cowboy holster belt not just a 1 1/2 belt

[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.