WIP: Saami inspired wide belt

[MickeS]

Hi all
My latest ‘soft’ project is a saami inspired wide belt. These are traditionally worn by the saami people and nowadays also many snow mobile drivers.
These belts are often very colorful, the ones for festivities are also dressed in silver and tin.
The belts for everyday use are often black with red edges and decorated with silver/black/white and red grommets/rivets, like this one;

The belts can be up to 150 mm wide, maybe you are more of a man with a wider belt

I wanted one for my wool anorak/tuilik, described here;

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53014

but I wanted it in more muted, naturally oriented colors so I decided to make my own.
It will fit my waist with clothing from 90 cm up to 135 cm when I’m wearing lots of clothes.
The width will be 80 mm, a comfortable width I think. Big grommets at the edges so I can attach knives and such with ease and at different locations.

Here are some wip pics;
Cutting the leather, 140x80mm.

The drawing with the cut leather. I’m using 3 mm veg tanned leather for this one.

Belt with attached buckle, 40 mm wide.

Here I have made all the holes for the grommets/rivets, I’ll use 4 and 7 mm ones.

Close-up.

This evening I’ve dyed the belt in two tones and been fiddling and testing how to put the grommets/rivets. I think it will be like this.

And finally another close-up.

Now I’ll have to treat the leather and fasten all the grommets/rivets (phew), but that’s another days work…

Thanks for looking!

 

[mr dazzler]

looking good so far, very sturdy looking.

 

[phill_ue]

Looks like something a Dwarf would wear! Pretty cool, I hope you get it finished and it looks as nice as I imagine it will.

 

[MickeS]

Thanks guys, I'm glad you like it, and the dwarf comment made me laugh out loud Do I look like Gimli?
I have been out skiing a couple of hours this evening in the quite pleasant snow blizzard that hit us today. -8C, snow and hard winds. Both the anorak and the belt did an admirable job.
The belt is almost to 'flashy' or posh for my taste, maybe I'll make another one abit more toned down...
I'll take better pics this weekend when the sun's up.

 

[Toddy]

The new belt looks excellent
Those proportions just work so well

cheers,
Toddy

 

[g4ghb]

Very neat - that is some mammoth project putting all those rivets in!

I like the colours too - muted and natural.

 

[coln18]

More a cross between Gimli and Obi wan me thinks! lovely piece of work there, did the grommets and stud work take you long, you must have some patience mate...

Col

 

[g4ghb]

A thought is it lined? - all rivets I have used end up 'sharp' on the back and as that is next to your wool shirt would expect it to catch like crazy.

Then again they could be good quality rivets rather than the rubbish I have here.......

 

[MickeS]

Hehe, it's only like 180 grommets and rivets, it took about 3 hours to put them in - quite meditative work.

 

[MickeS]

A thought is it lined? - all rivets I have used end up 'sharp' on the back and as that is next to your wool shirt would expect it to catch like crazy.

Then again they could be good quality rivets rather than the rubbish I have here.......

No, it's not lined. I went over the backside of all grommets with a hammer after I had fastened them to be sure there were no sharp edges. So now they are smooooth...

 

[phill_ue]

Ultra neat, and very dwarvish! You'll have to grow your beard long enough to tuck it into your belt! I really like it, it's nice!

 

[Jericho]

Great belt, i'm liking that!

 

[Zingmo]

Great belt, but it will be too wide for a clipper sheath!

Z

 

[MickeS]

Great belt, but it will be too wide for a clipper sheath!

Z

Yes it is, but a bit of leather string or para cord thru 2 grommets and even a clipper sheath will fit

 

[MickeS]

Here comes some more pics
I spent last evening ageing the belt - it looked too new and the edges where too bright for my liking...
I (mis)treated it with sand paper, a knife and a wooden stick and finally I gave it an uneven hot wax treatment to darken it even more.
Now I'm very pleased with it!

 

[Wayland]

I've always fancied one of those belts too.

I have a really nice wide tooled leather belt that I keep looking at with a mind to converting it.

I think you have just given me the inspiration I need to get the job done.

 

[Biker]

That's sweeeeeet.

 

[Wayland]

Well, I finally got around to finishing the belt I mentioned so I thought I'd post a piccy up here.

I've had the buckle for years, just waiting for the right project and the belt brings my mostly Saami style equipment together perfectly.

Thank you for the inspiration.

 

[Biker]

Oh that's really good mate. Like that possibles pouch especially. Any chance of a close up of that please?

 

[Wayland]

Oh go on then...

It's an old one I used to use for Viking stuff but now it's just the right size for my compact camera when I'm out and about.