How much do you charge for a hand tooled full grain belt?

[myjtp]

I was just wondering what the going rate is for a hand tooled leather belt 1.5" thick 50 inches long nice finished edges. Can everyone upload pictures of their belts to see what sort of work you do and your price   I'm just sort of seeing what's out there I might try to make some or I might buy some.

[NVLeatherWorx]

For quality work that is done on quality leather and by a person who has refined skills with tooling (which most don't in modern times but there are still a few of us that do) you can see a price of up to $200 or more.  Those of us who are in that neighborhood have been doing this for awhile and are also business professionals.  On the flip side you will find some "weekend warrior" selling their belts for $50 but odds are that they are embossed and not actually carved & tooled and they are most likely not done on quality leather (more likely a Tandy belt strip which isn't from their better leathers) and most don't even have finished edges.  I don't typically post pictures (not even on my website) as these belts are pretty much custom and I keep those closely held unless someone expresses an interest in a custom belt.

[CaptQuirk]

At the $200+ range, are there many people buying? I mean, I could see some of the gun people spending $100 or more on a holster, and not bat an eye. But I honestly can't say I know anybody that would pay that for a belt. On the other side of that coin, I have seen women spend $3-$5k on a purse, and not bat an eye. It is funny how the world works, ain't it?

[Rohn]

I make three width sizes of belts 1.25" 1.50" and 1.75" .  I do not do any embossed belts. My belts are all hand stamped unless someone requests a plain belt. They are not lined but I do make the inside smooth. I use 9/10  Hermon Oak leather on all my belts.  They all come with a buckle and I use Chicago screws to attach the buckle so that it can be changed if the customer wants. I do them in black, chocolate, dark brown, brown, and saddle tan. I may be considered by some as a weekend leather worker but I do this every day and I sell quite a few belts with lots of return customers.  I also make more holsters by far than belts.

Prices:

1.25" - $50.00

1.50" - $50.00

1.75" - $60.00

 

[JLSleather]

At least $8.  These were slightly more than that.

[BWL]

1 hour ago, NVLeatherWorx said:

For quality work that is done on quality leather and by a person who has refined skills with tooling (which most don't in modern times but there are still a few of us that do) you can see a price of up to $200 or more.  Those of us who are in that neighborhood have been doing this for awhile and are also business professionals.  On the flip side you will find some "weekend warrior" selling their belts for $50 but odds are that they are embossed and not actually carved & tooled and they are most likely not done on quality leather (more likely a Tandy belt strip which isn't from their better leathers) and most don't even have finished edges.  I don't typically post pictures (not even on my website) as these belts are pretty much custom and I keep those closely held unless someone expresses an interest in a custom belt.

You are so rite on.............. my customary fee for custom commissions is $ 25 dollars an hour. That is product design working with the customer to the finish product.  

[bikermutt07]

Since we are opening up the can of worms......

What about a belt with no tooling out of Hermann Oak or W&C. Decent buckle with stitching?

Just kind of curious.

[Rohn]

SJSleather, those are true master belts.  I consider myself a craftsman with leather but you are a true artist.

[kiwican]

10 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Since we are opening up the can of worms......

What about a belt with no tooling out of Hermann Oak or W&C. Decent buckle with stitching?

Just kind of curious.

What would you pay for a belt like that? Personally the most i have paid for a belt is 150.00 and had no issue paying it. 

[JLSleather]

3 hours ago, Rohn said:

SJSleather, those are true master belts.  I consider myself a craftsman with leather but you are a true artist.

Thanks, Rohn.  That first one is an old Stohlman design .. STILL gets requested sometimes.  That one went to a young fella ropin' cows down in San Antonio ...

1 hour ago, kiwican said:

What would you pay for a belt like that?

I charge in the $60-ish range for "plain" and stitched, because that's about what I would pay.  But for that, you get leather with no "boogers" -- that's no scratches, wrinkles, inconsistencies...  And I'll emboss 'em for not much more.. simple and looks nice.

Danny got this one at $60.  W/C double layer, INSANELY clean leather (no marks at all), double stitched, his own buckle.

And then to git ta stampin', depends on the complexity of the design.  Simple basketweave.... few bucks.  Some of the other "geo" stamps take quite a bit longer, so there's that.

And even tooling, there's a "range".. in those three belts above, the first one takes CONSIDERABLY longer than the third one.  So, I price by what they want.

And buckles are included UNLESS requested without (the two belts on the outside, both those boys had their own buckle they wanted to use).  I assume that you want a buckle much like the one in the middle pic, but I dont charge for it if you don't want it.  STILL, kinda cool that I've had people from all over send me their buckle to make a belt for it - not everybody gets trusted with family heirlooms or rodeo award buckles

And I'll do sets, simple enough (long as it aint set of 100  ).  This one went to a feller and his boys... bit of a price break, since I can use the same piece of leather, same dye, stain, finish, thread, etc. (no changing thread colors, no testing dye shades, etc...)

All that makes a fancy speech, but truth is I'm not toolin' belts this week (or next) due to the move...