cowboy holster belt not just a 1 1/2 belt

[OLDNSLOW]

and not the John Wayne money belt, the type of belt that creates the drop effect once the back flap is weaved through the drop section.  Does anyone have a pattern for that and I hope I explained it well enough to make my point, I am going to see if I get any response here before posting over in the belt section.

Thanks

[Bayou Bengal]

Maybe a buscadero belt?

[cradom]

One of these what you're looking for?

 

[plinkercases]

Buscadero or drop loop as in the Hollywood western style.

a few pattern packs available.

Of the ones pictured I have and use the buscadero and 6031 which has served well. both from Tandy.

 

[Dwight]

I don't use the pattern pack, . . . but my western or cowboy holster belts are made in pretty much that same pattern.

John Bianchi has an excellent DVD out on all the steps etc. to make that belt.  That is how I've learned, . . . never had an unhappy customer but once.  Measured him up for a 53 inch belt, . . . 6 weeks later he comes to get it, . . . it's too short.  He had gained 3 full inches.  Managed to make it work for him though,...........

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited December 9, 2017 by Dwight

[OLDNSLOW]

yes to all of you, I need to check if Tandy here in Nashville has it in stock, where sis you get the slickbald I have one of his holster patterns that I have used once I think.  I think if I recall I modified it to have a hammer strap.    Thanks for you guys getting back to me, it is interesting I searched on utube and only found 1 video!  

[OLDNSLOW]

did any of you buy the downloadable version from Tandy, and find any wording or warnings that would stop some company like the fedex store or kinkos from printing out a full scale useable pattern? buying the downloadable would save a little time and money if it can be taken somewhere.  But if not I need to buy the hard copy and have it sent so I can have it by Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks once again Y'all

Ron

[Dwight]

OLDNSLOW, . . . have you determined what size belt you need for your customer???

Be advised that if you take his belt he wears on a daily basis, . . . and say it is a 40 inch belt (measured from the end of the buckle to the most used hole), . . . the gun belt you will have to make for him needs to be a 44 inch belt.  I know that sounds crazy, . . . but it is a rule of thumb that never fails, . . . 

Once you have done that, . . . gotten the ABSOLUTE measurement of the gun belt you will have to make for him, . . . PM me with an email address, . . . and I'll send you back a pattern you can lay out on 8 1/2 by 11 paper, . . . and use it.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Bayou Bengal]

6 hours ago, OLDNSLOW said:

did any of you buy the downloadable version from Tandy, and find any wording or warnings that would stop some company like the fedex store or kinkos from printing out a full scale useable pattern? buying the downloadable would save a little time and money if it can be taken somewhere.  But if not I need to buy the hard copy and have it sent so I can have it by Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks once again Y'all

Ron

I have a Tandy pattern that says you can take it to a print shop.  But they advise to print it in 44x28, which is freaking huge. 

[plinkercases]

9 hours ago, OLDNSLOW said:

did any of you buy the downloadable version from Tandy, and find any wording or warnings that would stop some company like the fedex store or kinkos from printing out a full scale useable pattern? buying the downloadable would save a little time and money if it can be taken somewhere.  But if not I need to buy the hard copy and have it sent so I can have it by Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks once again Y'all

Ron

I have the download Tandy packs I mentioned above. I didn't bother getting them printed full scale as there is an option to print 8.5x11pages and tape them together which worked just fine for me. It is also recommended to send to or use printing house for the full size pages as mentioned so no copy right issues.

[OLDNSLOW]

ok thanks guys, Dwight I was going to measure him with a tape measure this weekend, I had a project ahead of his that I wrapped up first then cut out his 2 holsters.  he is a small little guy retired Master Sergeant but cant be anything more than a thirty two to thirty four waist size.

[Lizardo]

I pretty much stopped making buscadero belts, I just make 2 to 2 1/2 inch slightly curved belts. Easier and more historically accurate. But, buscadero belts look a whole lot better.

[OLDNSLOW]

ya this one was my first and most likely my last unless someone wants to pay a whole bunch of cash for one, I do believe that money talks so if someone is willing to take a lot of money I will make another is not then this one is the last.  and probably go the route of the 2 to 2 1/2 in route as well.

[Dwight]

I enjoy making them, . . . mainly because I don't do very many of them, . . . it would probably change if I did make a lot of them.

May God bless,

Dwight

[chiefjason]

On 12/9/2017 at 7:52 AM, Dwight said:

Be advised that if you take his belt he wears on a daily basis, . . . and say it is a 40 inch belt (measured from the end of the buckle to the most used hole), . . . the gun belt you will have to make for him needs to be a 44 inch belt.  I know that sounds crazy, . . . but it is a rule of thumb that never fails, . . . May God bless,

Dwight

Listen to Dwight on that one.  The thickness of a gun belt plays havoc with measurements.  The thickness shortens the useful measurement of the belt.  It might be the same lengthy but they seem to shrink when you put them on.  

 

BTW, Dwight do you just add 4" to the measurement period?  I usually added 2" for OWB and 4" for IWB, but still had some issues.  And don't get me started on guys "swearing I'm a 36" waist".  Grrrrr!!

[Dwight]

Actually, chiefjason, that "4 inch" comment was for a cowboy gun belt or a LEO gun belt worn over top of his regular clothing etc.

For a "hold up my pants" and "hold up my gun" belt, . . . I usually add 2 inches at the most unless the guy is carrying a cannon.

And, . . . yeah, . . . I made a belt for a 53 inch guy one time, . . . by the time he got back to pick it up, . . . he needed a 56 and expected me to fix it.  I did, . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[CaptQuirk]

@Dwight-I am so glad this thread popped up! *HIJACK!* I have a fella with a Bianchi belt that doesn't fit anymore. When he said he had bought a belt at TSC, and wanted to "cut off a hunk, and rivet it to the tongue", I should have let him. Instead, I carefully removed the original tongue, made a copy adding 3" to the middle of it. I also added 3" to the belt flap under the buckle, at the request of the owner. Keep in mind, this is exactly what he asked for, 3"  pieces both ends. I even got the color fairly close to whatever faded out brown it is.

It didn't work. First, the buckle had shifted to the left a few inches. I tried to explain why it did, and got just blank stares. He spent a couple minutes fighting with buckle, trying to fit the fat square pin on the buckle, into a round hole in the tongue. That was my fault, in not making the hole larger, but I was able to buckle it with little effort, and knew the hole was going to stretch some. Lastly, the end of the tongue did not reach all the way to where the buckle strap started. So now, he wants the tongue longer, and thicker, even though the leather I used was a good 1-2oz heavier than the original.

What I want to do now, is extend the tongue 3 more inches, and extend the buckle piece 3". The belt was a size 36", and needs to be a size 42". That just doesn't sound right though.

[Stetson912]

@CaptQuirk, how thick of leather is the belt? And did you get a measurement around where he will wear the belt at all?

I recommend making a prototype out of cardboard or craft foam the same  thickness of the leather.

I'll say what I do with a gunbelt. I get a measurement just above the hips around the clothes that will be worn where the belt will ride not too tight but not too loose. For example I'll say 40". That means that from the buckle to the center hole on the billet I want to be 40" 

Next I figure out how much to add to the billet. I like 1" spacing. For a 5 hole belt I add 2" from center for holes and 3" more for extra to pull the billet through the buckle. 4" is ok too, I just prefer 3". All in all I'm adding 5" to the overall length of the belt.

But, now we have to accommodate for the leather thickness. This means math.for example again, I'll say it's 8 oz leather. That is .125" thick.  The formula you want is (measurement)+pi(leather thickness) 

40"+pi(.125)= about 40.4" about 40 and 7/16". 

All in all I'd make my belt about 45 1/2" long rounding up that 1/16". 

I know that 7/16 sounds nominal but I've been there where I'd really like to have it there haha. 

Keep in mind this is just my procedure and just helps me get the length close. The thicker the leather the more you'll have to add to make it fit. 16oz leather would require just over 3/4 extra length.  

As for the 36" to 42" that actually doesn't sound far off. I added 5 1/2" for a 5 hole belt. That would be 41 1/2" which is pretty close. Grant it it was only 8oz for the example. But using more appropriate leather would put you real close to 42" I think. 

That's how I would go about it. But theres more than one way to skin a cat haha. Hope it helps you out

[Dwight]

8 hours ago, CaptQuirk said:

@Dwight-I am so glad this thread popped up! *HIJACK!* I have a fella with a Bianchi belt that doesn't fit anymore. When he said he had bought a belt at TSC, and wanted to "cut off a hunk, and rivet it to the tongue", I should have let him. Instead, I carefully removed the original tongue, made a copy adding 3" to the middle of it. I also added 3" to the belt flap under the buckle, at the request of the owner. Keep in mind, this is exactly what he asked for, 3"  pieces both ends. I even got the color fairly close to whatever faded out brown it is.

It didn't work. First, the buckle had shifted to the left a few inches. I tried to explain why it did, and got just blank stares. He spent a couple minutes fighting with buckle, trying to fit the fat square pin on the buckle, into a round hole in the tongue. That was my fault, in not making the hole larger, but I was able to buckle it with little effort, and knew the hole was going to stretch some. Lastly, the end of the tongue did not reach all the way to where the buckle strap started. So now, he wants the tongue longer, and thicker, even though the leather I used was a good 1-2oz heavier than the original.

What I want to do now, is extend the tongue 3 more inches, and extend the buckle piece 3". The belt was a size 36", and needs to be a size 42". That just doesn't sound right though.

I've never been "stuck" with that dilemma, . . . and I'm not sure where I saw it, . . . but a guy who was, . . . cut the belt dead center of the back, . . . made a piece to go in it, . . . and then laced it into the center of the original belt. 

It looked really good, . . . and if I recall, . . . he did something like put the guy's name in the center piece, . . . so it kinda looked like it was planned.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Stetson912]

@Dwight that sounds like a fantastic idea! I kinda wanna just make a belt that way now haha.

[Dwight]

Just do it !!

I did do something similar one time, . . . didn't have a long enough "one piece" of leather to make a double layer dress belt (had the inside piece, . . . but not the outside which is longer), . . . so I spliced a piece in the back, . . . used two oval shaped pieces to cover the cracks, . . . split it so it looked like it was supposed to be that way, . . . kind of a 40 /20 /40 split.

Customer was thoroughly happy with it.

Sometimes ya just gotta "think outside the box".

May God bless,

Dwight

[plinkercases]

If you keep adding to the billet end the buckle will move another 6 inches off centre or the holster if attached to the belt will shift backwards if he centrres the buckle... extend buckle and bullet or splice in the belt as Dwight did. Then the buckle and holster will stay relatively the same... in fact by adding to the back/belt then the holster will in effect move slightly forward on this waiste if fixed to the belt in a drop loop or such. But not as noticable as working with the billet length.

[CaptQuirk]

Thanks Guys, for replying to my Hijack. The guy is apparently never happy with anything, or so I've been told. Thanks Dave, for referring him to me.

Anyways, I would have to remove a strip of .22 cartridge loops to split the back. He would not go for that. So, I just wanted to stretch it enough in the front and try to center the buckle somewhat, without moving the holster too much. Not to mention, it just looks goofy with 15" of tongue.

[Lizardo]

Did something kinda similar, on purpose no less, LOL

[dikman]

In the movie "The Professionals" Lee Marvin had a belt with two buckles, one on each end of the belt, and the "tongue" was a separate piece  that went between the two buckles. I've seen something similar somewhere else, but can't remember where.