diandwill
Elite Cafe Member
When making 'Western" style belt buckles, how does the tip fasten securely onto the belt? My guess would be small tabs that push in, and how much allowance is made for a generic leather belt, 1/8" or more?
I have a question.
- Thread starter diandwill
- Start date
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Rarely see the tabs. They are not as secure as pins.
When someone sends one to be mounted, I generally tell them that and we drill them.
The pins we use are fairly soft Monel metal. Kinda like a small escutcheon pin.
You want to get as much of the leather as possible up into the tip.
In a saddlle shop (and if it is necessary) you would skive the leather - which can be done with a round knife or a skiving machine.
You can probably do something similar with one of those razor blade type scrapers or knives.
I use an awl to start the hole, put the pin in and hammer it flush
Flip the tip over on a steel riveting block, clip the excess almost flush with a pair of endcutters and peen it into an expanded dome shape.
No way will the tip ever come off.
To remove a tip put on this way, I use a Mizzy wheel and carefully grind off the peened rivet on the back side.
Push it out with the awl and go on from there...
Brian
If you have to use the tab, make sure you get as much leather up into the tip past the tab as possible. An eighth of an inch is not enough.
I would put a piece of tape on a steel riveting to protect from scratches and then use a center punch placed towrd the tip of the tab and hammer it down into the leather.
When someone sends one to be mounted, I generally tell them that and we drill them.
The pins we use are fairly soft Monel metal. Kinda like a small escutcheon pin.
You want to get as much of the leather as possible up into the tip.
In a saddlle shop (and if it is necessary) you would skive the leather - which can be done with a round knife or a skiving machine.
You can probably do something similar with one of those razor blade type scrapers or knives.
I use an awl to start the hole, put the pin in and hammer it flush
Flip the tip over on a steel riveting block, clip the excess almost flush with a pair of endcutters and peen it into an expanded dome shape.
No way will the tip ever come off.
To remove a tip put on this way, I use a Mizzy wheel and carefully grind off the peened rivet on the back side.
Push it out with the awl and go on from there...
Brian
If you have to use the tab, make sure you get as much leather up into the tip past the tab as possible. An eighth of an inch is not enough.
I would put a piece of tape on a steel riveting to protect from scratches and then use a center punch placed towrd the tip of the tab and hammer it down into the leather.
Last edited:
diandwill
Elite Cafe Member
Perfect, thanks! The 1/8" was thickness of the belt, but if you skive it to fit, shouldn't matter too much!
Rivet the belt on! Brilliant!
Rivet the belt on! Brilliant!
brian- would you please send a foto of what you described.
silverchip
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I use a 10-32 set screw on the backside of the tip. the back can be made of 16 ga. for enough thickness to hold the threads and it also keeps it from getting caved in when it gets stepped on because someone just threw their belt on the floor when changing or getting ready for bed.!!!!!
Just slip the belt into the tip and mark the hole with a small felt pen.punch the appropriate size hole in the belt and set the screw with locktite.
Just slip the belt into the tip and mark the hole with a small felt pen.punch the appropriate size hole in the belt and set the screw with locktite.
Last edited:
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey Dave,
I've seen a few that had a brass 10/32 nut soldered on the back - but I guess I've never seen one of yours, never seen a 16ga back...
B.
I've seen a few that had a brass 10/32 nut soldered on the back - but I guess I've never seen one of yours, never seen a 16ga back...
B.
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