Really wide belt

[Rock Home Isle]

Crazy Crow

Great advice here. You can go to this site and get leather strap up to 4” wide by 40” in length

https://www.crazycrow.com/strap-leather/strap-leather-pre-cut-strips

 

[Omahkapi'si]

October Country made mine. 2 1/2” wide. Distressed leather.

 

[Mark Herman]

Tandy leather will cut any size you want. Log Cabin or any ML store will have round or square "forged" buckles.

 

[Jay Templin]

If you’re looking for something historically correct for the 18th or early 19th century, you really want to stick with 2” or less. If you’re not that worried about it, I’ve had good luck making belts with the Crazy Crow 3” straps. They take dyes well, and the leather is supple without being soft.
Jay

 

[Twopoint]

Ebay has the Amish made work and gunbelts , one or two prong. I use a black one for a cartridge box and a cap pouch for my P53 Enfield.

Also, there's a guy on Ebay who makes very reasonably priced western gunbelts, that are just heavy, wide plain leather belts that are about 4" wide.

Also, tell them what you want. I have had a couple of belts/straps made... very good quality

 

[Whiteoak15]

A good kilt shop like USA Kilts in Pa. stock many styles and colors of 3" wide leather belts for kilt wearers. Great people to deal with!

 

[springfield art]

I cannot find the kind of thick wide belt I so often see in muzzleloading publications that serve to secure hawks, knives, and possibles, etc. The kind of heavy leather to go around the waist of winter clothing such as long woolen hunting shirts or capotes. Does anyone know who sells them? I know a sash is often used?, but I'd really like to find a belt with a period buckle. I am not opposed to making my own if I could find the materials. I have been away from historical methods long enough to have lost or forgotten the resources I once had.

Most guys know exactly what you want; I bet there's lots of suggestions will be appearing here. I bought just such a belt several yrs. ago at I thing the gunmaker's fair; long, old timey buckle, etc. Good luck, should be easy once you get replies here.

 

[2 shots]

where did you go MIKE IN FL. ??

 

[Redlemur60]

Jim bridger could pass for willie nelson!

 

[Brazos John]

Jim bridger could pass for willie nelson!

I'm not sure I see the resemblance.
But let me fill the pipe again...

 

[Redlemur60]

Ya there are warnings!

 

[Mike in FL]

Mike,

Somebody, somewhere, probably sells those belts readymade. I don't know who, though. If you are not averse to making one yourself, the components are readily available. Belts are probably among the easiest leatherworking projects to get you started, or re-started if you are out of practice.

Dixie Gun Works has a rectangular solid brass buckle to fit a two and one-half inch leather belt. This is item number BG0241, the "Early Brass Buckle" (web link right HERE). Dixie also has some forged buckles and one enormous brass "Trapper's Belt Buckle" for a 3" belt, if you really want to go all the way. Check out Dixie's Buckle Page. They also sell a leather strap to fit the monster buckle. It is shown on that page, too.

Wandering Bull and Crazy Crow both sell strap leather in various widths and lengths. I have gotten strap leather from both of them and find it is more supple and considerably cheaper than Tandy Leather. Wandering Bull has it in four colors (white, black, brown and natural) and they have it in the 2-1/2" width you need for the rectangular buckle from Dixie. Here is a link: Strap Leather from Wandering Bull

However, did people back in the day really wear belts that wide? I think those really wide belts may be a "reenactorism." Rex Norman completed a systematic study of the clothing in Alfred Jacob Miller's mountain man paintings, and summarized the findings in a neat book entitled The 1837 Sketchbook of the Western Fur Trade:

View attachment 149120

He addresses belts on page 16, stating that "All belts shown [in the Miller paintings] are plain leather. No beaded or tacked belts are seen. Belts appear to be no more than two inches wide. Buckles, when seen, are worn to the side instead of in front."

Tom Tobin, who was a sure-enough mountain man, did not read that part about the buckle off to the side, but he did follow Mr. Norman's recommendations for width:

View attachment 149123

Jim Bridger liked a skinny belt:

View attachment 149124

Long Jack, painted by Charles Deas (pronounced "Daze") also got by with a narrow belt:

View attachment 149125
Bigfoot Wallace's belt does not appear to be more than about two inches, if that:

View attachment 149126

Col. Dodge, in this painting by George Catlin, liked his military belt. I think these typically run around an inch and three quarters wide:

View attachment 149127

I know Bill Cody posed for a famous photo wearing a very wide belt, and some of the hired performers in his Wild West Show followed suit. However, they were showmen. I think a lot of today's buckskinners also like to put on sort of a show, which is fine, as this is all for fun. However, if you seriously want to get it right, it looks like a belt of two inches or less may be most authentic.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

I see what you mean. Perhaps I am off track to look for one so wide. Thanks very much.

 

[Mike in FL]

I'm here! I keep getting knocked off the page. All my replies did not podt.

 

[Mike in FL]

I see what you mean. Perhaps I am off track to look for one so wide. Thanks very much.

 

[Mike in FL]

Thanks for everyone's help. My device is junk. Keeps taking me where I didn't ask to go.

 

[Rob M.]

I cannot find the kind of thick wide belt I so often see in muzzleloading publications that serve to secure hawks, knives, and possibles, etc. The kind of heavy leather to go around the waist of winter clothing such as long woolen hunting shirts or capotes. Does anyone know who sells them? I know a sash is often used?, but I'd really like to find a belt with a period buckle. I am not opposed to making my own if I could find the materials. I have been away from historical methods long enough to have lost or forgotten the resources I once had.

Ive made two wide belts so far , love em ! A really wide belt for my Capote I wearbin the dead of winter here in Ohio , only Jan.and February... then I.made a 2" wife , 1/8" thick , belt for me blue jeans . 2" is MAX width for jeans , it'll work but its tight , 1 7/8" probably be a bit better but I just love ITV. I used an old buckle for the jeans belt and a forge buckle got at rendezvous years ago for the Capote belt . They worked out great . Good lucknifn ya aint already made em..

 

[Mike in FL]

Ive made two wide belts so far , love em ! A really wide belt for my Capote I wearbin the dead of winter here in Ohio , only Jan.and February... then I.made a 2" wife , 1/8" thick , belt for me blue jeans . 2" is MAX width for jeans , it'll work but its tight , 1 7/8" probably be a bit better but I just love ITV. I used an old buckle for the jeans belt and a forge buckle got at rendezvous years ago for the Capote belt . They worked out great . Good lucknifn ya aint already made em..

Wow. That's a really old thread. Thanks for the response. Since then I came across a thick leather strap about 2.5" wide. I also finally got a forged buckle but now can't remember where. Maybe not all that authentic, but exactly what I wanted.
My bag and body go on first, then the belt. That way, the bag is secure and does not swing forward if I bend over. On the belt is my knife and a small hatch very much in use in 18th century by hunters. Really handy for a variety of chores. The belt itself is too long so I can wear it over my wool shirt.

 

[Rob M.]

Wow. That's a really old thread. Thanks for the response. Since then I came across a thick leather strap about 2.5" wide. I also finally got a forged buckle but now can't remember where. Maybe not all that authentic, but exactly what I wanted.
My bag and body go on first, then the belt. That way, the bag is secure and does not swing forward if I bend over. On the belt is my knife and a small hatch very much in use in 18th century by hunters. Really handy for a variety of chores. The belt itself is too long so I can wear it over my wool shirt.

Very cool .... Funny , I just finished this smaller belt . Been wanting to.make one for awhile . The big one was a couple years ago.Love em.

 

[Rob M.]

Wow. That's a really old thread. Thanks for the response. Since then I came across a thick leather strap about 2.5" wide. I also finally got a forged buckle but now can't remember where. Maybe not all that authentic, but exactly what I wanted.
My bag and body go on first, then the belt. That way, the bag is secure and does not swing forward if I bend over. On the belt is my knife and a small hatch very much in use in 18th century by hunters. Really handy for a variety of chores. The belt itself is too long so I can wear it over my wool shirt.

Big one I'd 2.5" wide , small is 2" wide . Art. sinew sewn ....

 

[necchi]

Big one I'd 2.5" wide , small is 2" wide . Art. sinew sewn ....

The stitching you did on the 2.5" is better for longevity then that on the 2".
When a leather strap is stitched across it's width, it creates a fatigue point,, the leather will tear.
(a lesson learned and shared)