Members nrk Posted January 19, 2019 Members Report Posted January 19, 2019 On 1/18/2019 at 8:06 AM, Rockoboy said: Sewing can be stronger or it can be a wear point. Stitching across a belt is like the perforations between postage stamps, just waiting to be torn apart. Personally, I like Chicago screws so the buckle can be changed or re-used when the belt needs to be renovated. I barely (almost none) face customers asking for the option of changing buckles. sewing is the strongest way to get layers hold together compared to rivets and chicago screws. Perforations has nothing to do with the weakness. stitches also aesthetically beautiful Quote
Rockoboy Posted January 21, 2019 Report Posted January 21, 2019 On 20/01/2019 at 4:54 AM, nrk said: sewing is the strongest way to get layers hold together compared to rivets and chicago screws. Perforations has nothing to do with the weakness. stitches also aesthetically beautiful I can agree with what you wrote here, on some levels. I have seen some beautifully stitched belts, and the stitching will be stronger and more secure than a rivet, snap or Chicago screw. Maybe the perforations thing is an urban legend, or something that happened to one person who had stitched many lines back and forth across a belt, which subsequently failed. Maybe the changing of buckles is something, also requested once by one person, which has become some sort of "customer service initiative" that customer's don't really want. Oh well, no big deal either way IMHO, so long as the customer gets a belt that does what they want it to do. It is good to consider the other side of the discussion. Quote Kindest regards Brian "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you are right" Henry Ford Machines: Singer 201p, Kennedy, Singer 31K20, Singer 66K16 ("boat anchor" condition), Protex TY8B Cylinder Arm (Consew 227r copy), Unbranded Walking Foot (Sailrite LSV-1 copy)
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 21, 2019 Contributing Member Report Posted January 21, 2019 5 hours ago, Rockoboy said: I can agree with what you wrote here, on some levels. Yeah, some would agree. And others wouldn't Here's a couple of things to consider, take or leave it... PRO: Stitching would actually be easier and faster, if you're stitching the belt anyway. No stopping to punch holes or get the screws out, or the screwdriver. Stitching is reliable. Unlikely to back out or come loose. No punches required. No screws required. CON: I do have people who want to change the buckle. Kids get bigger. When they grow, changing the buckle for a LONGER buckle allows the belt to be used longer. New buckle usually cheaper than new belt. Young girls win barrel racing competitions. And they get - sometimes - very nice buckles. And they want to wear it on a nice belt. Then they get other award buckles, or they want to wear that belt but want to put that buckle up, etc. Yeah, that has happened. Whatcha gonna do.. require she buy another belt? With a quality, nice belt, people tend to try to take care of it. But inevitably the buckle gets dinged and scratched. Replacing buckle solves the issue. People shop. Sometimes they find buckles they like. Stitched "shut" belts trap the leather "keeper" loop. Seems okay, until it interferes with the loop on the clothing. Like moving it over an inch would let you wear that belt with that jeans... but you can't ... People can buy a belt ready to go - even if they don't like the buckle. All that said, I just got a request other day, asking -- since I offer to make a belt that suits YOUR buckle, is there a "discount" if they DON"T want the buckle? Wel, yah, I guess... don't see me charging for a buckle I'm not sending! Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members GRod Posted January 21, 2019 Members Report Posted January 21, 2019 1 hour ago, JLSleather said: Young girls win barrel racing competitions. And they get - sometimes - very nice buckles. And they want to wear it on a nice belt. Then they get other award buckles, or they want to wear that belt but want to put that buckle up, etc. Yeah, that has happened. Whatcha gonna do.. require she buy another belt? This. My daughter had a very successful competitive youth career showing in APHA (American Paint Horse Association) shows, particularly in western events. She collected a *shocking* number of huge, shiny belt buckles, each detailing some conquest or other (trail, western pleasure, etc, etc). She would sometimes take four or six buckles to a show and swap 'em out between events, just for grins. I bet there are 30 or more buckles, all in their little boxes, stacked on the shelf in her closet. She's out of competitive showing now (learning to play polo in college, actually), but my bride is chomping at the bit (pardon the pun) for me to learn how to make the fancy stuff (I am still as green as green can be at this). Tandy was running a pretty good deal on some upholstery hides and my wife went with me to pick something out to recover four kitchen chairs. We ended up with a simple black chrome tan, but she had no idea how large a hide was. When we unfurled the thing her eyes lit up. "YOU will have enough to make me some new SHOW CHAPS with this!!!" Quote Greg "And you're a chip off the old block - why does it come as such a shock - that every road up which you rock your dad already did?" - John Hiatt
Rockoboy Posted January 21, 2019 Report Posted January 21, 2019 48 minutes ago, GRod said: YOU will have enough to make me some new ... and the hamster wheel begins to turn! Welcome aboard. Quote Kindest regards Brian "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you are right" Henry Ford Machines: Singer 201p, Kennedy, Singer 31K20, Singer 66K16 ("boat anchor" condition), Protex TY8B Cylinder Arm (Consew 227r copy), Unbranded Walking Foot (Sailrite LSV-1 copy)
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