Introduction: How to Make the Totally RAWKIN' Guitar Strap of Epic Awesomeness (Out of a Cheesy Old Poseur Belt From Goodwill)

By
About: Jack of all trades, master of a couple. Eclectic interests combined with a short attention span make me just knowledgeable enough to be really dangerous.

Earlier today, I was making one of my regular checks of Goodwill. Not much interesting to be had this time around, but I did pick up this cheesy old studded leather belt for $0.99, just because it reminded me of the kind of silly things I used to wear in my teenage poseur days (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth). I had no plans to do anything with it, but I couldn't just leave it in the shop.

A little later, RavingChild was doing his guitar practice, and it struck me how lame the safety-orange nylon strap that came with his guitar was. Too bad we couldn't find something better....

Then suddenly, the sky went dark and there was a deafening rumble of thunder. The earth at my feet split open, and a fiery chasm gaped before me. Out of the burning depths rose a huge demon with bat wings of fire, clutching a gleaming razor-edged guitar. He raised his hands above his head in the heavy-metal devil-horn salute and roared in a voice like a thousand dragons gargling kerosene, "USE THE BELT, YOU GOOBER!"
"Ya think?", I said
"YOU THINK THAT I CAME ALL THIS WAY TO LOOK AT YOUR PRETTY FACE?"
"Well, maybe...", I said
"JUST MAKE THE STINKIN' GUITAR STRAP. BY THE WAY, INSTRUCTABLES IS HAVING SOME SORT OF CONTEST ABOUT MAKING STUFF OUT OF BELTS."
"OK, thanks, Mr. Demon Guy", I said.

And thus was born The Totally RAWKIN' Guitar Strap of Epic Awesomeness. Tremble before its epicness. Or its awesomeness. Or possibly both.

Step 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials... OF RAWK!!!!!

Materials:

A leather belt, preferably with spikes or studs or some other totally rawkin' embellishments - about 46" or so.
A short black shoelace, bit of Paracord, or something similar - about 10"

Tools:

Leather punch
Scissors or razor blade
Hobby knife

Step 2: Divide and Conquer

In order to attach the belt to the guitar, we'll need plain leather on both ends to slip onto the strap buttons. We also want to be able to adjust the length of the strap, so we need to keep the buckle intact. Luckily, this can all be accomplished with one simple cut.

Cut off the non-buckle end of the belt, leaving at least 1" of plain unstudded leather on the long piece of the belt. If you don't like the squared-off ends this leaves behind, you can angle-cut or round off the cut ends. Just make sure that there's enough leather left to make the holes for the buttons in the next step.

Step 3: Hole-y Diver?

In both of the cut ends you just created, punch a 3/16" hole with your leather punch. Using a hobby knife, make a vertical slit about 1/4" long, extending from the hole along the length of the strap. Then buckle the short piece back into the belt buckle as usual.
If you're using this strap on a guitar with two strap buttons (i.e. most electric guitars), you're done. Put the strap holes over the strap buttons and unleash a searing guitar solo that makes the Gods of rock tremble with fear. Whoo-Hoo!!!!

Step 4: String It Up

If your guitar only has one strap button (i.e. most acoustic guitars), you'll need to add a string or cord to one end so you can tie the strap on.

Fold your shoelace/paracord/whatever in half and pass the folded loop partway through the hole you punched in one end of your strap. Pass the loose ends of the string through the loop and pull tight. Put the strap onto the guitar, and whip out a face-melting acoustic jam.

Don't believe that there is such a thing as a face-melting acoustic jam? That's because you've never played while using The Totally Rawkin' Guitar Strap of Epic Awesomeness, bro.

Step 5: ROCK ON!!!!!

The TRGSoEA in action.

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