How To Add Holes To Belt

Editor'southward Annotation: This is a guest article by Michael Magnus.

Whether putting on a few pounds at the holidays or getting fit and shedding inches with The Strenuous Life, it's handy to know how to add a new notch or two to your leather chugalug. In this article, you lot'll see several different methods for punching holes: some involve tools that make the chore specially easy, while others let you to brand practice with what y'all have.

The first 3 methods featured hither volition show ways to get an ideally rounded belt hole with minimal fuss. Following that, at that place are 3 techniques that crave a bit more finessing, but can readily be used in a pinch.

Between these 6 methods, at that place'due south bound to be one that matches the tools you personally take on manus.

Measuring the Holes

Measuring the leather strip by scale and pen.

Regardless of which method of hole-making you lot choose, you'll first want to measure out and mark where you desire the hole to get.

The standard measurement betwixt chugalug holes is 1 inch, middle to center. Apply a ruler or measuring device to marking the location of the new hole with either a pen or a Sharpie. Typically it does not thing which side of the belt you lot marker on since the plan is to remove that piece of leather.

Calculation Rounded Holes to Your Belt

Although there are a number of dissimilar ways to perforate leather, only puncturing it may result in the hole vehement during use.

Information technology is important to round out the interior edges of the hole y'all make so that you lot are left with a circumvolve large enough for the tongue of your chugalug buckle. This round shape can help prevent violent, providing strength to the belt when under stress from frequent use.

The following methods will, in only 1 step, result in a strong, nicely rounded hole.

The Rotary Dial

Making a hole using rotary punch.

The rotary dial is perhaps the simplest and nearly straightforward solution. Tandy Leather makes some rotary punches that are specifically for leather; however, y'all may exist able to find something workable at a regular hardware shop. With this tool, typically you'll want to use the #5 sized dial (usually the second from largest size); withal, you may need something bigger or smaller depending on the buckle.

To use the rotary punch, first find the appropriately sized punch tube, rotate it into place, position information technology centered over your marking, and then squeeze the handle. Pretty straightforward and maybe worth investing in this tool if you call back you'll be punching holes ofttimes.

The Round Drive Punch

Rounding the hole using round drive punch.

This is another tool that if you lot don't already accept, can be purchased at Tandy or perhaps a hardware store. These sharp steel tubes come up in several sizes, but typically you'd desire to employ the three/16" size to brand holes on a belt for a standard chugalug buckle.

Center the punch over the marking, give it a few solid whacks with a mallet, and you should be left with a perfectly round hole.

The Power Drill

Man using power drill on a leather strip.

The power drill is a tool you likely already have on hand. By using the three/xvi" chip, y'all can carefully drill a pigsty into the leather. While this seems pretty straightforward, there's still a picayune precaution to take here.

Make certain that you lot hold the belt down firmly when drilling holes into the leather; otherwise, the belt may catch the drill bit and spin in place. This can result in ruining the belt, and also some fairly impressive bruises.

Additionally, when drilling the hole, make certain that you lot take a slice of spare wood or something similar underneath. When the bit goes through the leather, it will continue on through whatsoever surface is beneath it, which may ruin the surface, the drill bit, or both.

Puncturing Holes Into Your Belt

When you have the option, one of the above methods is really your all-time bet. Even so, if yous're in a pinch, the following 3 methods can piece of work as well.

Equally mentioned in a higher place, when simply puncturing a crude hole into a belt, it is more likely to tear. With any of the below methods, information technology is recommended that later on you make the initial perforation, you lot and then perform this 2d footstep: insert a small, sharp pocket knife into the puncture and twist it around in a circular motility to bore out some of the leather, rounding out and strengthening the hole.

The Pocket Knife

Cutting the leather strip by a knife.

As simply mentioned, a knife is going to come in handy for finishing out the hole on all 3 of these puncturing options, merely you'll have to be careful if using it to start one. When you lot use a knife to pierce the leather at your designated marker, the shape of the blade may get in difficult to puncture the leather without making a cut that is also big.

A small, sharp pocket knife is going to work meliorate for this than a larger blade, but ultimately you have to use what you have. Later advisedly piercing the leather, slowly movement the pocketknife dorsum and forth in a circular motion within the hole, finer scraping out pocket-sized amounts of leather until information technology reaches the appropriate size. This may take a piddling while. Withal, patience is key to not making the hole too big and achieving a rounded shape to help prevent tearing.

The Scratch Awl

Pinching hole in leather strip and a hammer is placed.

If you take access to a scratch awl, a sewing awl, or fifty-fifty an water ice pick, these can come in handy for getting the hole started and maintaining the right size. Typically, y'all tin force any of these awls through the leather past hand; yet, if the leather is thick or quite tough, you can give it a few taps with a mallet to force it through.

In one case you've made the initial pigsty, you'll accept a good starting point for whittling out some leather with your pocket knife to create the appropriately sized, rounded hole.

The Blast

Punching leather with nail by hammer.

Another method for puncturing the leather to get the hole started is using a hammer and nail. But align the nail over your marking, drive it through with a hammer, and you've got your hole started.

It'southward worth noting hither that you lot probably want to take a piece of spare wood nether the belt and so that you have something for the nail to bulldoze into. Too, don't get overzealous with your hammering; otherwise, it might be challenging taking the nail out again.

After y'all've created the initial puncture with the nail, again, you'll want to apply a small, sharp pocket knife to round out the pigsty to prevent violent.

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Michael Magnus is a digital advert lecturer, consultant, and freelancer based in North Texas. When not teaching or with his family, Magnus promotes the art of leatherworking as a recreational leathercraft historian and content creator with Elktracks Studio.