How to Make a Belt

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Buy your belt blank.

   If you want a quality leather belt, buy a full grain leather belt blank.
   
   Full grain leather belt blanks are generally inexpensive, costing around $13 dollars.
   
   You can buy a leather belt blank online from Ebay or you can go to a leather store like Tandy’s.
   
   Make sure the leather strap is the right width, for a man, you will usually want a belt 1 ½ inches in width.
   
   If you are a woman, you usually want to buy one that is 1 ¼ inches width.
   
   You can also buy embossed belt blanks to give your belt a little more style.
2. 2

   Step 2: Buy a belt buckle to match your belt blank.

   You can buy silver or gold roller belt buckles from department stores like Walmart or Target.
   
   You can buy roller buckles and a variety of big belt buckles from Western stores. , A belt keep is a little leather strip that holds the overlapping belt strap.
   
   Find one that is the same width/color as your belt blank.
   
   This should only be about a dollar.
   
   When you go to buy your belt buckle, ask about a belt keep. , Because the leather that you are buying is untreated, you will need to preserve it by conditioning the leather with a balm.
   
   You can also use a water based leather dye to preserve your leather instead if you would like.
   
   If you do not condition or dye your leather and water gets on your leather blank, your leather will stain forever. , On the side with the holes, insert the middle pin of the buckle through the hole and fold the leather strap down.
   
   Then snap the snaps into place to secure your strap. , Put on your belt and cinch it to a place where it is comfortable.
   
   Mark on the inside of the belt with a sharpie where you will punch a hole. , If you don’t have a leather hole punch you can very carefully use a power drill to make your hole(s).
   
   You can also add more holes and space them about an 1 inch apart. , Once your belt is back on, you should see how much you want your belt strap to overlap in the front.
   
   Use a sharpie to mark the place on the inside of your belt. , Where you marked with your sharpie, you should shape an end.
   
   You can use a gatorade cap to make a half circle shape on the strap.
   
   With an Xacto knife, carefully cut out the shape in the leather. , Using a soft cloth like a t-shirt, rub leather balm into your strap.
   
   Apply the balm liberally but evenly to the belt so that the color is consistent.
   
   You should use the balm on both sides of your strap.
   
   The balm will make the leather a little bit darker.
   
   Let the leather dry completely.
   
   If you are going to dye your leather, now is the time to do so.
3. 3

   Step 3: Consider buying a belt keep.

4. 4

   Step 4: Buy leather balm to condition the leather.

5. 5

   Step 5: Put the buckle into the leather blank.

6. 6

   Step 6: Mark on the inside of the belt the place for your hole.

7. 7

   Step 7: Punch the hole with a leather hole punch.

8. 8

   Step 8: Put your belt back on and measure the overlap.

9. 9

   Step 9: Trim and shape the end of your strap.

10. 10

    Step 10: Apply leather balm to your belt.

Detailed Guide

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