How To Measure Belt Size For Customer Belts

[PAMuzzle]

OK. What is the correct way to measure for a belt? I have been onto many websites for custom belts and they have 2 ways to measure.

1. Measure from the inside end of the buckle to the hole most used.

2. Measure from the fold to the hole most used.

What is the best way and why?

Also do you prefer 5 or 7 billet holes?

Edited March 7, 2016 by PAMuzzle

[Dwight]

I measure from the inside edge of the belt buckle, . . . to the most used hole. THAT is the fatness or skinneyness that the customer is.

Measuring from the fold is an inaccurate measurement, . . . kinda like weighing out your hamburger, . . . with it in the cast iron skillet.

And, . . . 7 holes is my standard.

May God bless,

Dwight

[OLDNSLOW]

I am glad that this subject has been brought up, I like shooter have watched several videos on the same subject and noticed that there would be about a 50/50 split on the subject. but to address the issue with buckles and I have 3 different buckles sitting here from 2 different vendors there is a distinct difference between buckles that I imagine would throw off a measurement when using a buckle to determine length. Now the all three of the buckles are of the same style, roller buckles, 2 are stainless and one is nickel plated, 1 stainless from one vendor and the other from another vendor and then there is the, plated buckle. The one stainless came from Tandy as well as one plated, the other buckle came from SLC and is stainless, now if your thinking or going to ask how I know they are stainless, I tested with a magnet. The stainless from SLC is longer than the stainless from Tandy, the plated from Tandy and the stainless from SLC are the same length which are the shorter of the bunch. So I can see where if using an inner part of buckles can throw off a measurement or did I just waist a bunch of time writing about this.

Edited March 8, 2016 by OLDNSLOW

[Dwight]

I am glad that this subject has been brought up, I like shooter have watched several videos on the same subject and noticed that there would be about a 50/50 split on the subject. but to address the issue with buckles and I have 3 different buckles sitting here from 2 different vendors there is a distinct difference between buckles that I imagine would throw off a measurement when using a buckle to determine length. Now the all three of the buckles are of the same style, roller buckles, 2 are stainless and one is nickel plated, 1 stainless from one vendor and the other from another vendor and then there is the, plated buckle. The one stainless came from Tandy as well as one plated, the other buckle came from SLC and is stainless, now if your thinking or going to ask how I know they are stainless, I tested with a magnet. The stainless from SLC is longer than the stainless from Tandy, the plated from Tandy and the stainless from SLC are the same length which are the shorter of the bunch. So I can see where if using an inner part of buckles can throw off a measurement or did I just waist a bunch of time writing about this.

Not meaning to be hard headed, . . . OLDNSLOW, . . . but stop and think about it for a minute. If you measured your bedroom for carpet, . . . do you not measure all the way to the wall on each side???

Not measuring the buckle, . . . leaves that much off the measurement around the person, . . . kinda like measuring your bedroom, . . . but starting about a foot from the wall.

Measuring the buckle also, . . . will give you a more accurate measurement of the person you are attempting to surround with the belt.

There is one caveat to all I have written, . . . and that is if the person intends to use a totally different type buckle on his/her new belt.

If the person in Wyoming (I live in Ohio) wants a belt made by me, . . . they tell me 39 1/2 inches from inside of buckle tip, . . . to most used hole, . . . and I make exactly that, . . . using the buckle I have in my supply. If they measure from the fold, . . . and are using some kind of a Rodeo Reward buckle the size of a large human hand, . . . the belt I make them using a standard buckle will be too short when they get it.

Uhh, . . . been there, done that, . . . so to speak. And, . . . I hate re-making something I thought was correct when I first did it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[OLDNSLOW]

I see your point, however the belt buckle is an attachment or if you will a closet attached to the room, so do you carpet the closet and include that measurement or leave it as an additional small room that would sort of be added to the room but is still separate. And all closets and not equal in their size some are smaller some are larger. So the carpet guy doesn't do the closet because the house owner dose not tell the carpet guy to do the additional area , who is right and who is wrong, the debate could go and I know you want to be right because so older guys have said so, but does it make it right? And again I see your point, but it still doesn't take in to account that maybe the guy has a super dooper belt buckle on his belt that he or she didn't tell you about!

[King's X]

Pretty simple. I do not take any credit for the attachment, but I use it.

Good luck

[OLDNSLOW]

I have the books and have read them, the issue still is the fact that not all buckles are made to the same standard, like some or most ammo meets the sammi standard soo that when reloading you know that all things or most all things are equal. That is not the same with buckles, which can leave a maker in a quandary if the maker has been buying from vendor A, then goes to vendor B, and vendor B's buckles are of a different length and also different from the buyers buckle, and as I mentioned I understand the argument.

[Troy I]

This is why I don't do belts...except for myself and close friends and family...LOL

[Dwight]

Well so far, . . . I've had to "re-do" a grand total of 2 belts, . . . doing it my way.

The first was when a guy told me he needed a 36 inch belt. I didn't realize he was basing that on his britches size. As it turned out, . . . his new one was a 41. He had stretched the 36's that far.

The second belt was a cowboy rig, . . . western belt, . . . bullet loops and all that regalia. I measured him for a 53, . . . and always add 4 inches for a gun belt, . . .

When he put it on, . . . it only went to the first hole in the belt and he was kinda sorta struggling to get that buckled. I re-measured everything, . . . dude had gone from a 53 to a 56 in the time it took to make his belt.

If you want to do it your way, . . . have at it, . . . I lost track of the number of belts I've done down through the years, . . . and like I said, . . . got recalled on a grand total of 2.

May God bless,

Dwight

[JLSleather]

The buckle needs to be included. Here's why it matters - the three belts are all the same length of leather, but different sizes due to the buckle. ...

[Dwight]

The buckle needs to be included. Here's why it matters - the three belts are all the same length of leather, but different sizes due to the buckle. ...

bucklesize2.gif

"Like"...........

I just pushed the like button for this post, . . . thanks JLS...........

May God bless,

Dwight

[PAMuzzle]

Thanks to all. Understand now why buckle is included. Thanks JLS for the graphic.

[Dwight]

Actually, . . . I guess this whole discussion just may hang on one question: do you provide a buckle with the belt you are selling?

Yes, . . . I always do.

That is the way stores sell em, . . . that is the way they are sold by just about everyone I know about on the net, . . . so that is the way I do it.

That is also the way I know when I make a 44 1/2 inch belt, . . . it is a 44 1/2 inch belt from the inside of the buckle lip to the center hole.

But that's just my way, . . . OMMV.

May God bless,

Dwight

[TinkerTailor]

Both should be measured. The total length of the existing belt from the bucklebar to the most used hole AND the distance between the bars on the current buckle. This way you can subtract the length of the buckle of the from the total length to get the leather length, regardless of which buckle you use in the end.

[YinTx]

And then there's the other dimension: the width. Had a recent customer want a 1.5" belt width, I asked twice to make sure, yeppers, he wanted that 1.5" width. So I spent time and effort to hand stitch it all nice, delivered it, punched the hole onsite custom to the customer's request. Called back 1 week later to see how it was working out... lo and behold, he can't get it to fit any of his other pants. Turns out he's wearing dress slacks all the time, and 1.5" just wont pass through the loops! So he hasn't used it at all. The buckle didn't make any difference at all in that instance!

Might be making that one over again, but 1.25" instead.

YinTx

[PAMuzzle]

YUP... Hence the question!!

[club49]

It would be cheaper to buy him a pair of jeans.

Jim

[Red Cent]

Buckle a belt. What two points determine the size?

[JLSleather]

Officially, the two points would be 1) where the tongue meets the buckle, and 2) the hole you want to use, on the INSIDE of teh belt (the outside will not measure the same).

I see the graphic is missing.. maybe this will help until if returns   Note that the leather is the SAME length in each belt, but the buckle changes teh "size".

 

 

Edited March 31, 2016 by JLSleather