Making My Own Belt

So after watching The Assassination of Jesse
James by the Coward Robert Ford
I was intrigued by - although by no
means new - their manner of dress.

I took a liking to style of the gun belts or the
classic western holster belts that they wore,
yet upon searching the internet I found that
they were near obsolete to buy or they were
relatively expensive.

So I decided that by buying my own center
bar belt buckle made for holsters, the
leather strip, dye, punches, brown waxed thread,
and exacto knife I could make my own belt for
much cheaper, and I had fun doing so in the
meantime.


First to get the leather in a thick enough weight
I found a strip that was 9/10 oz although 8/9 oz
will work as well.

The leather came in a 2.5 inch thickness,
so I cut it down to fit the belt buckle
that accepts 1.75 inch thick straps.

note: 1.75 inches thick is wider than any common belt
made for males. Belts can be bought that are really wide
for women just not men.

I then cut it to length by using the exacto knife.

Using the hole punch I punched holes .75
inches apart to accept the belt buckle
with the middle hole measuring the comfort
of where I usually were my belt.

I then punched other smaller holes
on the opposite end to be able to sow
on the leather strip to the belt buckle
using the wax thread.

I then used a dark mahagony dye that
I watered down and then applied it using
a sponge brush.

I then rubbed the leather after it dried
with a rag to give the dye a shiny luster.

I then finished the condition of the leather
by applying mink oil using a rag and then
buffing by using a shoe shine brush.






And there ya have it...my new belt!!