Belt Repair

[TBigLug]

Buddy of mine lost a bunch of weight and needed his belt shortened. I haven't gotten to do any leather work since we bouhht the house 2 years ago so I jumped at the chance. He lost 7 inches and wanted me to just punch a couple extra holes and trim the end of the belt off. No sir, took the distance out of the buckle end so everything still looks like new! Also he had never treated the belt so I waxed and reburnished the edges, oiled and treated with my oil/ beeswax mix.

[SaddleBags]

much easier to take off 7 inches than it to only take two.  Thanks for doing this the "right way".

 

[wizard of tragacanth]

Yeah, that's the way to do it. Looks like the belts that I make for myself, and my friends and relatives, except that I use an English Point.

Last time I was at my nephew's house, I similarly refurbished a belt that he wanted to keep but I made a new one for him too.

I actually let him do the refurbishing, as I watched and instructed. He re-dyed it, burnished some rough edges and applied a top coat.

He is 30-something.

nick

[HaloJones]

Ok noob question; why is it better to shorten on the buckle end rather than the holed end?

[fredk]

33 minutes ago, HaloJones said:

Ok noob question; why is it better to shorten on the buckle end rather than the holed end?

Not just a noob question. I've been wondering why as well. Perhaps its cos  if you do the 'hole' end you'll end up with a hole too close to the end. On US belts the buckle end can sometimes be easier as they like to have removable buckles but in the UK our buckles are usually not removable

I've shortened belts by chopping off the 'hole' end and adding on a metal or leather tip to cover up the one or two holes closest to the tip.

Edited September 6, 2019 by fredk

[wizard of tragacanth]

It depends on how much you need to shorten it. If you do it from the tip, you would have to cut it off behind the last hole. That may be 12". If you need less than that amount, then you take it off the buckle end.

For example, if I need to shorten my belt two or three inches. If I take it off the tip, that will put the first hole very near the tip, which will look terrible and it's just not right. If I take it off the buckle end, it will not change the distance from the tip to the first hole. Everything will remain the same and I will have a proper "tongue" on the tip end. 

nick

Edited September 6, 2019 by wizard of tragacanth

[wizard of tragacanth]

I can't say for sure how most commercial belts are constructed here in the U.S. I never really look at them because I make my own now. I think most are sewn or riveted and sometimes they have snaps.

However, many of us leather workers use Chicago Screws, which are easily removed with a screwdriver.

You can see them in his last pic, next to the buckle.

nick

Edited September 6, 2019 by wizard of tragacanth

[SaddleBags]

Additionally, if the bely has design or tooling on it, you can ruin the look it you shorten the tip end.  The space near the buckle will be covered by the overlap, so it is not as noticeable.

[HaloJones]

Ahh I see, nice repair BTW

[JLSleather]

Yeah, definitely take it off the buckle end.

OR, my buddy lose 7 inches, I'll GIVE him a belt as an AWARD