Belt Measurement

[SooperJake]

While perusing on Del Fatti's site, I noticed he says to measure the belt from the fold of leather for the buckle to the middle hole. I always thought the measurement started at the inside front bar of the belt, as per Al Stohlman's books.

How do you measure for your gunbelts?

[JLSleather]

Just like you said Jake. Not sure what that other thing is about. How do you NOT have the buckle length involved here? Trophy buckles gonna throw that WAY off ...

[IngleGunLeather]

I measure from the buckle's tongue as Al Stohlman books describe. Not too long ago when I was doing my first and personal belt I had that same question. Several people and companies go from the fold. I took the advise of the buckle tongue from Chris "Slickbald" Andre and it worked great. After doing it this way I understood why it needs to be done this way because it reflects the "true" measurement of the waist.

[Matt Alsaker]

The way I understand it...since each buckle has a different tongue length, (1) If as the craftsman you are providing the buckle with the belt, then you want the customer to measure as described in Al Stohlman's book because no matter what length the tongue is on the buckle you provide with the belt the measurement will be correct. However, (2) If the customer is not going to use your buckle and intends on using a buckle they already have (trophy buckle, etc) then if they provide you the measurement from the fold to center hold on a belt with their existing buckle you can build an appropriate length belt from that. Probably 95%+ of the belts I've made are done using option (1), but I've never had any problems when building using option (2). I hope this wasn't confusing.

[Dwight]

I cannot tell you where I saw it, . . . but it was just so "right" that I cabbaged it onto my website.

Look at the belt page, . . . it will tell you how to measure for a belt, . . . and "almost" never go wrong.

The one time it did not work out right, . . . was a western style gun belt for a rather plus size customer. In the time it took to make his belt & holster, . . . he had gained 3 inches of girth, . . . and complained that it didn't fit

Fortunately, . . . I was able to remake the tongue, . . . and got away with that one.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Chief31794]

Here is a diagram that I give folks who want to order a belt. It helps them visualize what you're looking for. I tell them to measure to the most worn hole, then I make that measurement the center hole on the new belt.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Chief31794

[SooperJake]

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

[billymac814]

I used to measure from the fold like I seem on some other sites, up until I had my first mistake. Now I measure from like the diagram in the previous post. The only way I would do it from the fold is if the customer is providing the buckle and the buckle.

[Shooter McGavin]

I used to measure from the fold like I seem on some other sites, up until I had my first mistake. Now I measure from like the diagram in the previous post. The only way I would do it from the fold is if the customer is providing the buckle and the buckle.

but what about the buckle?

[billymac814]

What about it? It gets measured in with the belt so if the customer has a buckle that is 3" long and his measurement from the end of the buckle is 38" and if I'm using a 2" long buckle I still make it from the end of my buckle to the center hole 38". If I'd have him measure from the fold his new belt would be an inch short. I usually sell about 10 belts a week and never had one mistake doing it that way.

Measuring it from the fold only works if you're only providing the belt and the customer is providing the buckle and even then it can be sketchy unless you know for a fact he's using in the buckle that he intends to use with the belt that he's measuring.

I also have a belt made that's about 6' long with holes running most of the length of it each numbered in inches so when a customer comes in I have them put on the belt and I take down the number which is the measurement. This of course only works for people who come into my store though and even then ill usually just take the belt they are wearing and use that for my measurement but in some cases they don't always have a belt on and then I use my long belt.

My long belt also has part of it border stitched, part of it is creased around the edge and part of it has some boarder stamping on it which are all additions that they can see and add to their belt and it has the prices for these additions written on it as well.

I sell more single layer belts than I do concealed carry belts but they all get measured the same, I do tell people that get gun belts to make sure they measure the hole that they are using with the holster in place.

but what about the buckle?

[Shooter McGavin]

Billy, I was attempting humor.

You wrote:

I used to measure from the fold like I seem on some other sites, up until I had my first mistake. Now I measure from like the diagram in the previous post. The only way I would do it from the fold is if the customer is providing the buckle and the buckle.

[billymac814]

That obviously went way over my head, that sometimes happens, especially late at night.

Billy, I was attempting humor.

You wrote: