Belts

[fre-co]

You should send rodeobill (Mr Tender a message here, or email) and I'm sure he'll sort you out.

[Rivet Head]

Some of my favorite things have a crack....

[mikecch]

The crack looks superficial (we need higher quality pic!), should be ok~

[Jelmer]

EDIT: doublepost.

[Jelmer]

@mikecch

[ronbiggles]

Kind of looks like it was stood on while folded, or something heavy got put on jeans with belt in etc? If it was like that from new, I personally would ask for an exchange.... How heavy/thick is it? I guess snapping through brittleness would be more of an issue with the thicker grains.

[mikecch]

@mikecch

Was the crack there when you first received the belt?

It looks to be a superficial break in the grain, and since the Tender belt is made of a very raw 15 oz oak-tanned leather, a superficial tear after a bit of bending is not impossible... I'm not sure how Tender's oak-tanned leather is spec'd, but I would recommend oiling any raw leather (whatever they call it in your locale - skirting, saddle, unfinished, etc) before use.

[tropicalbird]

No way you can live with that, return it! Way too much "character" on a belt.

Here's mine, similar flaw but still do-able.

[superbeveridge]

@mikecch

thats looks like a more serious crack that most i have seen. i would return it. probably came from a weak point on the leather that cracked maybe when it was rolled too tightly in shipping. i had a superficial crack in my corter belt but it wasn't very deep. it didn't get worse so i didn't care. might be a spot where there was a scar in the hide too.

[Jelmer]

Thanks all! Returning it today!

@mike what oil should I use?

[mikecch]

Thanks all! Returning it today!

@mike what oil should I use?

I suspect that the oak-bark leather Tender uses has been tanned a wee bit longer than the oak-bark leather I'm used to, perhaps resulting in a stiffer leather. For leather of this calibre and thickness, I would recommend horse-oil, or neatsfoot if horse oil isn't available (avoid mink oil and the various 'boot' oils)!

You'd need 2 to 3 layers of oiling, and horse oil will get the job done faster too (sinks deeper and faster).

[MikeS]

Anyone know a reliable place to get horse oil on the net? Seems like mink oil is the only oil you can get locally in the US...

[Jelmer]

Wondering where I can find horse oil in The Netherlands..

Tried a tiny spot with 'grasa de caballo' from Panama Jack,

Don't think it's right for this belt hehe!

[the Repeater]

Blackout belt suggestions? Maybe a double-prong? Know Tanner already.

[mikecch]

Anyone know a reliable place to get horse oil on the net? Seems like mink oil is the only oil you can get locally in the US...

Wondering where I can find horse oil in The Netherlands..

Tried a tiny spot with 'grasa de caballo' from Panama Jack,

Don't think it's right for this belt hehe!

Can't help you guys here, sorry.

There are a few Japanese shops online selling horse leather - Mustang Paste, Seiwa, etc...

There's cheaper Chinese horse-oil available too, but haven't used them before (check 33oz.com for reviews if you read Chinese).

But a good quality (pure) neatsfoot oil will be just as good for most purposes.

Just try and avoid mink oil.

Apply one layer of oil on your raw oak-leather, let it dry in gentle sunlight or shade (wait till the colour returns to a natural tan), then apply another - a pure neatsfoot or horseoil will very, very gently darken the leather, but will not dramatically alter the colour like most mixtures/compound leather care solutions.

Repeat oil coatings as desired, checking the leather after each coating (I just did a leather check write-up on my blog, please feel free to check it out here), then coat the top with a good quality wax and give it a wipe down or brush down...DIY currying, hahahaha

Don't worry about folks who say you shouldn't oil your belts in the beginning - always oil your raw leathers before use, and a few thin layers of oil will not damage your 6mm thick oak-bark belt

Baker's oak-bark unfinished butt leather is a hungry beast - you must feed the beast!!!

[Ord]

Anyone know a reliable place to get horse oil on the net? Seems like mink oil is the only oil you can get locally in the US...

I got some neatsfoot oil from Japan on ebay. Pound for pound more expensive than the stuff from the U.S., but shipping cost would've been a killer as the Americans sell it in big bottles only.

The 8 dollars (including shipping) i got will last me AGES.

A little caveat: Neatsfoot oil smells like hell and you have to leave the belt somewhere for at least 2-3 days (more is better) before you can wear it again. The smell reminds me a bit of slightly rancid chicken stock, which isn't exactly a fragrance most people like to wear

Mikecch: Any advice on a wax (to be applied as a top layer, after oiling) i can find locally in Australia would be great. I was thinking about using pure lanolin (lansinoh), but i think a wax would be much better.

Thanks in advance

[mikecch]

Mikecch: Any advice on a wax (to be applied as a top layer, after oiling) i can find locally in Australia would be great. I was thinking about using pure lanolin (lansinoh), but i think a wax would be much better.

Thanks in advance

Mmm, the neatsfoot I used to use doesn't smell that bad...yours must have gone rancid

Any wax compound with a high beeswax content will do - if you can find pure beeswax, even better!

[ThisSunday]

My Roy X Cone contest belt by Zissou

[lance]

I like the buckle and the double prongs. Nice pickup ThisSunday, nice work, Zissou!

[entertainment!]

mikecch, how exactly did you treat your Quercus belt?

Thanks for all your posts. I don't know what this thread would do without you.

[grooveholmes]

amen to that, brother.

[Guest nooblet333]

My belt I have worn for 1 1/2 years That thing stretched mad!

I started at hole #2 and it was pretty tight, now Im on #5 and it's barely tight!

I got the belt from LGC! haha

[tropicalbird]

Stretchy leather usually means bad quality. So this is what Henry calls the "dumpster look"

[ronbiggles]

Really though? I think it looks coo.

[ronbiggles]

double post argh!

[Rivet Head]

I'm pretty sure all leather will stretch....sometimes they sew two pieces together to retard this. Did you really crank down on the belt over time?

[tropicalbird]

On second thought, chances are his belly has stretched and not the belt.

[Guest nooblet333]

It could be both lol haha

[mikecch]

mikecch, how exactly did you treat your Quercus belt?

Thanks for all your posts. I don't know what this thread would do without you.

Thanks entertainment! and grooveholmes

I've done two layers of horse oil then one layer of beeswax rubbed down, if I remember correctly.

Top is untreated, bottom is after one layer of horse oil and a couple of wears...the oil really brought the grain to life:

[mikecch]

Btw...mini teaser pic of an early prototype of the belt project with Unlucky - the project belt will be called 'The Joe Hill':

More pictures and details of the belt and project will land in a couple of weeks Exciting...