Saturday morning leather project: western cartridge belt

[The original bad bob]

Just thought I would post this for those interested in making their own simple western cartridge belt.

Specs, tools and materials:

(I am making this belt for myself so I'm using lower grade belly leather because I intend to use this in the  Desert where the belt is going to get torn up by bushes loaded with thorns)

1ea Wickett & Craig 11oz. Leather belly to make belt, I made this belt 2" wide

1ea Wickett & Craig 3-4 oz leather belly that I used to make the 1" cartridge loop strip

(6' of bullet loop leather length will give you approx 50ea .45 cal bullet loops)

1 ea 4oz. Bottle Fiebings Walnut pro oil dye

1ea 4oz bottle Fiebings black pro oil dye

Virgin olive oil to oil leather components after dying tjem

104 yard roll of 1mm width white nylon sewing thread

1ea Amazon $36 dollar leather working starter kit which included 4mm stitch hole punches

Carpenter speed square to lay out bullet loop punch holes

12" flat ruler to measure bullet loops for belt and cartridge loop strip

Hole punching awl that also came with amazon leather kit

Tandy #3 edge beveler

1ea package of CS Osborne 18 gauge harness saddle stitching needles

1ea 1/4" Chicago screw nickel plated

1ea oval shaped 1-1/2" strap size nickel belt buckle

Airbrush to apply dye

CS Osborne scratch compass to make decorative border groove in wet leather on both belt and cartridge loop strip

This belt is going to have 45ea - .45 caliber bullet loops so I have a good deal of saddle stitch sewing to do.... most real old west cartridge belts had as many bullet loops on the belt that would fit, often the holster would be riding over cartridge loops.. this belt will have an 6" open spot with no cartridge loops for my holster to fit... Its going to be a 2- tone color with brown belt with black bullet loops just because I wanted to try this and see how I like it.

I will update this with photos as I go

Photo #1... I have taken 2" leather strap and cut it to final length to fit my waist measurement, I then made tapered cuts in leather on both ends to fit the 1-1/2" strap size belt buckle I had...next I wet the leather belt and 1" cartridge strip and used a scratch compass to make a border groove all around the edge of leather.. I then punched holes for belt buckle tongue and belt holes and mocked up the belt to make sure the buckle fits both ends of belt... I also beveled leather and have given the edges a water burnish... then I took both belt strap and cartridge loop strip and used carpenter speed square and ruler to measure And squarely mark punch holes for bullet loops.. I then punched the holes.

#2 photo: I placed leather on old ladder to spray the dye on with an airbrush, then I used a paint brush to apply virgin olive oil on leather.

#3 photo.. I brought parts inside and started to use my hand awl to punch holes in belt for the sewing stitches that go between the bullet loops.

#4 photo: I am reaching the half way point in stitching the bullet loops.. kind of tedious even for someone with OCD

Last steps were to install buckle and secure with a 1/4" Chicago screw and then I added a few saddle stitches to buckle end of belt just to ensure it doesn't come undone if the Chicago screw were to fail... I then used tokonole ( gum trag) to finish burnish edges

It took me about 6 hrs to make this belt from start to finish.. and I took breaks from sewing.. one last detail: I used enough thread to sew approx 6-8 bullet loops at a time.. any more than that and the thread was too long for me to handle.

[Smokey Dave]

This sounds like a great project. Consider me subscribed.

I've never tackled a cartridge belt, but I want to. Thanks for posting this.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

You can make the images show in your posts by reading how to post photos in our FAQ thread here.

[Rube Burrows]

Good looking rig.

[Rube Burrows]

This sounds like a great project. Consider me subscribed.

I've never tackled a cartridge belt, but I want to. Thanks for posting this.

I have made several cartridge belts but have yet to do the sew on loops.

[The original bad bob]

I finished the belt yesterday afternoon... it took me 4+ hours of sewing to do the 45 ea bullet loops and my hands are a little sore and puffy this am because of this.

I started this by cutting the 2" belt strap out of the belly with an exacto knife ( I don't have a strap cutter)... I then wrapped the leather around my waist and marked with a pencil the final length I wanted to cut.

I then made tapered cuts on both sides to fit the 1-1-2" belt buckle I had. I then punched holes for buckle keeper slot and marked out the punch lines for bullet loops.

I'm off now for a Desert hike  to go try it out 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Tapered ends on cartridge belts are a good choice. Looking forward to seeing the finished photo.

[The original bad bob]

Here is the belt completed.. Thank you Marshal for the photo instructions 

[The original bad bob]

The belt functioned perfectly on my hike.. And I was glad I was heeled because I ran into this fellow 

[Cliff Fendley]

Yeah he looks like a rough customer.

Nice work on the rig, looks very authentic.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That's a great rig, Bob. Very fine work. Glad to hear you had it along when you ran into that hombre.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Excellent work Bob, like the color combination as well as your carving, the buckle pops, well done pard..

tEN wOLVES