Belt Blanks?

[Widget]

I'm currently enjoying messing around with belt designs, etc. What recommendations do ya'll have for 1.5" blanks? I've used Tandy (one close-ish) but am not overly thrilled with them. Does anyone have experience with Springfield Leather's blanks? They have two levels...I'm talking about the Hermann Oak ones, not the "Low Grade cut from various and miscellaneous leathers."

Any other suppliers I should try?

Thanks for the advice.

[mikesmith648]

Springfields HO ones are not bad..the "low grade" ones are from Tandy....Cut your own is another option

[Chief31794]

I use the Springfield ones (HO), I also have them split their 2-1/2" straps and 2" Straps to 6 oz for Guitar, Banjo, Dobro, Bass and Mandolin Straps. They work really well for me. Most of my stuff is unlined and the back side of the Hermann Oak Straps are really good as well (tight and even).

Chief

[Desert Moon]

I also strap my own for few reason, I can control the quality by useing good hide and by not using bad spots, cost I find i end up paying between 5.50-7.00 per blank strapping my own maybe better if I find a good sale going on. Also if you ever have a request for a different size you just change the setting on your strapper and make a 1" or whatever sze you need.

[horsewreck]

If you plan on making many belts you might consider buying a double back, side, or other large piece of leather from Weaver. They offer a strap cutting service and for a fee of $8.70 will make the entire piece into say 1 1/2" straps. We use this service in our shop and it is a real time saver.

[billymac814]

I second Weavers, they will edge and punch them too. I know its not as good as doing it myself but there's only so many hours in the day. My belt sales have increased by about 500% since I started using them as compared to when I was cutting my own. The reason is because I now stock a bunch that are ready to go, I just have to cut them to size. Before I was lucky to have one or two on display. I get the English bridle ones and some veg tan ones that I can dye.

I do still cut my own for my double layer belts and "special" belts.

The Weavers deal may not be necessary for everyone but for me it brings in extra income with very little extra labor involved. I get the matching keepers as well.

[Mike516]

I second anyone but Tandy. Unfortunately, they've gotten worse and worse, and as convenient as they are, they won't even do little things like try and keep their customers shipping costs down. I recently called to ask if they could send something flat rate because it would have saved me money, but they said they don't have flat rate boxes and anyway they only use UPS for anything other than first class which is ridiculous for small orders because UPS is very expencive. AND they were rude about it. So that was my last order from them. Sorry for the rant

Springfield Leather's stuff is mostly better quality, but some of the stuff they don't carry they get from Tandy. But they're always a pleasure to deal with and their leather is much nicer.

[billymac814]

You need to be careful which ones you order from Springfield too as the quality can be bad if you get the low grade ones. But they are a pleasure to deal with.

I hear ya on Tandys shipping. They are about 70 miles from my shop and I carry some basic tools and kits for customers who want to play around a bit. I don't sell much so I don't stock much but I can order it in, unfortunately they want to charge 9.00 for shipping no matter what it is so if a customer wants a 10 dollar tool it becomes 20 if they don't want to wait until I have more things to order. They could send small items first class for 2.00 and it would be reasonable. I would love to be closer to Springfield.

[Feraud]

Has anyone used the blanks from Zack White? Any thoughts or opinions if someone is just looking to make a belt or two and doesn't need/want to cut their own blanks? What Zack White offers that I haven't noticed from other supplies (I could be wrong on this) is a choice of thickness options.

I have a few vintage compression style buckles that require thinner leather than most blanks offered.

http://www.zackwhite.com/Leather-Strips_c_208.html

[billymac814]

They have a good selection, I didn't see different thicknesses really but I may not have looked hard enough. I may order a few of the ones that have to compare quality with the Weaver ones since I see they have them with finished edges and finished buckle ends too.

[Mike516]

You need to be careful which ones you order from Springfield too as the quality can be bad if you get the low grade ones. But they are a pleasure to deal with.

I hear ya on Tandys shipping. They are about 70 miles from my shop and I carry some basic tools and kits for customers who want to play around a bit. I don't sell much so I don't stock much but I can order it in, unfortunately they want to charge 9.00 for shipping no matter what it is so if a customer wants a 10 dollar tool it becomes 20 if they don't want to wait until I have more things to order. They could send small items first class for 2.00 and it would be reasonable. I would love to be closer to Springfield.

You're right about Sringfield's leather, but if you speak to them and tell them what you need, they will work with you if they can. They'll cut what you need. So if you order 15 feet, they give you 15 feet. With Tandy, I ordered a 15 sq ft hide once and got 9 or 10 feet. They charged me for what I got but I didn't need 10 feet, I needed 15, but they said they send what they have...?huh? does that make sense?

I ordered some stuff from them recently that totaled 30 bucks and they charged me $13 for shipping and it would have fit in a FR box. You still have to watch Springfield to make sure they do what you ask, but they always make good if they make a mistake and the people that work there are MUCH nicer.

[mumbles]

hi this my first post I ordered @ $40 from knoxville it was sent usps standard shipping for $7.99. l was leathercrafting a few years ago back then I delt with tandy here in N c. I just started again a month or so ago the internet sent me to the knoxville store they told me i could use either store.So try other stores even out of state ones. I live in . NC. and ordered from tenn.........

Mumbles

[billymac814]

Yes you are correct, the service you get from Tandy can vary greatly from store to store or manager to manager. If you want to deal with another store though you have to do everything by phone. My closest store recently got a new manager and the service has improved greatly. It used to be if I'd place an order with Tandy (60 miles away) and an order from Springfield ( halfway across the country away) on the same day a lot of times the Springfield order would arrive first. I also would have problems with them shipping it to the wrong address. Now with the new manager if I order it today it'll be here tomorrow. I don't buy any leather from them except on occasion when they have those crazy cheap sales on the low grade stuff ill pick some up for resale. There's only a few things that I order from Tandy, usually kits or tools for customers and I like their Chicago Screws better than ones I've got elsewhere.

[Mike516]

That's a good idea. Now that I think about it, I did have to deal with Syracuse once, because the usual store the website sends me to in CT didn't have what I needed, and they were pretty nice. Maybe I'll try calling Syracuse directly next time.

But tbh, Springfield offers the same stuff at the same price so I might just avoid the aggravation. I go out of my way to be polite and professional when dealing with customers and vendors alike even if I'm having a bad day, so why should I have to deal with an attitude when I'm giving someone my business. I don't ask for much. The Postman comes to your store every day (not Saturday anymore but still...) so what's the big deal to stick a couple bags of snaps and a bag of daubers in a box and hand it to the Postman?

[billymac814]

They don't actually have the same stuff at the same price. A lot of it is but others are different. Order Chicago screws or holster clips from both places and there's a definite difference. At one point I pretty much quit ordering from Tandy until I found out they aren't always the same thing. Also there are times when Tandy has sales that are cheaper. I get wholesale prices at both places but sometimes Tandys sales are even cheaper than that. I will say that I never called Springfield to find out if they would honor the price so they may but you'd have to call it in if so.

[Mike516]

They will honor any sale that Tandy has, but yes you have to call that in.

I have only ordered a few times from Springfield, so I don't know if everything is the same. I meant they offer the same stuff that I use and it's always been the same quality or nicer. I didn't mean to imply everything was the same.

[billymac814]

You are correct, most of it is the same or better, I've just had a few instances with some things not being as nice, mainly holster clips and Chicago screws. They must get them cheaper else where. They are a little cheaper but I'd prefer nicer over cheaper. I'd rather deal with Springfield whenever possible but they are so far away from me that it takes nearly a week to get which usually isn't a problem but sometimes it is. They include a nice handwritten note with each order too which is nice. I order what I can from them or weavers and some things from Tandy. Sometimes it just depends on what I need and who has it.

[SOB Holsters]

I have used only Tandy in Cincinnati and Zack White. I give Chad and Travis at Tandy props, as they are EXTREMELY helpful and a pleasure to deal with. They are more than willing to answer my questions and offer advice. Shipping has always been 5-10$ and is always new day. That are about 45 miles away.

Now Zack White on the other hand...ggrrr...my blood pressure is going up as we speak. I placed an order on 1/30...and it is still NOT here. If you call, they are nice, and so far I have been happy with the shoulders i buy, and the precut strips are nice too...but Holy crap it takes 4-Ever! Sounds like I need to give Springfield a try.

Anybody use weaver?

[billymac814]

I buy all my blanks from Weavers. They always ship same day and I receive it the next. Their prices are really good too on dyes and such. I do believe there was a minimum first order of like 300 bucks, I'm not sure if that was just with a wholesale account or for anyone but after that it can be any amount. They also have a good selection of buckles and some cool machines. My only gripe and its barely a gripe but ordering online is either difficult or impossible. You definitely need a catalog and a telephone. Its not a big deal now but when I worked during the day I did most of my ordering at night so I only ordered from places I could order online.

They also do alot of services. So if you want a side cut up in strips they can, if you want them edged they can do that too as well as a number of other things. I buy my blanks pre skived and punched on the buckle end and the edges are painted and I get the English bridle ones. I also get some natural tooling ones in case I need to dye one or tool it and I get some that are just plain strips so I can laminate them together and make double layer belts. Those I edge and skive myself.