My First Natural Leather Belt

[rherndon]

I have recently gotten an order for a Natural Leather belt. The customer wishes to have a natural belt so that it can patina with wear. This is my first time for an order of a Natural Leather belt, and I am wondering if I should apply any finish to the flesh and grain sides of the belt?

I know I should not use an acrylic because that would prevent the oils and waters that create the patina from reaching the leather. But should I apply a layer of Mink oil or neats foot oil to the grain side of the leather?

Should I apply a finish like Tan Kote to the flesh side to keep the fibers down?

Thank you very much for your time.

[Colt W Knight]

I would line the belt with a vegtan leather, glueing the 2 flesh sides together. Then you really have a belt that will hold up and look nice. A coat light coat of anything will still allow the leather to age.

[Martyn]

Cant you make it from oil tan/bridle leather?

[rherndon]

The customer has requested Hermann oak veg tan leather.

[Nuttish]

Why finish it? Hermann Oak tooling leather sands quite beautifully. You can take the back to a belt sander up to 600 to get a ultrasuede-like finish and the edges to whatever grit you wish to get the fuzzies off.

There are very few treatments that will not color this leather and due to its unfinished nature. Nearly anything you apply to the back will show on the edges and anything you apply to the edges will show on the grain.

[rherndon]

I wasn't sure if i should be applying any products to the belt.

Thank you for the information Nuttish.

[electrathon]

I would use a wax shoe sealer. Like sno-seal or similar (there are a lot of them out there).

[Halitech]

I did a belt a few months ago just to have on stock and finished both sides with snoproof. I also hit it with a hair dryer on low heat to help melt it in and it almost gave it an artificial patina, looks really good.

[aaronmcoleman]

On 3/22/2016 at 3:08 PM, electrathon said:

I would use a wax shoe sealer. Like sno-seal or similar (there are a lot of them out there).

my thoughts exactly!  i just did a collar for my dog out of some cheapy 8/9 oz natural tooling leather i happened to have lying around.  i used sno-seal on the edges when i burnished, and sealed the back and front and was amazed at how nice it came out.