Belts, Guitar Straps

[Hammered Leather]

Hello everyone.

I just wanted to share a few pics with you guys to see what you think.

Please comment. I would really be interested in your views on my leather work.

Any tips would greatly appreciated.

All the best and have a merry Christmas!

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z423/HammeredLeather/Leather%20Belts/

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z423/HammeredLeather/Guitar%20Straps/

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z423/HammeredLeather/Growth%20Chart/

[UKRay]

Nice belts. Do you make the hardware too?

Ray

[Hammered Leather]

Nice belts. Do you make the hardware too?

Ray

Hi there Ray,

thanks for the comment.

No, unfortunately I did nt make the hardware.

I purchased them from Tandy Leather.

[Ferg]

Hello everyone.

I just wanted to share a few pics with you guys to see what you think.

Please comment. I would really be interested in your views on my leather work.

Any tips would greatly appreciated.

All the best and have a merry Christmas!

http://s1189.photobu...eather%20Belts/

http://s1189.photobu...uitar%20Straps/

http://s1189.photobu...Growth%20Chart/

A Merry Christmas to you too.

Nothing wrong with your tooling that practice will not improve. Beveling a little rough. You need to put a finish on the edges of your belts.

You have selected appropriate hardware but IMHO these are not $100 to $200 belts. Tandy hardware is cheap Chinese, 'nuff said.

Take a look at one of Bobby Park's belts.

ferg

[Hammered Leather]

A Merry Christmas to you too.

Nothing wrong with your tooling that practice will not improve. Beveling a little rough. You need to put a finish on the edges of your belts.

You have selected appropriate hardware but IMHO these are not $100 to $200 belts. Tandy hardware is cheap Chinese, 'nuff said.

Take a look at one of Bobby Park's belts.

ferg

Thanks Ferg,

I really appreciate the feed back. I know the prices are way off! What do feel the best price is for these peices.

I will take a look BP's belts as well.

Thanks again Ferg.

Mike

[Ferg]

Thanks Ferg,

I really appreciate the feed back. I know the prices are way off! What do feel the best price is for these peices.

I will take a look BP's belts as well.

Thanks again Ferg.

Mike

Mike,

Pricing is quite often decided by your clientele, at least the ones you are aiming at. If you want to get into high end belts I would suggest you practice your work and

consider some more expensive/classic hardware. Your selection of hardware design is okay.

Understand that Bobby is a top of the hill craftsman. His belts are beautiful, finely detailed, expertly carved and finished.

ferg

[Chief31794]

A Merry Christmas to you too.

Nothing wrong with your tooling that practice will not improve. Beveling a little rough. You need to put a finish on the edges of your belts.

You have selected appropriate hardware but IMHO these are not $100 to $200 belts. Tandy hardware is cheap Chinese, 'nuff said.

Take a look at one of Bobby Park's belts.

ferg

Got to agree with Ferg, these don't look to be $100 belts. Are they all tooled, the black one appears to be embossed as opposed to tooled.

Another suggestion is that the back sides are not well finished in addition to the suggestions Ferg made.

Ken

[Hammered Leather]

Got to agree with Ferg, these don't look to be $100 belts. Are they all tooled, the black one appears to be embossed as opposed to tooled.

Another suggestion is that the back sides are not well finished in addition to the suggestions Ferg made.

Ken

Yes, thast is absolutely correct. Only the brown belt is tooled, the Black belt is embossed.

What is the best way to finish the back side of a belt?

Thanks for the feed back guys.

Just to say, that these are the first leather projects i have ever worked on! And all critism is muc appreciated...

Have a great day all.

One more question...I am having trouble uploading pics as they are larger than 1.46mb? I am using a 12mpix cam.

Any suggestions?

[Hammered Leather]

Mike,

Pricing is quite often decided by your clientele, at least the ones you are aiming at. If you want to get into high end belts I would suggest you practice your work and

consider some more expensive/classic hardware. Your selection of hardware design is okay.

Understand that Bobby is a top of the hill craftsman. His belts are beautiful, finely detailed, expertly carved and finished.

ferg

Thank you very much Ferg,

again, I really appreciate your feed back! I am happy to know that a well expereinced leather worker such as your self is pushing me in the right direction.

I truely would like to carry on this form of 'ART" in hopes of one day inspirering others to do the same.

There is definately something to be said about B.Parks work! It has certainly inspired me...I would have never know about any one his work if it was'nt for you ferg. Thanks!

[dirtclod]

Their are lots of free resizing programs for your pictures if you your camera didn't come with software for that. Crop the picture first and resize.

[Hammered Leather]

Their are lots of free resizing programs for your pictures if you your camera didn't come with software for that. Crop the picture first and resize.

Thanks. We,ll try

[Chief31794]

Back sides of straps/belts can be finished many ways. Repeat what Ferg said, look at Bobby Parks belts, he does intricate Swivel Knife work on the backs of his belts, you can burnish them, etc. It appeared you dyed the backs and that the dye was uneven, the back will accept dye much more irratically than the front. I personally never liked dyed backs, I like to leave them natural but burnish them till they are smooth unless I make both sides finished to do that I use 3-4 ounce (belt 2-3 oz for an instrument strap) leather and bond it together "back-to-back" with contact cement to provide a smoth surface for the front and back, or I line a normal 4-5 oz (belt 3-4 oz for instrument straps) piece with a 2-3 ounce liner just depending on the desired effect. Normally if I line a belt or strap (I make mostly instrument straps) I also sew the strap around the edges for a more finished look. Just depends. The only exception is Mandolin Straps and Cradle straps for Banjos, I normally keep those pretty thin (2-3 oz with a natural burnished back), the reason is that Mandolins are not very heavy and the attachment at the scroll has to be pretty thin and while the Banjo's are much heavier (some around 13 lbs or more), the strap is semi-permanently installed and has to wrap around the head an store in the case with the Banjo. If the banjo strap is not a cradle strap design (hangs from the J-hooks) then I use normal thickness leather.

Back to your question about how to finish backs, like I said there are several ways to do it, folks much better at this than I maybe will jump in and post some tips and techniques for finishing belt/strap backs, I've seen quite a bit on edges but not much on backs.

Ken