Bling Belt/this Is What Happens When You Let Your 12 Year Old Daughter Free In The Leather Store

[Allan1972]

My daughter asked if I could make her a belt, so to the leather store we went.

Would you expect anything less as I said she could pick anything she wanted:)

I was not expecting it to be $80-100 to make a belt(that was elite pricing).

Used light weight saddle skirting(12-13oz) with deertan cowhide lining, nice substantial belt.

Been a little while since I posted anything…..

What do y'all think?????

Allan

[mlapaglia]

NOt a fan of the bling but the undyed tooling is amazing. Very nice.

[DoubleC]

Expensive belt but it is very pretty. I'm sure your daughter loves it. And hey free advertising right? LOL. Cheryl

[silverwingit]

Believe it or not, I am building a harmonica bandolier for a client who wants "as much bling as I can fit on it." I just placed an Ohio Travel Bag order for $100 worth of all sorts of nickel plated rivets, eyelets and crystals. I'll have to post a picture when I finish it. Donny's a huge man, weighing an easy 400 lbs., so the bandolier will be quite a chunk of leather and will probably weigh 25 lbs. itself with all that hardware on it, even without the 12 harmonicas he wants on it.

Thanks for posting, Allan. You've given me some ideas. One question. Can you comment on your decision to line it (or not)? I know that weight is not an issue for your daughter's belt, but in my case it is. For that reason I am thinking of using double-cap dome-shaped rivets instead of round spots to avoid adding a bunch of weight in a suede lining. I am trying to keep the weight manageable by not lining it, but then again I wonder if all those dome-shaped rivets might weigh more than the spots plus the suede lining.

Thanks,

Michelle

PS: I agree; that inverted carving is beautiful!

Edited September 20, 2014 by silverwingit

[MonicaJacobson]

LOL, blingy and fun. Love the carving, too.

[Grey Drakkon]

Beautiful work, and damn that's sparkly! I bet there's some western horse shows that would have people clamoring for that belt.

[Allan1972]

Believe it or not, I am building a harmonica bandolier for a client who wants "as much bling as I can fit on it." I just placed an Ohio Travel Bag order for $100 worth of all sorts of nickel plated rivets, eyelets and crystals. I'll have to post a picture when I finish it. Donny's a huge man, weighing an easy 400 lbs., so the bandolier will be quite a chunk of leather and will probably weigh 25 lbs. itself with all that hardware on it, even without the 12 harmonicas he wants on it.

Thanks for posting, Allan. You've given me some ideas. One question. Can you comment on your decision to line it (or not)? I know that weight is not an issue for your daughter's belt, but in my case it is. For that reason I am thinking of using double-cap dome-shaped rivets instead of round spots to avoid adding a bunch of weight in a suede lining. I am trying to keep the weight manageable by not lining it, but then again I wonder if all those dome-shaped rivets might weigh more than the spots plus the suede lining.

Thanks,

Michelle

PS: I agree; that inverted carving is beautiful!

I just like the way it looks with a lining and the stitching. I feel like the belt feels more comfortable on, the linning I use is a 3-4oz deertan cow. The benefit of no lining is if a stud or other trim piece comes off or gets damaged it is easier to fix.

[Allan1972]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments:)

The carving pattern was from a craftaid as my artwork is not great on my own, but still have to execute it and lay it all out in a way that is pleasing. You can't just throw everything at it and expect it to look good.

Allan

[Hi Im Joe]

Really awesome work! Great job!

[Windrider30]

That is rather cool looking, at the end of Oct/early Nov the wife and I are going to start getting to the leather and so love the pictures everyone is posting and all the helpful hints!

[Allan1972]

Really awesome work! Great job!

Thanks Joe, I am a fan of your work as well(thought those roll top bags were cool, want to try the cooper rivets). I have not tried any of the type of items you do yet, other than the wallet, cheque book in my beginner kit(not the same when you don't cut the pattern your self).

That is rather cool looking, at the end of Oct/early Nov the wife and I are going to start getting to the leather and so love the pictures everyone is posting and all the helpful hints!

This is a great place for info, I started a year ago have had people buy things from me. Pretty fun hobby.

Allan

[Windrider30]

Yeah I agree with you Allan this is a great place for info, I am already doing chainmail and have sold a few pieces, the leather just fits nicely with the chainmail when it comes to some things, and its a way to branch out my own business so I really do love this place the information and the pictures are a great tool.

[Frederiek]

Looks brilliant! I like the combo of the tooling and the bling. I think it works really well together!

[Allan1972]

Looks brilliant! I like the combo of the tooling and the bling. I think it works really well together!

Thank you, that pattern really works well on a ladies belt(my first time tooling it).

The belt is very nice on, a real centre piece.

Allan

[Allan1972]

A different angle:)

Edited September 23, 2014 by Allan1972

[LNLeather]

Beautiful Belt!

[Colt W Knight]

Looks very well made.

[Allan1972]

Beautiful Belt!

Thanks cheryl

Looks very well made.

Thanks Colt,

My only worry with it is the weight of leather, I used 13oz which is heavy for the studs and crystals. I had to set them pretty hard to compress the leather and have the rivet catch. So far so good, none of the "bling" has come off.

Allan

[Wild Bill46]

Allan _______________

Really, really nice looking bling Belt !

Im excited with your choice of bling, concho's, and tooled pattern, these go extremely nice together. Congratulations !

[Grey Drakkon]

I wonder if there's a way to recess the rivets on the back, like when you drill out a hole for a screw head in wood.

[Allan1972]

Allan _______________

Really, really nice looking bling Belt !

Im excited with your choice of bling, concho's, and tooled pattern, these go extremely nice together. Congratulations !

Bill,

Thank you for such an enthusiastic positive comment, you have motivated me to post "this is what happens when you let your 67 year old dad loose in the leader store" belt topic;)

I wonder if there's a way to recess the rivets on the back, like when you drill out a hole for a screw head in wood.

Come to think of it I saw a video on Tandy's French edge skiver and it showed exactly what you are refering to.

I might have to buy one and try it out.

[2palominos1bay]

I make belts with saddle skirting and I like the quality of the heavy skirting for tooling. What I find, however, is that some people feel that the belts are too heavy. I'm now buying skirting that is 8-10oz but then I line it with 3oz. So not sure if I'm set on my process to find that perfect balance. Love to hear more about what played into your decisions and, that is a very nice belt.

[Allan1972]

I make belts with saddle skirting and I like the quality of the heavy skirting for tooling. What I find, however, is that some people feel that the belts are too heavy. I'm now buying skirting that is 8-10oz but then I line it with 3oz. So not sure if I'm set on my process to find that perfect balance. Love to hear more about what played into your decisions and, that is a very nice belt.

I just really like a heavy thick belt.

I have been using 8-10 Oz and 12-13 Oz with the 3-4 Oz lining, I have not worn one of the heavier weight ones yet.

Allan

[Brushpopper]

Nice work.

How wide is that belt?

[Allan1972]

Nice work.

How wide is that belt?

It is 1.5"