Attaching The Keeper On A Gunbelt

[SooperJake]

What's the prefered method of attaching the keeper on a gunbelt?

The last plain belt I purchased a couple years or so ago was simply stapled...kinda cheesy. The most recent belt I made I used copper rivets but there was some slight discoloration of the leather around the rivet. Not terrible bad but...

Also, is your keeper anchored or floating?

Thanks

[Randy Cornelius]

When making the keeper it's self I connect the two ends using a brass staple that I get from weaver leather. It is a heavy duty type that has a larger head and then just poke a couple holes with my lace plyers and then insert the staple and bend the ends over. As far as instalation I like mine to float or not be sewed or rivited in.

Randy

[Itch]

We use the same staples as mentioned above with a foot press..Works very well.

[triage1998]

Someone posted this video awhile ago. This is how I do mine now. Holds up well and looks nice.

[IngleGunLeather]

I hand sew my keeper together as seen in the above video. Mine "float" I guess. They aren't fixed to the belt.

[George B]

Have both sewn and stapled, both ways worked equally well but the staples were quicker to do for me. I started using the same method as Bianchi, sewing it into the main body of the belt. It bothered me that if there was an issue with the keeper, it would be more difficult to replace. I now use the floating keeper.

[Matt Alsaker]

I hand stitch mine. I'm not a fan of staples. I guess you could say mine are "anchored". They are not attached directly to the belt, but are held in place between the two Chicago screws that hold the part that bends around the buckle and back onto the main part of the belt.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Matt Alsaker

[steelhawk]

I hand stitch mine as well. It is a floater, but held pretty tight by the screws at the buckle end.

[Dwight]

Steel staples from the hardware store, . . . since they are basically encapsulated by the finish, . . . should never be any problem with them.

I use three of them, . . . punched with an awl, . . . bent inward with a pair of needle nosed pliers.

My keepers all float.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited January 5, 2013 by Dwight

[Shooter McGavin]

brass staples, floated between 2 chicago screws.

[SooperJake]

Thanks to all for your responses. I forgot to ask what weight leather you are using for the keeper also, and whether you ever make a double keeper? I kind of like the look of the double myself.

[Shooter McGavin]

The double keepers look nice but depending on the spacing might not fit quite right due to the belt loops on the pants. The longer the belt, the better the chance of it working.

I use a 6oz keeper made from the same strap that the belt come from.

[particle]

I staple mine, but only because the thread method failed once. It was sewn with nylon thread (the knot failed). Had I used something like linen thread, it probably wouldn't have come untied, but now that I have a stapler, I just do that because it's so much quicker. Mine are 8oz, which is what my belts are made from as well.

[SooperJake]

What size slot do you use for the buckle and how far back tothe first Chicago screw from the slot, typically?