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How to Shorten a Belt [pictorial] - Page 2

post #16 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:24pm
Actually I think it does look too short now.
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post #17 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gdl203 View Post
Actually I think it does look too short now. Very nice pictorial though!

Thanks! If you make it longer, it will only flap more.
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post #18 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:31pm
The pictorial is nice indeed. Although you could have saved some time by just posting: unscrew the thingy, cut da belt with dem scissors, punch a hole with a tool that nobody has or really woud want to own, rescrew the thingy... voilà !
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post #19 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gdl203 View Post
The pictorial is nice indeed. Although you could have saved some time by just posting: unscrew the thingy, cut da belt with dem scissors, punch a hole with a tool that nobody has or really woud want to own, rescrew the thingy... voilà !

Hehe. You're right about that.

(What's it called?)
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post #20 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:38pm
It's simply called a "leather hole punch", costs like $7 on ebay, $8 on amazon (more expensive at your local hardware, or craft store). Fun & cheap tool to have. Of course, if you only need to shorten 1 belt, bring it to a cobbler....
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post #21 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by onix View Post
It's simply called a "leather hole punch", costs like $7 on ebay, $8 on amazon (more expensive at your local hardware, or craft store). Fun & cheap tool to have.

Of course, if you only need to shorten 1 belt, bring it to a cobbler....

Thanks, onix. I assumed it wasn't revolver punch pliers in English.
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post #22 of 62
5/21/10 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOBD View Post
Thanks, onix. I assumed it wasn't revolver punch pliers in English.

Yeah, different place call it differently (plier vs puncher, rotary vs revolver vs revolving)... most of the time, search using "leather hole punch" is sufficient.
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post #23 of 62
5/21/10 at 1:32pm
Of course, once you know how easy it is, you can save big on discounted belts. Unlike other clothing items, when clearance time comes and nothing is left besides super small and super large--you can still benefit from buying the size 42 belt

Now that I know how easy the screws are, (and thanks for the suggestion of using a drill...much cleaner than a stanley knife), I will look for belts like this that are too big.

Belts where the buckle is sewn on with folded over leather (like mine) are a little more work...I do have one belt that would be even easier though. It is one of those black/brown reversible jobs and the buckle is held on by a pair of set screws that pinch the leather. To shorten, just loosen screws, cut belt, reinsert and tighten.
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post #24 of 62
5/21/10 at 3:14pm
This thread comes at the perfect time, as I recently was looking to get a replacement for my black jeans belt, which happens to be just one hole too long. Thank you! - Keith
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post #25 of 62
5/21/10 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
^
You're welcome.
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post #26 of 62
5/21/10 at 8:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThinkDerm View Post
what if it doesnt have that screw - none of my belts do... =)
It is amazing how often one of these comes in handy: http://www.amazon.com/Speedy-Stitche.../dp/B00194DF2Q That, knife, scissors, and leather punch is all it took to shorten the belt I'm wearing now. The stitching may not be perfectly straight if you're not practiced, and the thread is a light tan, but you can buy different thread, and the stitching is hidden under the end of the belt anyway. On a sidenote, for those of you like me who require size 30 belts, this kind of thing makes life a LOT easier.
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post #27 of 62
5/21/10 at 8:48pm
Nice job! I think I'm going to call my leather punch a revolver-pons-tang from now on. I just need to work on my Dutch accent.
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post #28 of 62
5/21/10 at 9:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThinkDerm View Post
i have numerous italian belts - borrelli, testoni and "made in italy belts" - brooks brothers and the like - all are stitched, none screwed. leaving it to a pro is what i'd do, for certain, and I do need to shorten some belts. in NYC - any recs?
Any competent luggage repair or cobbler should be able to do it in a few minutes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by otc View Post
The belt I am wearing was not screwed but I managed to shorten it On mine, the end was folded back over it self and sewed down (with a hole for the tongue) with 4 loops of thread--both sides of the loop on top and bottom. I cut those threads, cut off a few inches, used the utility knife to cut a new hole, folded it back over, opened up little holes with an awl and then used approximately as much thread as was originally used to sew it back up. Only snags were as follows: somehow I managed to get the hole for the tongue slightly off center. It is not noticable when the belt is on (since the end of the belt covers it). Other snag was that the belt was lined which mad folding it over look bad. To solve this, I actually cut out the back of the part that would be folded over and stripped out the lining (but I own other belts where you could get away without doing this). It was a pretty quick job...but I would bet a cobbler could do it much nicer for pretty cheap.
Very nice. This is what I'd have written had I had the time and patience -- w/ one addition: Instead of stitching the buckle back on, you could fold the tip of the belt over and add snaps or screws to secure the buckle. Either way, you'd probably need to cut out the lining.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gdl203 View Post
...punch a hole with a tool that nobody has or really woud want to own, ...)
I've had one since I was a kid and got obsessed w/ leather work for a year. Have used it maybe four times in twentyfour years.
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post #29 of 62
5/22/10 at 4:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by New Dialect View Post
Nice job! I think I'm going to call my leather punch a revolver-pons-tang from now on. I just need to work on my Dutch accent.

Thanks. You could also say gatentang ('holes pliers'), but that's not nearly as cool as revolverponstang, and possibly even harder to pronounce for an English speaker.
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post #30 of 62
5/22/10 at 10:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otc View Post
The belt I am wearing was not screwed but I managed to shorten it

On mine, the end was folded back over it self and sewed down (with a hole for the tongue) with 4 loops of thread--both sides of the loop on top and bottom.

I cut those threads, cut off a few inches, used the utility knife to cut a new hole, folded it back over, opened up little holes with an awl and then used approximately as much thread as was originally used to sew it back up.

Only snags were as follows: somehow I managed to get the hole for the tongue slightly off center. It is not noticable when the belt is on (since the end of the belt covers it). Other snag was that the belt was lined which mad folding it over look bad. To solve this, I actually cut out the back of the part that would be folded over and stripped out the lining (but I own other belts where you could get away without doing this).

It was a pretty quick job...but I would bet a cobbler could do it much nicer for pretty cheap.

I did this recently with a Borrelli croc belt, but I used a drill to make the hole for the tongue and used a knife and file to finish it off. The hardest part was piercing new holes which lined up front and back to sew it together, and there was a row each side of the keeper. A belt with a screw is child's play.
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