Joining Buckle to Belt

[jderrick]

Hello,
Just got a nice buckle and belt through the mail and have a question. Turns out the buckle is one of these with two prongs on the back, not a metal loop. I presume I punch a couple holes in a belt, put the prongs through, and clamp them shut.

But the belt (two inch, black, with a little extra length) is one of these ones that has the little brass snaps to take a more modern belt buckle with a loop.

Aside from cutting off the snaps and attaching the buckle the traditional way (but making it so I can't use that belt with another buckle), is there any suggested way of joining the two together?

Thanks,
JD

 

[boar]

You could use Chicago screws. They use them on horse bridles. One side is slotted, it screws into the other piece. Can get at tack shop or leather shop. I use them on my horse and mule tack. They come in different lengths. Dilly

 

[davemcg]

What I did on an old belt I use was to drill the snaps out, put the buckle on then lace the belt back together with artificial sinew using kind of a figure 8 pattern going through the holes and around the outside of the belt then back through the holes a few times. At least that way if you want to change buckles you don't have as much stitching to slice through.

Couple more thoughts:
1)would you really be switching buckles out that much?
2) if you did stitch it up right and proper and decided to change buckles later, you'd already have the holes for the stiching it would just be a matter of slicing the old stitches and restitching, a little bit of a hassle but not a complete redo.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Why not use snaps? You can buy the parts and kit, and a leather punch from Tandy leather. I suspect other suppliers might also provide this. If you have a shoe repair shop in town, they probably can do this work for you, for next to nothing. The snaps do allow you to change belt buckles.

 

[davemcg]

What I did on an old belt I use was to drill the snaps out, put the buckle on then lace the belt back together with artificial sinew using kind of a figure 8 pattern going through the holes and around the outside of the belt then back through the holes a few times. At least that way if you want to change buckles you don't have as much stitching to slice through.

Couple more thoughts:
1)would you really be switching buckles out that much?
2) if you did stitch it up right and proper and decided to change buckles later, you'd already have the holes for the stiching it would just be a matter of slicing the old stitches and restitching, a little bit of a hassle but not a complete redo.

One more thought, won't the end of the belt cover over the snaps when you're wearing it? I understand though the idea of you'd know they were there, plus they would show when you take it off. :hmm: