Chris of WV Report post Posted October 28, 2011 Hey Guys, I need some help... A customer ordered a belt from me. He wanted a veg-tan belt that was 42" long from the tip of the belt buckle to the end of the tongue and that had the center hole punched at 32". He gave me the measurements based upon an old belt that he wore ( made the most comfortable hole where he wore it the center hole at 32"). Sent it off... Easy, right? Wrong... He sent me an e-mail saying that the belt was too small and that he was wearing it on the very last hole. I told him that was no problem and that I'd make him another belt using the same measurements (in case I had screwed my measurements up somehow) and that I would punch a couple extra holes in it, just in case. The last hole on the new belt was at 36" (I space my holes 1" apart). I even measured it with a yardstick and seamstress' tape to double check the measurements (attached is a photo showing the measurements). Sent it off to him with a prayer, and... Still wrong! Got an e-mail from him saying that he was still wearing it on the very last hole (36"). He told me he wears a size 31 waist jeans, and I know there's no way his clothing is 4" thick (even counting for the thickness of the leather). Any suggestions of what I may be doing wrong? I'm using 10 oz. Wickett and Craig tooling leather, btw... Thanks, Chris of WV Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billsotx Report post Posted October 28, 2011 Hey Guys, I need some help... A customer ordered a belt from me. He wanted a veg-tan belt that was 42" long from the tip of the belt buckle to the end of the tongue and that had the center hole punched at 32". He gave me the measurements based upon an old belt that he wore ( made the most comfortable hole where he wore it the center hole at 32"). Sent it off... Easy, right? Wrong... He sent me an e-mail saying that the belt was too small and that he was wearing it on the very last hole. I told him that was no problem and that I'd make him another belt using the same measurements (in case I had screwed my measurements up somehow) and that I would punch a couple extra holes in it, just in case. The last hole on the new belt was at 36" (I space my holes 1" apart). I even measured it with a yardstick and seamstress' tape to double check the measurements (attached is a photo showing the measurements). Sent it off to him with a prayer, and... Still wrong! Got an e-mail from him saying that he was still wearing it on the very last hole (36"). He told me he wears a size 31 waist jeans, and I know there's no way his clothing is 4" thick (even counting for the thickness of the leather). Any suggestions of what I may be doing wrong? I'm using 10 oz. Wickett and Craig tooling leather, btw... Thanks, Chris of WV Tell him to return it with a piece of string tied through the hole that he is using and make that you center hole measurement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris of WV Report post Posted October 28, 2011 Tell him to return it with a piece of string tied through the hole that he is using and make that you center hole measurement. Well, that would work for this one belt, but what if he decides to order another one, and what can I do to prevent this problem in the future without having to send the customer a belt and then have them return it to get the correct size? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) He said, "He wanted a veg-tan belt that was 42" long from the tip of the belt buckle to the end of the tongue and that had the center hole punched at 32". What length was the belt when you sent it to him? Just the belt, not the buckle. Did you supply the buckle? It sounds like this person has no idea what they need its not common to have 8-10 inches from the most used hole to the end of the belt. Most times you tell people how to measure it and if they can follow instructions you get the right information. We have users here that dont do belts via mail order. They want the person in the shop to take the measurements. Since you are depending on others it can be hard to get the right information. I am doing one for a person that is 51 inches from the most used hole to the end of the buckle. I asked him to measure it and he gave me a 48" measurement, (his pants size) even though he swore he measured it. You just have to be careful. Some people charge a fee if the belt has to be redone due to the customers fault in sizing. Just make it clear up front. We would all like to hear what you find out when the belt comes back. keep us informed please. Michael Edited October 28, 2011 by mlapaglia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris of WV Report post Posted October 31, 2011 He said, "He wanted a veg-tan belt that was 42" long from the tip of the belt buckle to the end of the tongue and that had the center hole punched at 32". What length was the belt when you sent it to him? Just the belt, not the buckle. Did you supply the buckle? It sounds like this person has no idea what they need its not common to have 8-10 inches from the most used hole to the end of the belt. Most times you tell people how to measure it and if they can follow instructions you get the right information. We have users here that dont do belts via mail order. They want the person in the shop to take the measurements. Since you are depending on others it can be hard to get the right information. I am doing one for a person that is 51 inches from the most used hole to the end of the buckle. I asked him to measure it and he gave me a 48" measurement, (his pants size) even though he swore he measured it. You just have to be careful. Some people charge a fee if the belt has to be redone due to the customers fault in sizing. Just make it clear up front. We would all like to hear what you find out when the belt comes back. keep us informed please. Michael Well, I found otu what the problem was... Even though I sent him detailed instructions as well as a diagram on how to measure the belt, he was measuring it differently than I was... So, I got new measurements (hopefully correct this time), and we're gonna try this one more time... Thanks guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted October 31, 2011 Chris, . . . welcome to retail sales,.......... You now have been initiated into the brotherhood of conscientious craftsmen who serve a NON conscientious buying public. Of all my "problems" I encounter with products, . . . it is the belts that seem to cause the most quandries. The reason for it is that people in general do not "think" about the belt. They think that because they bought size 36 jeans 8 years ago, . . . they still wear a 36 belt. I had one good friend insist he had not gained any weight at all, . . . yet the 2 belts I made him were now 3 inches too small. Funny, . . . they both fit the day he picked them up. I "fixed" both problems, . . . but it just spotlights the problem that belts make. I really don't know of any foolproof way to fix the belt problem, . . . just have to roll with those punches, . . . May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted October 31, 2011 Well, I found otu what the problem was... Even though I sent him detailed instructions as well as a diagram on how to measure the belt, he was measuring it differently than I was... So, I got new measurements (hopefully correct this time), and we're gonna try this one more time... Thanks guys! I'de be really interested as to how HE was measuring it! Plese go into as much detail as you want. pete Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GlenH Report post Posted October 31, 2011 Hey Guys, I need some help... A customer ordered a belt from me. He wanted a veg-tan belt that was 42" long from the tip of the belt buckle to the end of the tongue and that had the center hole punched at 32". He gave me the measurements based upon an old belt that he wore ( made the most comfortable hole where he wore it the center hole at 32"). Sent it off... Easy, right? Wrong... He sent me an e-mail saying that the belt was too small and that he was wearing it on the very last hole. I told him that was no problem and that I'd make him another belt using the same measurements (in case I had screwed my measurements up somehow) and that I would punch a couple extra holes in it, just in case. The last hole on the new belt was at 36" (I space my holes 1" apart). I even measured it with a yardstick and seamstress' tape to double check the measurements (attached is a photo showing the measurements). Sent it off to him with a prayer, and... Still wrong! Got an e-mail from him saying that he was still wearing it on the very last hole (36"). He told me he wears a size 31 waist jeans, and I know there's no way his clothing is 4" thick (even counting for the thickness of the leather). Any suggestions of what I may be doing wrong? I'm using 10 oz. Wickett and Craig tooling leather, btw... Thanks, Chris of WV Looks like you've already discovered what you were doing wrong (i.e. you were trusting their measurement). I don't do belts by mail order (much; I've done one or two without any problems). But I much prefer to have the old belt in front of me with the buckle attached to the new blank. I put the old belt on top of the new belt blank and use my stylus to mark the most used hole after aligning the buckle ends. Glen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Report post Posted October 31, 2011 I won't do a belt if I don't have the buckle in the shop either. There are just too many variables. If it's a silver buckle made from sheet and has a swinging bail (for want of a better term), you measure the bail, but forget that there are rivets holding the bail on, the belt will fit fine on the buckle end, but the billet end won't go through the buckle because the rivets are in the way and it should have been 3/16" narrower. A three piece buckle set, the billet will go through the buckle, but maybe it won't fit through the keeper. I've also had the experience of using a 1" measuring belt and making a 1 3/4" belt. Turns out the measuring belt sucked into the fat more than the actual wider belt did and it fit on the last hole instead of the center, I ate that one. The only thing harder than a belt is a bracelet. Oh shoot, does the snap add or take away... Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
celticleather Report post Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) I never work on waist size . . . I prefer to use 'fixing length', which is always bigger than waist or pants size. Some folk wear belts around their waists, and others wear them around the hips, and the difference in length can be surprising! I always send my customers a picture (see below) which shows how to measure the fixing length from an existing belt, and if they can't get that right, then I charge them for the remake . . . very politely, of course! Edited November 1, 2011 by celticleather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
