frussell
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,409
- Location
- California Desert
Edward - Does your neck of the woods have anything like Tandy Leather? When I first started doing leatherwork I used to order pre-cut belt blanks from them that even had the buckle slots cut on the buckle end, and you could get the snaps pre-installed. It's a good way to start. I was doing hand tooling, but it's very easy to buy an edge-beveling tool, dye and slicker materials to finish the edges, and just make plain belts of very high quality, with little expense. My main issue with lots of the "custom" belts I've handled is the shoddy finish on the edges. I put lots of elbow grease into making mine as smooth as glass, so the dyed edges didn't lose color through wear as quickly as some. You should be able to buy the tools, dye and leather for about $30-$45 USD. Once I got used to the work, I bought hides, and cut my own belt blanks out. I recommend giving it a go, it's enjoyable, and quite easy to learn. Mine were all single-ply, without backing layers, and several have survived 10 or more years of abuse just fine, without all the extra bulk. Frank.
