How to Refurbish Old Leather Belts or Make One From Scratch

This instructable is about upgrading your old leather belt and making your own belt from one piece of leather.

So with no more to say go to the next step and get what you and get making :-)

Step 1: What You Will Need

first things first you will need the following items.

1: A belt with a nice buckle (it dose not matter the condition of the belt e.g. moldy, ripped, dirty) I picked up a moldy R.M Williams for $6.

2: A leather belt (as long as the leather is in good condition it will make a nice belt) Found one at a thrift shop for $1!

3: I am using a sew-all tool (sailors use them to repair sails but they can be used for anything) If you happen to have a sewing machine to sew leather, you can use that.

4: A good sharp knife or a good pair of scissors (I will be using a knife)

5: To fold the leather you need a clamp or pliers and some water.

6: super glue, I found that super glue works the best because it drys the fastest and hold well.

7: Dubbin or any shoe polish will do as long as it is the same color as your belt, you only need this if you want to polish up you belt.

Step 2: Time to Remove the Buckle

If you have a buckle like the one above then you will want to wedge it in to something to hold it while you cut off the thread.

When you have removed all the thread open up the belt you have two options.

1 you can cut off the part where the manufacturer sewed on the previous buckle you can remove that and your belt will get about 2 inches shorter.

2 you can leave it on and your belt will get about 1 inch shorter, in my opinion I would leave it on because nobody will ever see it... (well you will see it when you take it off)

Step 3: Cut and Fold

If you are starting with a plain piece of leather start here.

Before cutting a hole in your belt you will want to measure that you have enough to sew on the buckle and the holders once you have decided where yo want the holders to be then you can fold it, get your knife and mark along the tip of the fold.

Open it up flat mark where the center is and cut it out (you can use the old hole for a guide) test your new buckle if it fits then put your buckle in and wet around (not to much, just enough to fold the leather) push down with your fingers just behind the buckle (if you don't have the buckle in you will not be able to get where the buckle wants to sit) take out the buckle and clamp it so the fold stays there (don't worry if you make groves because you wont see them when you ware it).

Step 4: Stitching Time

Put your buckle back in and start stitching by starting from the front and pushing the thread all the way through then take your needle around to the back and through the same hole push the needle as far as you can, pull back making a loop take the lose end from the back and put it through the hole pull the needle out and pushing it through the leather at the back to the front where the tag end is pull the needle back so it makes a loop put the tag end through and pull the needle out and repeat. (as long as it's straight it dose not matter how messy it is because your belt tip will cover it)

Your on your last stitch by now you will want end it, taking the needle from the back around to the front pushing it through the last hole pulling it back to make a loop, getting the tag end from the front taking it to the back and putting it through the loop that you made with the needle.

The two ends will have swapped cut off the end attached to the spool leaving two inches so you can tie them, take them around to the back and tie them together put a drop of super glue on them to hold them in place, chop off the tag ends and your good to put on your first holder.

Stitching on the other side of the holder is hard so make sure you stitch close to the base of the holder once you have stitched the first one on place the other one where you want it mark at the base of the holder then stitch along that line (without the second holder in) once you have made the third stitch you can put the second holder on and stitch the last stitch nice and close to the back of the holder.

One thing you have to remember is that nobody sees the stitching on your belt so all you need to do is make it straight.

Step 5: Polish Your Belt

Put some shoe polish your belt and hang up in the sun and wind for 5 minuets just to dry it quicker, if you put polish on then wear it, it will leave marks on your trousers.

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