Gunbelt is too loose

[CaptQuirk]

I made a western gunslinger style belt and holster, but it doesn't fit quite right. I measured around my hips, and the length is right, but it still slips right off. Is there a secret to making these belts? Should I have cut the belt with a curve instead of straight cut?

[Dwight]

In one word, the answer is "Yes".

I always cut my gun belts with a curve, . . . as per John Bianchi, . . . so far they have all worked, except one.  Made a 53 inch one for a guy, . . . when he came to get it about 6 or 7 weeks later, . . . it was too small.  I had to get really creative and add a few inches to it so he could get it on.

What you might do is just reposition your belt tongue back far enough that you can cinch it up real good and tight.

The "rule" for these things that so far has never failed me:  take the belt the person wears, . . . measure it like you were going to make them a new dress belt, . . . add 4 full inches to the measurment, . . . his / her gunbelt will fit and not fall off.  Again, a bit of John Bianchi teaching.

The other thing you may do (I've seen several like this), . . . put a suede liner on it.  It won't take up much of the slack, . . . but they don't slide as easy either.

May God bless,

Dwight

[JLSleather]

Belts can be shortened fairly easily.  Lengthened not so easy.

 

[Dwight]

3 hours ago, JLSleather said:

Belts can be shortened fairly easily.  Lengthened not so easy.

 

Awwww, . . . c'mon JLS, . . . you need to get one of those patented Harbor Freight Belt Stretchers, . . . LOL

Look in your paper, . . . probably get a 20% off coupon, . . . and a free tape measure, . . . hard to beat.............

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited August 6, 2016 by Dwight

[plinkercases]

Like the old framer I trained with used to say... " I cut it three times and its still too short!"

Dwight are the Bianchi tips on the videos? I've been toying with getting the DVDs on occasion... I don't think has a holster making book does he? I have Blue Steel and Gun Leather but that's of course more about holster development.

 

[JLSleather]

They's prolly a y-tube (pronounced WHY-tube) video about shortenin' belts somewheres.  Thought from time to time about seein them dianchi videos for about 20 years now -- still haven't ruled it out

 

[Red Cent]

I always line the western gunbelt with suede.

Putting an acrylic sealer on the leather is akin to greasing sled tracks. And most SASS shooters position the belt fairly low.

[JLSleather]

How you finish them edges, Red?  Without actually holding one, I've always thought your rigs look good 'n' solid (in a impressive way).  So you DO use the acrylic, or no?

 

[Dwight]

16 hours ago, plinkercases said:

Like the old framer I trained with used to say... " I cut it three times and its still too short!"

Dwight are the Bianchi tips on the videos? I've been toying with getting the DVDs on occasion... I don't think has a holster making book does he? I have Blue Steel and Gun Leather but that's of course more about holster development.

 

I don't know for sure if this is it, . . . but I'd guess it was.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Bianchi-Cowboy-Western-Gun-Holster-Making-4-DVD-Set-/321824695613?hash=item4aee3f253d:g:LiQAAOSwu4BVwlWZ

The tapes I had were a 3 tape set, . . . borrowed em, . . . had to get em back.

They were well worth the $75 bucks they wanted for them, . . . but I just took a bunch of notes, . . . and he did not REALLY want to sell them.

May God bless,

Dwight

[plinkercases]

Thanks Dwight. I think they will go on my  Christmas wish list for the kids to get me.

EDIT... but for $160 Canadian on amazon.ca I had better a really good boy this year.

I wonder if anyone of the forum has a set they are done learning from........? Perhaps I will post a WTB notice.

Edited August 6, 2016 by plinkercases

[CaptQuirk]

Thanks Dwight. Suede liner will work, since it is too late to recut the belt now. But in the future, how much of a curve do you cut?

[Dwight]

Years ago I made up a sliding template, . . .  that makes a bit less for a short belt, . . . but more for a longer belt, . . . but at about a 40 inch belt, . . . there is a 4 1/2 inch curve in there.

This is my belt, . . . I'm a 38 right now, . . . was a 40 when I was eating pancakes for breakfast.  This is my gun belt, . . . made for a 40, . . . and if you count the squares there, . . . it's about 4 1/2 inches.

This has worked for me for a number of years, . . . don't get any complaints, . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[dikman]

I'm assuming we're talking a single holster if putting in a curve?

[plinkercases]

Dwight,

Thanks for you photo. Would it be safe to assume that a 40 is to the middle billet hole so the entire finished leather length is approx. 45 inches so 4.5 over 45 is about 1 inch curve for 10 inches of finished leather?

 

[Dwight]

Actually it is really close to 50 inches, . . . 

I have to look at my pattern, . . . but memory at 50 ft from the shop says that the blank belt is 9 inches longer than the belt size, . . . that was either a 40 or 41 to start with (pancakes will do it to you every time), . . . so 4 1/2 inches in 50.

I'd not worry about doing a 1 inch per 10 curve, . . . these things don't have to be "zinth" degree correct.

May God bless,

Dwight

[plinkercases]

Thanks Dwight.

My weakness is bacon and egg breakfasts. Just had to go up a pant size myself after a year at a new job which is more desk centric than I am used to. My increase still seems to be above the gun belt line though.

My rig slipped down a bit when I forst started wearing but it has taken on a slight curve plus I decided to wear my guns belt up higher it just below the waist/belt line and I crank it in a hole and wear suspenders to keep the pants from drifting down with weight. I may still add some suede or roughed out just for the "belt and suspenders" insurance.

Did four stages at a cowboy shoot Saturdays in 35c heat but lost more weight due to sweating standing still than moving. Shooting "sports" aren't really that "active"!

And God certainly has blessed me.

Murray

[Red Bear Haraldsson]

I cut the belt itself so it overlaps by about an inch in front when I wrap it around where I will wear it (just covering the distance around, not cinched tight).

Then I mount the chape/buckle end to the belt and stick in the billet end to the middle hole, the wrap the belt around as snug as I am going to wear it and mark the sewn end of the billet on the belt.

Then I lay it back down on the table and move the mark about half an inch back along the belt (making it tighter). Because my skill level for gunbelts at this point is still "You may want that a bit tighter..."

I haven't attempted a curved belt yet because I am just a fraidy cat.

My Dunlop's disease comes from supper, not breakfast. It is nice to say that I had to punch five new holes moving my pants belt tighter 7 inches from where it was when I started paying attention to what I am eating. My belly still 'done lopped' over my belt, but 275 is much better than 300 was.

[Josh Ashman]

I cut my gun belts straight then form a curve in them while the leather is cased, generally just after I tool them. If they aren't tolled I'll case them just to form in the curve. The end result isn't quite as nice of a curve as Dwight has pictured above, but it's close and I feel like straight cuts with a draw knife or strap cutter get a better yield from my hides. Although it may just be my lazy coming through. 

As to fixing a belt that is a little too loose, I'd go with pancakes for breakfast and spaghetti for supper until it fits just right. Or, cut the belt tongue piece loose and move it back as Dwight suggested. 

All the best, Josh

[JLSleather]

Me, too, Josh.  That belt is a bit snug? Yer fault for skippin' the gym

Still, seems like if a fella cut a curved belt from a hide, there would be some waist (hehe)..  But after teh first one, should be able to cut MORE curved straps  with a strap cutter and no more waste.

But I'm not seein' why a belt couldn't git shortened.. 'less moving the billet back would run into bullet loops..

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by JLSleather

[Josh Ashman]

I wondered if you could keep cutting the same curve after the initial cut and have it work out. But, I've never wondered so much that I tried it. How do you cut yours JLS?

[plinkercases]

If the curve is slightly different for different length then no youcouldnt cut the same curve unless you were making a run fo equal (or relatively equal) belts. at least that's how I htough it out wheni asked myself the same question.

As for forming the curve I saw some where you can trace the curve of a broken in pants belt, cut the profile of plywood and form the new belt against that so the new pants belt (or through the loop gun belt) already matches the nice old belts specific curves for you build and wear style. I may try this when I next make myself and every day belt.

[Dwight]

The geometric shape of the curve is going to be the exact same arc whether the belt is 32 inches long, . . . or 52 inches long.

The "top of the arc" will simply be farther away from the straight line drawn between the ends.

Do what you want to do, . . . but this is a direct copy of what John Bianchi (basically the father of the modern gunfighter rigs) teaches and has taught for many years.

I would suggest that his system is probably a whole lot more reliable that Billy Bob's old floppy Walmart $4.99 belt made of genuine imitation leather.

May God bless,

Dwight

[plinkercases]

I gave myself the wrong answer! Of course it makes sense now that the curve is the same regardless of length just the ends move along the curve.

An I am not against the idea at all. The other idea of forming to the old belt was just fro a pants belt really.

Thanks for straightening me out Dwight!

[JLSleather]

Gonna depend on the amount of curve, Josh.  If you're only dropping a few inches in 50"+, then you CAN use the strap cutter after the first one.

But I do NOT think the curve is the same for every body shape, any more than I think all blonds are the same level of stupid  

I also don't think there is a "right" distance to put slots out from the gun on a pancake holster.  On a round fella you can put the slots closer than the one for the narrow fella. Not that you need to, since he has less "curve" (more gradual) in his waist.

Nor do I think there is a "right" amount of curve in a belt when I glue the layers together.  A guy with a 34" waist needs his belt glued with more curve than the fella with the 44" waist... NOT the same radius

I've made belts for slim fellas that looked a bit like dog collars. And I've made belts for big fellas where you 'n' me could both be talkin to the guy and never see each other 

But to answer the question, I don't make that many curved belts (very few last few years) so I cut them with an x-acto

 

Edited August 9, 2016 by JLSleather

[Josh Ashman]

That's a good answer JLS! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I dug up this old picture of a double buscadero rig I made a while back. I cut this off a new hide, I used a straight edge and just cut far enough down that the belt fit upside-down on the cut off piece. Anyway, it was cut perfectly straight. I formed the curve into it when I tooled it. I based the radius on what I thought looked "right". I'm not sure what John Bianchi or Billy Bob from Wal-Mart do to make their belts, nor will I loose any sleep worrying about it. 

Have a good day folks!