What To Use To Sand Belt Loops

[rccolt45]

Hi guys I am wondering what you all use to sand your belt loops on own holsters. I have tried the small Dremel tool sanding drums but find they are to large. For the flat parts I use a nail file or emery board but what to use on the top and bottom round parts?

[mlapaglia]

I sand my belt loops just like my belt edges. I sand and edge them before they are attached together. I find this works find and is easy.

[pete]

edge like you would a belt, but and then cut it to size. Maybe do a long strip say 10" long. Easier to work with.

[Red Cent]

Are we talking belt slots as in a pancake holster?

The one on the right.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Red Cent

[rccolt45]

Are we talking belt slots as in a pancake holster?

The one on the right.

Yes I am talking about a pancake style belt slot. Is the one on the right sand paper or a stone material?

[MLand]

I've used sandpaper wrapped around a ruler.

[George B]

I just cut a piece of waterproof or emery 220 grit sandpaper about 2 to 3 inches by the same wide. Roll it up tight and allow it to expand once in the slot. Back and forth for the length and in and out in the tops and bottoms. Sometimes finish with 320 grit.

Works for me better than a dremmel.

[Dwight]

If you use a good slot punch, . . . the sanding needed is incredibly minimal.

I got sick and tired of bad looking belt slots, . . . built a punch out of a piece of conduit, . . . sharpened the edge on an electric sander, . . . pounded it down to a 5/16 by almost 1 1/2 inch slot, . . . I've used it for 5 years, . . . looks ugly, . . . but it works.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Red Cent]

Yes, it is stone. At the rpm of the dremel, it will be smooth. Won't work with soft, thin leather. I like Dwight's idea. Gonna try that one. 'Course, one still has to do the edges with something. I use the edger, bone with an antler point to roll the edges down, then the dremel. Then the dremel with beeswax/parafin.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Red Cent

[rccolt45]

If you use a good slot punch, . . . the sanding needed is incredibly minimal.

I got sick and tired of bad looking belt slots, . . . built a punch out of a piece of conduit, . . . sharpened the edge on an electric sander, . . . pounded it down to a 5/16 by almost 1 1/2 inch slot, . . . I've used it for 5 years, . . . looks ugly, . . . but it works.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hey Dwight I would love to see a pic of this as punches are pricy.

[jackd942]

If you use a good slot punch, . . . the sanding needed is incredibly minimal.

I got sick and tired of bad looking belt slots, . . . built a punch out of a piece of conduit, . . . sharpened the edge on an electric sander, . . . pounded it down to a 5/16 by almost 1 1/2 inch slot, . . . I've used it for 5 years, . . . looks ugly, . . . but it works.

May God bless,

Dwight

Me too Dwight..love to see a pic. What size conduit did you use?

Edited October 17, 2013 by jackd942

[Dwight]

Me too Dwight..love to see a pic. What size conduit did you use?

OK, . . . you asked for it, . . . I used galvanized 1 inch conduit, . . . actually measures 1.200 OD with my calipers.

I took a piece of 1/4 inch flat stock and ground a taper on it from about 1 inch to about 1 3/4 or something like that, . . . and rounded the sides with a full half radius the full length of the two sides (its about 3 inches long).

You first take the cut piece of conduit to a sander and sharpen that outside edge so you could use it to punch out a perfect round washer of leather. Then you begin to flatten the end of it, . . . keeping the piece of flat stock in that end, . . . so it doesn't ever get a chance to fully collapse.

Just keep hammering until it gets nice and flat on the edges, . . . pull out the flat stock piece, . . . VOILA, . . . a punch.

May God bless,

Dwight

[AndyH]

Great idea Dwight! Thanks for sharing!

[jackd942]

Very nice Dwight! Thanks

[Dwight]

Hey, guys, . . . you're welcome, . . . I'm just one of those stingy old coots you hear about from time to time.

I just try to make things easy on myself, . . . and this was one of the easier ones I've done. You can see in one of the pics that it is getting a bit dull, . . . I touch up the outside edge with the little belt sander I have, . . . and use a very fine round file just to clean off the burrs on the inside, . . . keeping that inside edge straight.

Being able to fabricate your own tools can save you a bunch of $$$$ sometimes, . . . this is one of them.

May God bless,

Dwight

[olds cool]

Dwight, that is too cool. I've been thinking about how to do something along these lines but wasn't sure how exactly to accomplish it. The flat stock was the missing link. Thanks so much for sharing it, ugly or not. That's $50 I won't have to spend on a punch now.

[Mike Craw]

Hey Dwight!

That's a neat job. It looks, and I mean this in the nicest and most respectful way, exactly like the slot punch Tandy used to sell made out of aluminum. I be yours will take a lot more of a pounding. Thanks for showing us!

Mike

[Dwight]

One little thing I forgot to add, . . . this makes a punch that is exactly 1 1/2 inches long if you did it my way. Belt slots often need to be closer to 1 3/4 or so.

When you have to enlarge the slot (make it longer), . . . put one end of the punch down in the slot you already made, . . . and rock it forward against the area you need to elongate. Now, . . . take your time and tap, . . . tap, . . . tap, . . . tap the end of the slot punch through making the elongation.

With a little practice, . . . you can make 2 or 2 1/2 inch slots with this punch, . . . and it will look like you did it all in one whack.

May God bless,

Dwight

[rccolt45]

Hey D.thanks for the pics. One question where do you get the flat bar stock from is that available at Home Depot?