Making leather 'keeper' loops for straps

[UKRay]

I have looked at a lot of amazing leather projects on these pages and many of the items have a leather 'keeper' loop to tuck the strap end through. I have seen all kinds of ways of making these: sewn, riveted, stapled, thonged and even braided but despite my best efforts I can't seem to make a neat job of one. Can anyone please help?

A few pictures of the way you make and finish your loops would be a real bonus too. Perhaps someone could show me how to use loop sticks? - Many thanks, Ray in the UK

[Luke Hatley]

Hello Cousin... I don't have any photos of me forming the Loops, I guess you'll just have to visit for that...

I have been using a butt joint and hand stiching the joint to fasten it together.

But now "THANKS TO A FELLOW LEATHER WORKER" i will go back to using loop staples.

It would be nice to have a set of Loop Iorns, but i am not into making that many loops.

I do have certain sizes of wood cut to the size of loops that i need.

Cut the leather for the loop, edge and crease, slick the edge, wet the loop Well

and place the loop on the wood and let it dry.next day i have a formed loop.

hope this helps.

Edited April 26, 2008 by Luke Hatley

[barra]

Here is how I do loops.

As best I can I will work out how many loops are required for a job and have one continuous peice of leather. I find it is then easier to stain the edges and burnish rather than try and burnish each tiny little loop. I will usually run the strap thru the splitter if required before staining and burnishing.

For a fixed keeper I will wrap the loop leather around the buckle end and the strap that it is going to hold in place (or a scrap of equal thickness). I then mark it by running my thumb nail across the loop to get the length of each loop. I then set my compass divider to the length of the loop I have just marked and walk the compass divider up the strap to mark the required amount of loops and cut them. Place the now cut loop on the strap with flesh side uppermost until it is in the middle of the straps width and mark with the thumbnail, pencil or even a little jab of the awl. This is so that when you are stitching in the loop you place it so the mark is on the edge of the strap and the loop will be half way. This will ensure equal amounts of the loop are stitched into the strap and you aren't left with one side caught by the skin of a bees poverbials.

Stitch down one side and before you get to the loop on the return run, place the other side of the loop in the strap and test the loop will be neither too tight nor loose with the strap that will eventually be held in place ( I make mine a tad tight to allow for a firm loop after I have blocked it out). When stitching the loop in once it has been tucked in you carefully come in from a slight angle a couple of stitches and pass the thread in your right hand under the loop to the other side. Continue the angle stitches until the loop is fully stitched in. With practice there will be no difference with the stitching quality or length from either side.

Blocking the loop

I used to have a complete set of metal loop sticks. Long story short they are gone. I have never bothered to make or procure new ones. Some people use hardwood sticks but I just had the metal ones. What I do now is I have a series of really firm and hard (almost sole leather) straps cut for the various width straps I would make.

3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 1" 1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1/ 1/2, 1 5/8, 1 3/4 1 7/8 and 2"

The ends are pointed and skived slightly. I pick the appropriate strap, thread it into the newly stitched loop and dunk the whole thing in warm water. Then I tap the loop on my anvil or other suitable hard surface to block it out and while still damp I redo the creasing or I will wait til dry and hot crease. The end result is a nicely blocked loop that sits up square like a house brick.

Slide loops

Much the same but instead of marking the loop to accomodate the strap thickness and end up meeting in the middle you have to mark from one edge of the strap then allow for thickness and continue to the other edge (this allows for sewing). Mark again using thumbnail or similar method. Mark for stitches and skive the flesh side underneath where you just marked the stitches and the grain on the other end. Do not skive beyond the width of the strap either on the flesh or grain side.

To make stitching slide loops easy you need a little device called loop clams/clamp. They can be commercially bought or you can fashion your own. Mive is made out of an old wooden ruler. This little device is used to hold the little loop for stitching and the loop clam is then placed in the jaws of your full size clam/stitching horse for stitching.

Block as you would for a fixed keeper. For those making tack eg: headstalls.English bridles, there is a correct way to position a slide loop. If you have made two loops and one turns out even the slightest bit better than the other, the good one is for the near side of the bridle. Also position the keeper so the the join is facing to the rear (as viewed like the item was on the horse). I guess the same principal can be applied to other forms of leatherwork. To me it is the little finessing details that can really set off an item.

Barra

Edited April 26, 2008 by barra

[UKRay]

Hello Cousin... I don't have any photos of me forming the Loops, I guess you'll just have to visit for that...

I'm definitely looking forward to visiting you, Cousin, I'd learn so much - I just need the airfare!

How about a picture of a stapled loop? - R.

Edited April 26, 2008 by UKRay

[UKRay]

Here is how I do loops.

Many, many thanks Barra. Most informative. I'll give your ideas a try very soon. I am not altogether sure what you mean by a small set of clams that fit into your big set - but I'm hopeful that someone will post a picture of one in use so we all know!

Whilst on the subject of pictures, this is my ancient harness maker's horse - I do have a conventional set of saddlers clams but this works pretty well for me most of the time; probably because I am an ancient harness maker! All hand made from Elm as far as I can tell.

Anyone tried riveting loops? What tricks did you learn?

[Luke Hatley]

Ray, that Stiching Horse is one Medival work of art. I do like the hand made hinge.

that would be perfect for my 18th century display.But i do think the adjustment is a little

too much. Good to see your photos, keep em comming.

[UKRay]

Ray, that Stiching Horse is one Medival work of art. I do like the hand made hinge.

that would be perfect for my 18th century display.But i do think the adjustment is a little

too much. Good to see your photos, keep em comming.

Okay, it is a bit like an 'instrument of torture' although the seat is surprisingly comfortable... I guess the reason for all the adjustment is because it was built to do really heavy harness work rather than standard saddlery. When I make timber hauling harness I have had to stitch through more than an inch of leather before now - by the time I have a pair of big, fat 1/2 inch felt and 4-5mm leather (note the versatile combination of imperial and metric...) protective pads in place to save the work (or the horse) from getting scuffed, the jaws are getting nicely filled.

The 'beast' really comes into its own if you need to hold a piece of wood or metal steady when you are stitching a tight leather cover over it - for example, a few years back I made some boom support jaws for a 60 year old wooden sail boat and covered them in stretched and sewn leather to protect the varnish. You need all the 'clam space' you can get then!

Does anyone still use loop sticks? Pictures of the technique would be kind.

Edited April 26, 2008 by UKRay

[whtmtop]

I have looked at a lot of amazing leather projects on these pages and many of the items have a leather 'keeper' loop to tuck the strap end through. I have seen all kinds of ways of making these: sewn, riveted, stapled, thonged and even braided but despite my best efforts I can't seem to make a neat job of one. Can anyone please help?

A few pictures of the way you make and finish your loops would be a real bonus too. Perhaps someone could show me how to use loop sticks? - Many thanks, Ray in the UK

I use brass rivets and two small washers. I make a loop then punch a hole for the rivet. Push one side of the loop aside then squeeze the rivet with an aircraft brake pad riveting tool that I have.

[jimsaddler]

Hi Barra

I couldn't have said it better. The only difference when I make loops is my Clams are like mini Stitching Clams made from a 1'" x 1/8" Stainless Steel that I ground to shape of a pair of Clams with 1/2" jaws each side then carefully folded in the middle to shape to allow them fit nicely but leaving a space of aprox 1 1/4" for Spring, hey presto 40 years later they are still prefect for the Job of being inserted in the Clams to hold the Loops. My originals were made of Galvanised Iron sheet cut to shape with snips. but they didn't last more than 6 months at a time. Hence the use of SS Steel. They are also used for holding the Billet Hooks in place while sewing them in.

Kindest Regards.

Jim.

Here is how I do loops.

As best I can I will work out how many loops are required for a job and have one continuous peice of leather. I find it is then easier to stain the edges and burnish rather than try and burnish each tiny little loop. I will usually run the strap thru the splitter if required before staining and burnishing.

For a fixed keeper I will wrap the loop leather around the buckle end and the strap that it is going to hold in place (or a scrap of equal thickness). I then mark it by running my thumb nail across the loop to get the length of each loop. I then set my compass divider to the length of the loop I have just marked and walk the compass divider up the strap to mark the required amount of loops and cut them. Place the now cut loop on the strap with flesh side uppermost until it is in the middle of the straps width and mark with the thumbnail, pencil or even a little jab of the awl. This is so that when you are stitching in the loop you place it so the mark is on the edge of the strap and the loop will be half way. This will ensure equal amounts of the loop are stitched into the strap and you aren't left with one side caught by the skin of a bees poverbials.

Stitch down one side and before you get to the loop on the return run, place the other side of the loop in the strap and test the loop will be neither too tight nor loose with the strap that will eventually be held in place ( I make mine a tad tight to allow for a firm loop after I have blocked it out). When stitching the loop in once it has been tucked in you carefully come in from a slight angle a couple of stitches and pass the thread in your right hand under the loop to the other side. Continue the angle stitches until the loop is fully stitched in. With practice there will be no difference with the stitching quality or length from either side.

Blocking the loop

I used to have a complete set of metal loop sticks. Long story short they are gone. I have never bothered to make or procure new ones. Some people use hardwood sticks but I just had the metal ones. What I do now is I have a series of really firm and hard (almost sole leather) straps cut for the various width straps I would make.

3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8, 1" 1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1/ 1/2, 1 5/8, 1 3/4 1 7/8 and 2"

The ends are pointed and skived slightly. I pick the appropriate strap, thread it into the newly stitched loop and dunk the whole thing in warm water. Then I tap the loop on my anvil or other suitable hard surface to block it out and while still damp I redo the creasing or I will wait til dry and hot crease. The end result is a nicely blocked loop that sits up square like a house brick.

Slide loops

Much the same but instead of marking the loop to accomodate the strap thickness and end up meeting in the middle you have to mark from one edge of the strap then allow for thickness and continue to the other edge (this allows for sewing). Mark again using thumbnail or similar method. Mark for stitches and skive the flesh side underneath where you just marked the stitches and the grain on the other end. Do not skive beyond the width of the strap either on the flesh or grain side.

To make stitching slide loops easy you need a little device called loop clams/clamp. They can be commercially bought or you can fashion your own. Mive is made out of an old wooden ruler. This little device is used to hold the little loop for stitching and the loop clam is then placed in the jaws of your full size clam/stitching horse for stitching.

Block as you would for a fixed keeper. For those making tack eg: headstalls.English bridles, there is a correct way to position a slide loop. If you have made two loops and one turns out even the slightest bit better than the other, the good one is for the near side of the bridle. Also position the keeper so the the join is facing to the rear (as viewed like the item was on the horse). I guess the same principal can be applied to other forms of leatherwork. To me it is the little finessing details that can really set off an item.

Barra

[katsass]

From the old grump: I do much as Luke does, but I have a few of belt loop forms (made by a woodworker friend) that really help.. These were made to assist in forming the belt loop on holsters, Just a simple 'paddle' blade, with a handle, of appropriate width and thickness for the belt loop intended to be used. I slip a piece of leather beneath the wet keeper, wrap it around the combined leather and form, staple the butt ends into the leather insert and allow to dry. Mike