Belts without buckles

[Eric_Methven]

These are for the Scottish Crannog Centre. The centre depicts life in a Scottish iron age settlement and iron would have been too valuable a resource to make everyday items such as belt buckles from (although antler and bronze may have been used for high status wearers). However, these are for the tour guides to wear when they are showing the visitors around.

They are designed to be used without the need for a buckle and as such I thought they might be of interest to bushcraft DIYers.

The wide belt is for the male guides and the narrow one is for the lasses (although either can be worn by both)

A close up of how the strap locks itself tight.

Some drinking horns with the Crannog logo as well.

The logo was just burned into the leather freehand with a hot iron nail as would have been done in the period (actually I used a soldering iron but the effect is the same).

So simple and I have no doubt a strip of birch bark could be used for the same purpose.

Eric

 

[Dougster]

As always with your work, I just did a small smile and a 'wow'.

Superb as ever.

 

[SOAR]

I really like these Eric very well done.

Simon.

 

[jon r]

they are nice! is that your own design idea?

 

[Eric_Methven]

they are nice! is that your own design idea?

No Jon, the method of tying the belt is as ancient as time itself. The logo design is that of the Crannog Centre. I have just made them look appropriate for the function they are intended for.

The tour guides wear iron age costumes and carry a leather pouch and a sheathed knife so belts are needed with some hint at a corporate image or 'house style'. I'm also going to be making them a load of leather water bottles so the guides won't have to drink out of a plastic drinks bottle when they get thirsty during the summer months. The bottles will have the logo on them also.

Eric

 

[British Red]

Now the horns I like! Do you make them to sell to us commoners Eric?

Red

 

[Eric_Methven]

Now the horns I like! Do you make them to sell to us commoners Eric?

Red

Indeed I do sir. They are black Indian buffalo horn. The hollow ones I sell as drinking horns or tinder horns or even powder horns. Some are almost solid right through and those I sell to the knife makers as they make great handles for sharp shiny things.

I'll have to order more though as my last four are going to the Crannog Centre. I'll put some up on the maker's market when they are ready for selling (They'll cost betwen £20 - £30 depending on how much work I have to do to them).

Eric

 

[British Red]

Excellent - does the leather form some form of belt loop? Or if it doesn't, could it?

Definitely a hollow drinking jobby required I think!

Red

 

[Eric_Methven]

Excellent - does the leather form some form of belt loop? Or if it doesn't, could it?

Definitely a hollow drinking jobby required I think!

Red

Yes. The leather has a long thong loop tied to it that you simply pass through the back of your belt, leave a bight, pass the horn through the bight and pull down to lock it in a lark's foot knot. To remove, just reverse the movements. Alternatively you can just slip the horn out of the leather wrap.

Eric

 

[British Red]

Soon to be seen in the Hampshire Bowman......


I love that shiny finish Eric - I'm supposed to be cutting down on kit, but I just gotta have one of them!

Red

 

[Eric_Methven]

Soon to be seen in the Hampshire Bowman......


I love that shiny finish Eric - I'm supposed to be cutting down on kit, but I just gotta have one of them!

Red

PM sent mate.

 

[Heathenpeddler]

That looks fantastic Eric Just 2 vertical and 1 diagonal slots eh? Very nice

What did you use to cut the slots? They are always the bits that annoy me when it comes to belt making.

 

[gorilla]

i'll have to get some thick hide and try and make one of those......
(scurries off to le prevo....)

 

[Eric_Methven]

That looks fantastic Eric Just 2 vertical and 1 diagonal slots eh? Very nice

What did you use to cut the slots? They are always the bits that annoy me when it comes to belt making.

Now then, I used to think that as well. Try this for cutting slots. Measure the width of the slot by placing the thinner bit over where you want the slot to be. Mark a couple of dots with a biro on the leather. Take a normal hole punch of about the same thickness as the leather and punch two holes just taking out the dots and no more. Then take a sharp carpenter's chisel of a width that covers the two holes and push down, once on one side of the two holes and once on the other side. The middle bit will fall out and you have a slot.

Eric

 

[mr dazzler]

You got precision skill and a good eye eric, I honestly thought youd used a shaped punch to do those slot's

 

[Eric_Methven]

You got precision skill and a good eye eric, I honestly thought youd used a shaped punch to do those slot's

I'll take that as a compliment then.

When I'm making stuff, I try to figure out what people would have had to hand in the period the item represents. So, iron age leatherworker. He'd have had sharp knives and access to a chisel or two. He'd have the means to punch a hole - probably a small piece of iron with a hole punched through by the blacksmith while hot. He'd have then ground down the outside on a lubricated stone until he had a sharp edge all round and he'd have mounted it on a wooden block with a groove scribed in it for the waste leather to pop out - a hole punch.

The reason I try and simplify the process ideally to the stage where I could replicate the tools of the period with minimal equipment is so that I can do period demonstrations authentically. If I had shaped punches it would be easier in the workshop, but more difficult to justify it in period costume. Also it means I can cut slots in any piece of leather with just the two tools - any width, just bang out two holes and join the edges with a push of the chisel, or as many pushes as it takes depending on how wide the slot is.

Eric

 

[mr dazzler]

He'd have the means to punch a hole - probably a small piece of iron with a hole punched through by the blacksmith while hot. He'd have then ground down the outside on a lubricated stone until he had a sharp edge all round and he'd have mounted it on a wooden block with a groove scribed in it for the waste leather to pop out - a hole punch.

Sort of like a dowel plate with the leather resing on it and a round wood or metal punch to knock the disk out, a primitive fly press? I cant visualise where the groove is or what it's for though?
Cheers Jonathan

 

[Eric_Methven]

Sort of like a dowel plate with the leather resing on it and a round wood or metal punch to knock the disk out, a primitive fly press? I cant visualise where the groove is or what it's for though?
Cheers Jonathan

Not quite. It's hard to describe so I've done a wee drawing to better illustrate what I mean.

Hope this is clearer. These could be knocked out in many sizes and would have been simple for a blacksmith to produce. The leatherworker would have traded leather goods for them.

Eric

 

[British Red]

Is that your hand writing Eric - if so, there is no end to your talents!

Red

 

[Eric_Methven]

Is that your hand writing Eric - if so, there is no end to your talents!

Red

No mate, it's font called Carolinga.

Eric