Bench-made by Hand
Each of Neil's belt straps is cut, stained, burnished, stitched, and finally polished to a rich, lustrous finish - by hand. They are bench-made, one-at-a-time, in much the same way as they would have been a century ago. They are authentic, bench-made Americana.
Belt Strap Style Examples
Additional information
Weight | N/A |
---|---|
Strap Style | Custom Straight Belt Strap, Custom Tapered Belt Strap, Custom Ranger Belt Strap |
Leather Color | Black, Espresso, Roan, Pecan, Caramel, Bamboo, Cognac |
Assembly Style | Snaps, Stitches |
Leather Color Options
Color Options
These colors are all approximations, except for black. Leather is a natural product, and every strap is unique. The hand-staining process complements, and brings out the character in the leather. Some colors are hand-mixed as they are applied to each strap. It is an art as well as a science. As a result, no two belts are exactly alike.
Belt Strap Sizing Guide
Strap Sizing Guide
There is a minimal amount of standardization in the belt industry, so even though you may “know” your size, please follow these instructions. As it takes Neil hours to custom cut and finish your belt strap, we ask that you take a few minutes of your time to give us an accurate size.
* Your “actual” (measured) size will often be about 2″ – 2½” longer than your “off-the-rack” belt is marked. This is normal.
Instructions:
Measure a favorite belt from the point at which the tongue meets the buckle, to the most commonly used hole (not necessarily the center hole).
See illustration:
For cross-referencing, it is helpful to have blue-jean size, as well.
If a belt is not available, run non-elastic string through pant belt-loops, and cut or mark where they meet; measure length.
Assembly - Snaps or Stitches
What you should consider when choosing snaps or stitching for your belt.
With the exception of the Tabula Rasa buckle, Neil’s custom belts are stitched, unless the customer requests snaps. Neil generally prefers stitching, but in some situations, the practicality of snaps is desirable.
Advantages in using snaps are:
- Snaps are the only way to go, if you want the flexibility of using your buckle on two different belts. If your buckle set has a tip, this option will require getting two tips, one for each belt, because the tip should not be moved back and forth often, as there will eventually be metal fatigue.
- Some people prefer snaps, even if they don’t plan to use the buckle with more than one belt.
Advantages in a stitched belt are:
- A stitched belt is more traditional.
- It gives the belt a slimmer profile. Snaps are thicker than stitching.
- The distance between the keepers is determined by their size and shape, and by the design of the buckle set. When snaps are used, there is always a default minimum distance between the keepers, because snaps are wider than stitching.
- Stitching holds up better than snaps. Neil uses whip-stitching, which effectively locks the thread in place. It will never come loose.