Making a belt out of upholstery leather?

[benlilly1]

Ok people, I have a customer that wants a battery belt made with the same leather as the seat I'm making for his motorcycle. I'm using upholstery leather for the seat and a belt to match. I'm thinking of using the core from veg tan and sewing an upholstery cover over it. Upholstery leather is about 2mm. What do you think?

[PutnamLeather]

That's how it's done with snake skin and the like.

[benlilly1]

Just now, PutnamLeather said:

That's how it's done with snake skin and the like.

Thanks, do you know how it's sewn? Edges remain raw?

 

[PutnamLeather]

You can do it any way you want depending on the look you want really 

[battlemunky]

I think I'd do exactly like you are thinking. Grab a veg tan blank and glue the upholstery leather to the flesh side so they get a nice finish on the inside of the best too. I'm just curious as to how well the edge on the upholstery leather will do but it may not be too noticeable if it doesn't and that is also me assuming you won't be using edge paint which will make that a moot point.

Pics along the way, yes? 

[benlilly1]

32 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

I think I'd do exactly like you are thinking. Grab a veg tan blank and glue the upholstery leather to the flesh side so they get a nice finish on the inside of the best too. I'm just curious as to how well the edge on the upholstery leather will do but it may not be too noticeable if it doesn't and that is also me assuming you won't be using edge paint which will make that a moot point.

Pics along the way, yes? 

Do you think oversizing the upholstery leather, sewing it on and then trimming down the edges after is smart? I also wonder about how well the edges will hold up. I wasn't planning on using edge paint. I will post pics!

[chrisash]

Why not wrap the chrome right around the veg tan and match its ends in the center of the inside and then sew two lines about 3mm from the center to hold it in place, that way there is no edges, just a seam in the center back

[bikermutt07]

Isn't that how they make cheap dress belts? Where it has the thicker padded center?

[battlemunky]

Not the cheaper ones @bikermutt07, those literally have some paperboard with a cheaper than hell leather (sometimes) casing. The nicer dress belts will have a raised center with a core of some other leather, at least in the handful of YT videos I've seen.

Before I knew better, I had a belt with the paper showing at the end from pulling it to get the buckle tongue into the right hole...glad those days are over.

[Itch]

Glue the pieces together with the finished piece being a little wider,once dried trim and sand.. When we leave a natural edge I usually rub the edge with beeswax then burnish with a piece of wood ,leather or whatever you use .. Good Luck ..