Belts

[Kevin]

I'm not a big fan of belts. Not that I like to let it all hang out, but they just seem to wear out and break. I buy my belts and wallets when we go to Bulgaria to visit family. There is one company that hand makes wallets and they seem to last forever.

Their belts are different and they just don't seem to last more than s couple years. Which I suppose isn't bad really. However, The style is a one piece leather belt with a buckle which is screwed into the length of belt. So you buy them long and unscrew the buckle and cut it to length. So the other end with the holes stays the same.

Is this a good way to describe them?

I know there have been threads about belts here, but how are they made? How is th buckle fastened on? Are they sewed together and you shorten from the far end?

At my teaching job I have to to tuck in my shirt and wear a belt. I'm down to my last belt, so if it breaks I'd have to go buy one at a store.

Oh final question, I've kept all the leather belts I have with broken buckles. What can I do with this leather? Any suggestions?

 

[Selena]

Dad has his made by a "saddle shop" in South Dakota. I'll see if I can get him to give me the address. Assuming the place is still in business.

 

[Big Old Boy]

I would call simply rugged and order a belt, I'm a big guy and have worn the same belt for three years and it shows no wear and looks new.

 

[Bob Wright]

Kevin,

Go up to Shepler's and buy a Tony Lama belt. Mine last for a looooong time.

As to leather scrap, make a loop and put it around the axle of your bicycle. Keeps the chrome polished.

My buckles are all held on by two snaps which allows me to use my silver buckles from the Indian reservations.


Bob Wright

 

[blume357]

talk to tallbald here on this forum... he makes belts and I bought two a couple of years ago... even the one I wear 6 days a week will last longer than I will...

 

[hittman]

talk to tallbald here on this forum... he makes belts and I bought two a couple of years ago... even the one I wear 6 days a week will last longer than I will...

^ ^This!^ ^

Cheap belts wear out quickly. So do those that are too small.

Blume is right .... Tallbald make an excellent quality product. I have a couple of G&G belts that I've worn for years; one black and one brown.

 

[Dave P.]

I've got a couple of these that have held up well.
https://www.thebeltman.net/

His buckles are held with Chicago screws so the buckles can be swapped
out.
Dave

 

[Fox Mike]

The one I have wrapped around me, as I type, is a Wrangler that was purchased many years ago at the Cowboy Hall of Fame's gift shop, in Oklahoma City. Still going strong after long use. I also have one in the works that I am planning on tooling once I can get outside and work in the fresh air. Right now the air is fresh but a wee bit too chilly.

 

[toysoldier]

I do my clothes shopping at the thrift stores--except for belts. The ratio of cheap to good belts is probably 200/1. The belts you find in any store, be it Wal-Mart or Macy's, are all "composition" leather, sewn 2-ply, or other substandard construction. My everyday belt is a Bulgarian Army surplus that I bought several years ago. Looks a little scruffy, but still holding up. The leatherworkers on this site offer quality products, and charge appropriately. If you want hands-on before buying, look for a leatherworker selling at local flea markets/craft fairs.

As for leftovers; I bought a good-quality black leather belt at a yard sale that was smaller than I would ever wear, just because it was cheap. A couple of years later, I left the 'holes' end of a brown gun belt (the kind with cartridge loops) sticking out of a low drawer. My half-doxie pup found it delicious, and ate about 4 inches of it. I cut the buckle off the other end, cut the short belt in half, and stitched them to the gun belt. It is actually a better buckle, and I like the 2-tone result.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

The belt I am wearing I got from Diamond d leather in Wasilla Alaska. With my waist I put a lot of pressure on a belt. This is my second one, the first one lasted about 8 years maybe more. I messed it up adding holes that were too close together.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for all the answers! Yeah, the Bulgarian belts I have are good quality single piece leather, it's fairly thick, it's just the Chicago screws for the buckles. They must use cheap metal. That is the weakest point on all of the belts.

I'll get ahold of Tallbald, I'd much rather have a custom belt than store bought any day of the week.

Toysolider: you said, "the leather workers on this site..." but what site? A web page? Can you post a link please?

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I have bought several belts from ShopRuger.com, when I had some credit from Ruger, after registering a new gun. I don't remember who makes them but they are pretty good. Two of the belts are solid leather and one is lined with cloth or something.

 

[Bud0505]

I've got a couple of these that have held up well.
https://www.thebeltman.net/

His buckles are held with Chicago screws so the buckles can be swapped
out.
Dave

+1 for Beltman. Been wearing one for years. Shows very little wear.

 

[Enigma]

A lot depends on how much you want to spend. El Paso Saddlery makes excellent belts that will probably outlast you, with minimal care. They are not inexpensive.

 

[Mobuck]

I use nylon belts for everyday use on the farm. The last leather belt for "town use" and CCW was custom made by a couple of Amish teenagers working in their Dad's harness shop. They offered a choice of width and thickness in addition to length and distance between holes. All this nicely finished with a heavy duty roller buckle and burnished edges for $22.

 

[Tallbald]

Thank you folks who took a moment to mention my leather belts. I've been absent from craft work for about 1 1/2 years because of some family issues that required my attention. I'm happy though to have returned to leather artwork and some other pleasurable endeavors. Tallbald

 

[blackhawknj]

I have found belts are like shoes-the more you have and the more frequently you rotate them the longer they last.

 

[Kevin]

Yes to that! Esquire magazine has always told me to buy two pairs of shoes. In fact they say to hand polish one pair with black shoe polish before wearing. It if you alternate shoes through the week they will last three or four times as long.

They they write articles about hand made shoes.... oh boy, if I could afford a pair I would in a heartbeat.... one company they wrote about had s lifetime guarantee... they asked the maker how good his health was.... ha ha ha....

But yes, I have one good belt. I bought it at a thrift store in Puerto Rico. It's probably 5 years old and still going strong.... but I need a second to alternate....

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try Tallbald's belts. I'll post s review after I receive one....

 

[Kevin]

ps... I love BearpawJack's reply about too much pressure on the belt buckle. I hate to admit that might be my problem too...

 

[Harvey]

Try Hanks Belts. Made by Amish. They are excellent. They also make wallets