Equipment Belt

Hello fellow Makers.

So while bowsing the Internet I found something that I really liked, an equipment belt for hiking and hunting. I don't hunt but I tought it would be usefull anyway, then I saw the prize tag...
I didn't feel like paying 140 dollars for a belt, so I decided to make my own (and some useful accessories with it).

So in this Instructable I will show you how to make your own equipment belt and some useful accessories. Keep in mind that this project is might be hard for peaple that are novices at leather crafting.

(Also keep in mind that english is not my native language so grammatical and spelling errors will occur)

First of all I made some sketches so I would know what I wanted to make. I wanted the belt to be 6cm wide (2.2 inches) and about 110cm long (44 inches). As you might understand this belt won't fit any pair of normal pants, it shouldn't either. The belt is meant to be strapped outside you jacket so you can store your equipment more easily and make them more accessible.
When I was done planning and sketching I ordered the materials I didn't have at home.

Materials in the picture:
Leather
Leather Strap (treated to withstand water)
Mallet
Stitching Groover
Edge Bevelers
Edge Slicker
Knife
D-rings
Snap Link
Rivets
Leather Pounches
Rotary Leather Pounch
Belt Buckle

Materials NOT in the picture:
Needles
Thread
Tuck Lock
Snap Fastener
Snap Fastener Tool (don't know if it's correct, couldn't find a translation)
Rivet Tool
Stamp (optional)
Glue

When I got the leather strap it was already 6cm wide, but it was to long. I measured the strap to 110cm and after I cut the leather I rounded the edge so it looked more like a belt end. Next I needed to make the holes for the belt buckle. I pounched three holes and cut away the leather in between.

Then I pounched the holes for the stitching and sewed the buckle in place, you can use glue if you want but it isn't neccessary. Keep in mind that if you use glue it's preferable it's water resistant.
When I added the belt loop i wanted to customize it a little bit by adding a wolf stamp. When cutting the belt loop strap rememeber that the other end of the belt need to fit through the gap, I didn't remember so the strap didn't reach around the belt completely.

You live you learn.

It doesn't really matter but it's something to think about. Lastly I pouched the holes at the end of the belt so you can use the buckle.

Technically the belt is now done, but it won't be useful at all. So it's time to add some hooks.

First I made some strapes that I made sure would reach around the belt 100% of the time. Luckily for me the straps were long enough to reach around and let the other end of the belt through. After some quick edge polishing I secured the hook and used some tape to make sure the rivet holes would match up. I hammered the rivets in place, something the rest of the family disliked. I just repeated the same process two more times, but swapped the hook for d-rings.

Now it's time for the pouch. It can be used to store multiple kinds of stuff. Maybe tinder, fishing hooks or a flint and steel.

After cutting the leather I marked where the edges of the pouch would be and used the stitching groover too make it easier to bend the leather, then I cut the shape of the front of the pouch. After ading the tuck lock I started working on the sides. I wanted them to be made out of cloth, but that would obviously not work. So I glued some cloth to two pieces of leather. Using small bits of leather I glued the sides to the main body and added some extra glue in the corners just to be sure. I made some basic straps that allowed the pouch to hang in the belt.

(For those wonder, the pouch is hard enough to retain it's shape when opening it)

You have probably seen something similar before, a bag that's used to gather materials and is strapped to your belt.

I cutted out two pieces of leather and used the groover to make it easier to bend. After that I pounched out four holes for the snap fasteners and rivets and hammered them in place.

Now comes something I'm terrible at, using sewing machines. Luckily the bags turned out fine and I didn't become a part of them! One bag is made out of one piece of cloth folded over itself and sewed together and turned inside out to make the seams disappear. When the bags were done I added a snap fastener so the bag would stick to the "holder".

Your belt is now done! Now you can explore the wilderness with your gear safely strapped around your waist.

Thanks for reading my Instructable, please leave a comment down below.

PS If you liked this Instructable and think it's a winner, please vote for it in the Leather Contest!

OutdoorEnthusiast out!