Question On Making Double Thickness Belt

[gmace99]

I think There is a video just posted in All about us and of topic. Jess Jones posted. This shows you how to make a gun belt...It is titled Watch our new leather shop talk series on you tube.

Hope it helps

[Rayban]

It may sound like a dumb question, but isn't 16 oz. and 18 oz. even a bit overkill for a gun belt? Shouldn't 10 to 13 oz. be sufficient?

The bar seems to be 1/4" thick for a true "gunbelt".....it will seem awful thick to someone who has never worn such a thick belt but you get used to it pretty quickly.....and they are comfortable as they will conform to your body in short order.

I use 9/10oz for the outer layer and 5/6 for the "liner"....I stop the liner just short of the fold and the 9/10 is (skived down to about 8oz) folded over the buckle.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Rayban

[paprhangr]

Rayban, what machine, needle, thread do you use on those good looking belts?

[Rayban]

Rayban, what machine, needle, thread do you use on those good looking belts?

Thanks!!

I have a Cowboy 3500...I use 207 top and btm with #25 needle. For the keeper which is 9/10oz. I change to a #23 needle and don't mess with any tension knobs...makes a nice looking stitch IMO.

[paprhangr]

What are you asking/getting for your gun belts?

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

I personally like the look and feel of a double belt. That said, if not careful, you can overdo it. I like to run my belt blanks through my skiver and thin them down to 6/7 oz. that makes a nice heavy, but not too heavy belt, and if you like to dress them up by finger carving them on the inside, it leaves you with a nice flexable , heavy belt that will last and last. At the buckle end, I use the back/inside blank to go up to the bar on the buckle and glue and stitch it there. The outside blank then folds over, and I use either Chicago screws, (two) or snaps to fasten, that way the customer can change buckles if desired. Also like Chief, on the "hole" I skive the last 7" or 8" down to 1/2 thickness before glue and stitch, for a nicer feel. On doubled straps where extreme strength is required like, stirrup leathers and chinch billets I use doubled 6/7 oz. with some woven nylon belting sand-witched in the middle. Being woven it allows the glue to permeate through to the other side and therefore gives a good bond. Oh yes, and when you do that, be sure to use a hot poker to sear the nylon in each of the adjustment holes and the cut off end. Hope that helps.

Bob

[Rayban]

What are you asking/getting for your gun belts?

$65 up to 44" of belt size...beyond that we discuss.

[NVLeatherWorx]

If you are cutting the belt strap from the spine section of the side then you shouldn't need to make the belt double thickness, even for concealed carry. I carry concealed along with two 15 round back-ups and have never used a double thick belt. I use only 9 to 10oz. veg-tan for my belts so that makes a world of difference when it comes to how the leather "feels" with a holster and pouch attached. The idea behind the double thickness concealed carry belts has come from the wider use of the thinner weight leathers and those pre-oiled special leathers that are as flexible as a Yoga instructor; it was never intended to be used as a base of design when it came to the use of veg-tan belt leather (minimum of 8 to 9 oz.).

If you want to add a little extra to the belt where the holster and other supporting gear are worn then you can add an overlay of no more than 4 to 5 oz. over the TOP of the main strap but I would recommend that you give some designer look so that it gives the belt some style, not just thickness. The key thing to note here is the type of leather being used and the weight of the material.

Chief pretty much nailed it. And I have been using mine for about 24 years and it is holding up just fine without all that extra thickness.

[Rayban]

Richard, ...I see why you would argue the double thickness belt...but it's a fact...not opinion...that two layers of leather glued and stitched together will be more stable, stronger, less likely to stretch as readily as a single layer of the same thickness.

Think plywood.....same principle.

I don't blame you for arguing your case....I hand stitched a belt once. I vowed never again.

[OLDNSLOW]

forgive for being a newby and wanting to ask a question specially after the last entry, I am retired and been thinking about trying my hand at a few belts. At the last NRA convention here in Nashville there were plenty of belts on display and the double layered and stitched sure did look nice. And I guess the argument could go one forever as to what is best, but is the buyer wants a double layered for his 1911 then I guess that is what he gets, I know I wear one when I go out and currently use a double layer of webbing belt that is nice but is my tee is up some or not tucked in the webbing will rub and be a real pain. The question I have is, it all that difficult to hand sew a double layer of belt? again this something that I have been pondering for a while, and of course belts might or could lead in to other items and would probably want to end up with a machine so that raises another question, what would be the least expensive notice I did say cheap machine that might be used to work on leather with. I know that these questions have probably been asked hundreds of times but please provide some input.

Thanks