Making a cheap belt worthy...

[handwerker]

...for a handmade sheat.
A really good belt, handsewn instead of rivetted (:yuck: ) costs a lot of money.
So here is a way of reworking one to please your eye.
I recently bought two leather belt by mail order from a military outlet, Euro 5,- each.
I got one who was beautiful, old and entirely made by hand.
And a modern one, rivetted and machine-cut.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110001.jpg
So the latter was reworked with the former as a pattern.
The most difficult work was to rip off the rivets without damaging the leather to much. I was never got good at that, so I preferred to damage the rear side of the belt.
Now the tongue (right word?), being a bit too short, was enlarged by glueing a piece of good leather to it: Cut to the right dimensions and skivved at the ends, the parts were joined. (One can avoid this by buying the belt about 3" too long and starting with new slot for the buckle)
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110002.jpg
I decided on a stitch hole distance of 5mm and the holes closes to the buckle were a bit farther from the edge than the others, you will later see why.
First the holes were drilled through both pieces letter, then the loop was put in place between these and with a pick its holes were marked and drilled. Everything must align later while sewing, thats important.
One side has been sewn starting from the buckle and this is a nice trick:
The thread is twirled and continues on the other side to be sewn towards the buckle.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110004_ji.jpg
When sewing back to the loop, you insert a third needle before reaching it, thus aligning everything.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110005.jpg
Upon entering with the sewing-needle, the third one is subsequently pulled back and a fourth one inserted in the loops second hole.
now one can sew without fishing for the lopops hiden hole.
Sew right back to the buckle and then the thread is wrapped/sewn over the outer edges several times, as shown. Thats why this hole is farther inboard here: lots of stress on the leather.
Done, and it looks not too bad:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110007_ji.jpg
Here, both old and new are shown side by side:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110009.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/Supercorsa/Leatherwork/60110008.jpg
Also posted at www. bushcraftuk.com

[fluffy]

nicely done.

[Ropeman]

That's very nice, I like the way you've twirled the thread together. Would it have thrown the balance right out if you'd put the loop over the rivet holes?

[Wrangler]

That's very nice, I like the way you've twirled the thread together. Would it have thrown the balance right out if you'd put the loop over the rivet holes?

Very well done, Handwerker!

But I`ve got the same question. :D

[Jeannius61]

That's very nice, I like the way you've twirled the thread together. Would it have thrown the balance right out if you'd put the loop over the rivet holes?

I don't have the same question, but I do like the way you have twirled the thread. It is a very neat and attractive looking job.

Thanks for showing. A good lesson.

[handwerker]

That's very nice, I like the way you've twirled the thread together. Would it have thrown the balance right out if you'd put the loop over the rivet holes?
I am not sure whether I understand your question.
If you mean that I could have ended the sewing at the holes of the rivets, the answer is yes. there would have been enough stitches to make it last.
But such a short seam wouldnt have looked right and so I stitched further, because thats something I like to do. :)
Now its about the same lenght of seam as the other belt.

[Ropeman]

No, what I meant was would it have been possible to put the loop over the holes? I know they'll be covered when the belt is being worn but it would look nicer if the holes had something over them.

[Underhay]

That's very nicely done :)

Another option would be to buy a belt that is four or six inches too long and cut the end off and start again. I also think the buckle isn't up to the quality of your workmanship.

[Ian Atkinson]

Easiest way I've found to remove a rivet is to just drill out the middle, if you use a big enough bit it should just drop off without stressing the leather too much.

[caskwith]

That's very nicely done :)

Another option would be to buy a belt that is four or six inches too long and cut the end off and start again. I also think the buckle isn't up to the quality of your workmanship.

THis sounds like a good idea. Buying it long enough chop all the end off and starting afresh with a new buckle, probably still cheaper this way and you could do some fancy work on it as well. :)

[handwerker]

No, what I meant was would it have been possible to put the loop over the holes? I know they'll be covered when the belt is being worn but it would look nicer if the holes had something over them.


:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:sign07: :sign07:
Couldnt you have told me before?;)
Now I have to open the seams and do it again.

BTW, I also posted this article in the sheat-section of a german knife-forum.
Apart from being scolded because I posted in english in a german-speaking forum, it was also remarked that it looks worse now because of uneven stitching and that I should have re-worked the buckle, too.

[Underhay]

it was also remarked that it looks worse now because of uneven stitching

That's rather harsh! :yikes:

Your stitching is a lot more even than my attempts :)

[Ropeman]

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:sign07: :sign07:
Couldnt you have told me before?;)
Now I have to open the seams and do it again.

BTW, I also posted this article in the sheat-section of a german knife-forum.
Apart from being scolded because I posted in english in a german-speaking forum, it was also remarked that it looks worse now because of uneven stitching and that I should have re-worked the buckle, too.

That is a bit harsh. I think it's very well stitched. Like I said, it will be covered when it's not in use so there's no desperate need to cover the holes. Maybe sew a second loop on?

[GeoffWood]

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
:sign07: :sign07:
Couldnt you have told me before?;)
Now I have to open the seams and do it again.

BTW, I also posted this article in the sheat-section of a german knife-forum.
Apart from being scolded because I posted in english in a german-speaking forum, it was also remarked that it looks worse now because of uneven stitching and that I should have re-worked the buckle, too.

Your countrymen were rather hard on you!
Next time that you go on there, remember to speak German!

[Ian Atkinson]

Stitching's fine!