Jeff Seelye Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I am trying to make some hardware for a chest. I would like to make straps around the chest that look like leather belts. Does anyone have any suggestions /tooling /pictures /ideas that would put some details in this. Right now I am looking at some belts in my closet and trying to get a perspective on this. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Creek Blacksmith Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Why not use leather? Make every thing else out of metal ex. handles, lock. I believe they still used metal bands to hold the chest together and then used leather for the hinges, I could be wrong. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I don't know if these pictures will help, they are of horses in harness with blinkers and the ploughman in waistcoat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 That is some cool work on the harnesses. I did think about using real leather. My idea is to use a 6" pipe split in half about 8" long, make a box for the bottom make "leather" straps around it. i think I can make a tool to look like stitching, maybe also use it for the hinges. Still gotta figure out a buckle.The rest is handles and latch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 I have some 1/4 inch flat hot rolled that is pretty close in texture to leather. Wire brush all of the scale off and rust the iron, follow with brown shoe polish and it will look very leathery. (Vinegar, or any diluted acid, for rust: apply, wait, hand wire brush, repeat until you have a nice even brown.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 20, 2010 Author Share Posted November 20, 2010 I have some 1/4 inch flat hot rolled that is pretty close in texture to leather. Wire brush all of the scale off and rust the iron, follow with brown shoe polish and it will look very leathery. (Vinegar, or any diluted acid, for rust: apply, wait, hand wire brush, repeat until you have a nice even brown.) Thanks! That's a great idea. I bet I can even polyurethane it. Last night I tapered the end of some 1/4 flat (like my belt) ground a chisel real thin and put rounded marks in the end (with my 4 1/2" grinder) heated it, stamped it around the edges, and it looked like stitching. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 23, 2010 Author Share Posted November 23, 2010 Tried to make some belts this last weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Tried to make some belts this last weekend Tried? Looks like you succeeded. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 Tried? Looks like you succeeded. I will try to resize the next picture, when I finish the chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnt Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Looks like you got it right. Sure looks like leather to me. Are you going to patina it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 Looks like you got it right. Sure looks like leather to me. Are you going to patina it? Yes,but right now I am making a box and I have 2 of these straps going around it. After the box is done, I will try some stuff, fciron had a good idea about the shoe polish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Nice job there Jeff, looks like you got it stitched up fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted November 27, 2010 Author Share Posted November 27, 2010 Nice job there Jeff, looks like you got it stitched up fine! Thanks John B, I took some more pictures. It still needs some color but here is the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 This is the finished box. I gave it an acid wash (plum brown) and waxed it. I used guilders paste on the hinges, lock loop, handle and rivets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fciron Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Turned out great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pascalou Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 the result is really impressive realism :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Excellent Jeff, captured the look exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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