4:44 a.m. - 2010-08-04
Make your own leather belts
Belts has become a fashionable accessory in today’s modern trend, for both men and women. A wide variety of belts are available in the market, but the belt that never goes out of style is the leather belt. Leather belts serve as a great gift for anyone close to your heart. Apart from being one of the valuable gifts, they also make as an excellent craft project for those who are new to leather crafts. But, the question is, why to buy a leather belt when you can make it on your own? Its quite simple and fun to make leather belts on your own. Here are some tips that help you to make fashionable leather belts.
1)First of all, purchase leather and a suitable belt buckle. It would be better if you choose a vegetable leather, as it is easier to get tooled or dyed when compared to other types of leather.
2)The next step involves measuring your waistline. Ensure that you trace the correct size in the leather with the help of a pencil and a ruler. The pencil marks you make should be very light so as not to scratch the leather. It is wise to add one foot to the length of the leather.
3)Lay the leather on a rubber mat. With the help of a razor knife, cut the leather straight by using a yardstick or a ruler. To cut in curves, French curve or any object that comes with rounded edge would best aid.
4)This is the time to decide whether you want the belt’s free end to be pointed or round. Whatever it may be, make sure that you cut smoothly.
5)Fold the leather back 1 ½ inches to create a crease. Now, place the slot punch with the center of the crease. With the help of the handle, hold the punch firmly and use a wooden mallet to hammer it until the leather is fully punctured.
6)Take a drive punch or rotary punch to make two rivet holes ¼ inch from the end of the uncut belt. Two more rivet holes must be punctured after the slot and should be aligned with the first two rivet holes. When the belt is folded on crease, the rivet holes should align perfectly.
7)Use an edge beveler to trim all the edges of the belt. There are innovative tools and design stamps available, which can be utilized to make your leather belt more unique and fashionable.
8)Use leather dye to color your belt. First, brush on any color with little sponges, followed by coloring in short strokes. After this, make your leather belt dry completely.
9)If you want to clean and soften the leather, wipe the entire length of the belt with a clean cloth that is soaked in Neat’s foot oil or saddle soap. Excess soap or oil should be removed with a newspaper.
10)Insert the buckle prong through the punched slot and position it correctly. Fold the leather back and match the rivet holes. Then, insert the rivet holes from the underside of the belt.
11)Put on the belt and determine where more holes are required to ensure snug fit. Create holes with a rotary punch that is centered from the edges of your leather belt.
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