belt Belt extension

[JazzBass]

Wow -  methods and business positions related to repairs, all in one thread, all of them valid!

It seems that we should simply draw a distinction between "repair" and "restoration/conservation". I consider repair to be maintenance for continued use. In this case, @chrisash is of course, correct - it's a completely economic decision that determines whether to repair or replace.

Ah...but then, there's restoration/conservation. Here, @fredk and others have it right. It takes magnificent skills and a labor of love to do this well. Where restoration/conservation is concerned, it's going to be a situation where someone is ready and willing to pay more than the cost of a new item.

I think I'll be willing to do the former, in the hopes of gaining the skills to do the latter.

 

[seabee]

Hi everyone, 

I just ran across this thread,  and would add $.02.  I do leather as a hobby, but I help anyone that I can.  A friend of has horses (hay Burners).  He asked me if could repair a one horse buggy harness for him for a show a the local rodeo.  Thats a lot of leather, and we marked all areas to be repaired.  Cutting this short, I now get calls for tack repairs from local and out of town people.  They can't find leatherworkers to do repairs.  They don't want new leather.  You can tell, I know nothing about horses,   I just fix the problem.  Their happy and I'am glad to help.

Howard

PS,  Tack repair is very different

[Rockoboy]

On ‎12‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 8:10 AM, seabee said:

PS,  Tack repair is very different

It has been said hereabouts on more than one occasion, that doing tack repairs is a no-no! If a repair fails for any reason (including abuse by the customer), the fault and possible subsequent law suit will fall on the repairer until he can prove "no fault".

Be very careful doing repairs to possibly old, dried and/or damaged leather.

[Handstitched]

Well, this thread was just about extending a belt, but its turned into something else. 

So, about the belts. I usually extend the belt at the buckle end. However, the other type of extension I have done,  at the clients request , is, cut the belt in the middle, but make the extension look like its part of the belt and make it look like it was meant to be there.  Another way of doing it, is based on a similar principal to a hobble belt or a stockman belt.  I do make 3 piece belts . A  buckle end , a middle piece, and  billet end. Have a look at the belt on the left as an example.  This way I use up lengthy off-cuts of belt leather , apart from making your creative mind work a little harder    Just a thought. 

Now, onto the repairs. I have often done repairs & alterations to tack( as well as horse rug repairs) , as there are horse & pony clubs in my town,  and many horse owners. I am also the only leather worker around that can do it.. But I also know, from experience,  if a particular piece of tack is too far gone and beyond repair and needs to be replaced, as it won't pass ' gear check' at the clubs......and it will fall back on me if it fails.....(and my reputation is in the toilet) . Hence the important  comment :

4 hours ago, Rockoboy said:

Be very careful doing repairs to possibly old, dried and/or damaged leather.

About 80% of my repairs are  replacing the girth straps on  saddles. The holes may  have torn through due to poor quality leather, poor maintenance,  or they are cheap  PVC . The rest are alterations &  minor repairs  to bridles, halters that are too long etc.  Or the thread has simply worn through and needs to be re-stitched.  But sewing old & dried leather on tack  is a definite no no . And besides, the thread simply 'cuts' through the old leather. 

On 8/23/2019 at 7:59 AM, fredk said:

Point is, I believe doing repairs, good repairs is part of our craft. It should be a skill to offer to customers

 I agree, but we should also know the  limits of our experience . Don't take on more than our experiences allow.  Or simply put, ' don't  bite off more than you can chew' . 

@Rockoboy I never make breast plates for pig dogs for obvious  legal reasons. 

HS

[Rockoboy]

17 hours ago, Handstitched said:

@Rockoboy I never make breast plates for pig dogs for obvious  legal reasons. 

Is that because the dogs don't like them as accessories with their collars?

[Handstitched]

@RockoboyDogs are very ' fashion conscious' these days,  with their  ' chai lattes' ,  " does this breast plate make my bum look big?"   

 

This is waaaaay off topic:  At the markets, I once saw a small  dog dressed like a ballerina with bows on its head, and being pushed in a fancy pram covered in lace,  by some....' hi class/maintenance  lady '  in some really flash clothes . Fair dinkum!!!  Needless to say, that made our day, had us in stitches     

we get to see the nicest of people at the markets, .....but we  also see the silliest  

HS 

[Frodo]

Very interesting reading the different methods others on this extension 

I would cut and skive the middle of the belt. glue and sew in the extension

cut a strip to overlay the whole length .   glue/sew the strip to the belt.

i would not over lay the backside of the belt

 

[RezzieMia]

Thank you everyone for the input! The guy I did it for is an old, good family friend and liked the way this particular belt closed (not a buckle and hole, but a loop.) He used it mainly for working around the house and just needed it a little longer. I ended up cutting it towards the end where the tail would cover it. I found leather of the same length and cut it to size. I skived the ends and glued it to the old belt. I then sewed the skived parts together so they wouldn't peel apart. Leather work is just a hobby to me so I didn't charge him anything. I also oiled the belt and extension and re-beveled the edges to make it smooth.

I love the idea of the name plate over the added piece! Thank you.