Belt Hole Question

[johnggrg]

I recently bought a Tandy cut corner belt buckle for a belt I a, making. It's my first belt. It's a ranger style belt made of 8-9 oz leather. I was unsure of the size hole to make and asked the guy at Tandy what size punch would work best. He said a 5/32 oval hole punch would work fine. But it seems small. The end of the prong on the buckle is flat and bigger then the rest of the bar. and does not seem right.

Has anyone used this buckle and if so what size punch would work best? Please let me know thank you. John

[Chief31794]

I use the size that fits the buckle, punch a hole with the one you have in a piece of scrap (preferrably the cutoff end of the Belt you're making), and put the tang through it a couple of time to see. I like them a little snug they will open up some with use regardless of which size you use, so it being a little tight to start is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the tang passes through the hole without you having to hit it with a hammer.

Hope that helps,

Chief

[silverwingit]

Good advice from the Chief.

I would only add that you cannot only put the tang through your test hole in your scrap piece of leather, but if you use a piece of the same belt strip you can thread it through the buckle as well. Then you can pull the tang "shut" against the buckle and tug on both ends (buckle and threaded test piece) and see how the test hole holds up to the exact forces the actual belt will be subject to. That way you will also see the difference between a circular and an oblong hole as your Tandy fellow correctly suggests.

I hope that made sense.

Michelle

Edited May 3, 2014 by silverwingit

[DavidL]

While we are on the subject how do you get punch holes on belts and get them parallel?

[tomt]

I take wing divider and mark my holes or use it to make a center line to mark them with

[El Zipster]

I use a template from Black River Laser but you could make your own one up I guess.

Cheers

Zip

www.zipsleather.com

Edited May 3, 2014 by El Zipster

[Dwight]

I have two cheaters, . . . a template, . . . I made it myself.

AND, . . . the punch has a line scribed in its top (where the mallet hits it) and all I have to do is orient the line parallel to the belt, . . . comes out OK every time.

BUT, . . . I've also punched a bunch of leather with it, . . . lots of practice, . . . that too will help.

And, yes, . . . go with the oval punch. Personally, I think it looks far more professional and "correct" than a funky old round hole, . . . but that is just one opinion among many.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Chief31794]

I line the punch up, tap it to make a small impression, check it, correct if necessary and retap, when it's right, I put the punch back in the impression and punch the hole. I center the holes using a template from Blackriver Laser. I also will not punch any holes in a belt other than ovals.

Chief

Edited May 4, 2014 by Chief31794

[joe59]

If you punch the holes from the back side (roughout) it makes a cleaner finish. Punches are tapered and the tang for the buckle fits in better when punched from the back.

JOE