the belt. The pencil compass/dividers then scribes around the ruler line to give you the proper curve for the bottom.

Take a look at the enclosed sketch.

May God bless,

Dwight

belt pattern.bmp