Belt Leather Cracking At Buckle Fold - How To Eliminate It?

[CustomDoug]

I'm making belts from 8/9 oz. and it's cracking the top surface of the leather at the buckle area - I assume because of the thickness. Do you guys usually skive the leather at the buckle's tongue area?

[TinkerTailor]

Do one, two or all three of the following, and it should help:

1: yes, skive the backside.

2: wet form the fold.

3: 2-3 days before folding, neetsfoot oil the leather

[CustomDoug]

I'll give those a try. Thanks!

[TinkerTailor]

Doesn't have to be neetsfoot, btw, just some of your favourite conditioner to ensure the leather is not dry and the fibers slide against each other nice when you bend it. Waiting a couple days gives the conditioner time to chooch and even out. It also makes it easier to wet the leather to bend it.

[CustomDoug]

ok, got it. and umm... I don't suppose there's anything I can do about the cracked leather once it's there, right? I have some Pecards conditioner that I can use, any chance it'll visibly 'heal' the small cracks? I just skived the area as suggested and the cracks are still quite visible on the front at the bend area (not that I bent it very tight though, just checked loosely). Will the area be weak? The cracks look to be just the top surface, but are unsightly if nothing else. btw, this is a 3/4" wide strap of 8/9oz (now skived down at that area).

[thekid77]

I'm making belts from 8/9 oz. and it's cracking the top surface of the leather at the buckle area - I assume because of the thickness. Do you guys usually skive the leather at the buckle's tongue area?

Like Tinker said, just make sure that the area being folded is wet.......the leather will not crack on you. I recently made a halter.......18 different folds in 8/9 oz leather and thicker and not one crack

PS skiving the leather can help, but thin leather can and will crack as well so the main thing is wet it down

Edited February 25, 2016 by thekid77

[Art]

Almost everyone has cracked the grain at this point at least once in their career. Dry top grain will crack on acute bends, just a fact. Generally, I don't relieve the bend in anything but thick leather. I do skive down the ends where the rivets or sewing goes. Get the fold/crease good and wet, like everyone says, then put a buckle on it so it wet forms. After it is good and wet, you can hammer on it if you want. If you recut the end, you probably won't lose much more than a couple of inches. If that is a problem, make a ranger style belt, or a stranger/ranger that has a buckle on the belt, but closes with a ranger billet.

Art

[CustomDoug]

OK - I'll be wetting the bends from now on. Is this necessary with FULL grain leather as well?

Edited February 25, 2016 by CustomDoug

[Art]

The grain is usually what cracks, doesn't matter what it is, but veg tan is more of a target than chrome tan.

Art

[Mike516]

I just had this happen to me with a stained, edged and oiled dog collar. I was putting the buckle on and the leather cracked on me. It was oiled and still cracked.

So I want to try this wet form you all speak of. Am I to understand, I would wet the leather, put a buckle on it where I want the bend and stamp it and whatever. Then when I go to stain and oil it, I can take the buckle off to straighten the belt so I can stain it, then bend it back? I've never done this so I'm also including a picture of what I think you all are talking about.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Mike516