Belt extender

[Malpaso]

I dug my old rig out of storage, saddle soaped and mink oiled it, only to find that it had shrunk.  Any of the leather workers here make an extender?

[Camano Ridge]

How much shrinkage has time and the dinner table caused. What style of belt (a picture would help). I have done a few extentions that worked out well. I have also changed billets on ranger belts.

[Cliff Fendley]

Yeah if it's unlined you might be able to just move the billet. You see some original belts that have been done that way.

[Red Cent]

Take the end of the belt with holes, fold it back and put a belt buckle on it using one of the punched holes and do it so that holes line up to put a chicago screw or a small bolt and nut through them. Cut and old belt off and punch extra holes and use it as an "extender".
I had the same thing happen to me. Don't let them fool you, if you don't pay enough attention to certain gun rigs they will shrink.

[G W Wade]

FUNNY YOU SHOULD COME UP WITH THIS CONVERSATION  BUT WAS JUST TALKING TO MY LEATHERSMITH THE OTHER DAY ABOUT MAKING ME A NEW HOLSTER BELT JUST LIKE THE ONE HE MADE ME ORIGINALLY  BUUTTTT!!! SIX INCHS LONG.  GW

[Cliff Fendley]

It's funny how belts shrink.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here is something from Will Ghormley's website.  Scroll down towards the bottom to see how the billet of one of John Wayne's rigs was extended.

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/ElDoradoRig.html

[bedbugbilly]

If it's possible to change the billet and you really like the belt - I'd just have your weatherman make a new billet and replace the old - if the designe of the belt allows.

Funny how things "shrink" - we've all had that problem.  My cardiologist got on my hind end and told me he wanted me to loose 45 pounds - heck, I weighed more in high school many, many years ago than what he wants me to get down to.  I have lost about 25 pounds and now I have just the opposite problem that you are having - my belts are too long.  If anybody has a good source for "belt shrinkers", let me know.   

[Slowhand Bob]

Just got a brain fade after seeing the Doc Rig in the latest Leather Craft Journal that would be less invasive for small let-outs.  Start on the chape end by removing the buckle (also any keepers)  and replacing it with a strap D.  Create a new chape strap, using the original buckle (also any original keepers), that can be folded onto that newly added D using Chicago Screws.  This should add at least three or four inches minimum and one might get away with an extra couple of inches before getting to unstable.  The neat part is that you can just remove the extender to return the rig back to normal without having made any permanent alterations. 

[TexasToby]

I made an extender for a billet for a flank girth for a saddle one time. Cut a piece of leather about 16" long X 1 1/2" wide, put a buckle on it and punched some holes in the other end. Attached it to one of the billets and hooked up my flank girth. On my gunbelt that had a ranger style, I cut a piece of leather the same width as my belt. Then I cut a piece the size of my belt billets. The belt was about 14" long and the billet piece was about 18" long. I put a buckle on the billet piece and holes in the other end. I attached this to the larger piece so the buckle was about 1" from the end of the big piece. Then I added a belt keeper on the backside of the big piece and a belt loop on behind the buckle. I put a pic of it on here one time but that was 2 or 3 years ago. I would put another up except, I am on another pc at this time and don't have access to those pictures.