Belts

[Duke Mantee]

And this for @srudy … Wickett & Craig harness leather ‘rough out’

Edited February 2, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[Duke Mantee]

and this for @beautiful_FrEaK … J&FJ Baker Oak Tanned Bridle leather in ‘Oak Bark’, weighting in at nearly 6mm thickness through the whole length - saturated in tallow. I’d love to get a massage that lasted this long 

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Thankfully you took the picture as my pics wouldn't look so good  

Looking forward to it!

[Talan]

1 minute ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Thankfully you took the picture as my pics wouldn't look so good  

Looking forward to it!

Congratulations! It looks awesome.

[Duke Mantee]

… and for @fre-co - Sedgwick bridle leather in more reasonable 3~3.5mm thickness, but a more unusual combo being only a 1” wide strap, solid brass buckle and solid brass rivets. This is an all Made in England selection of materials. Sedgwick bridle is hand finished and very smooth and glossy, so I spent a bit of time breaking it then soaking in grease and tallow to make it a bit more supple and characterful (although I think it’s beautiful right out the box)

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[Duke Mantee]

4 minutes ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Thankfully you took the picture as my pics wouldn't look so good  

Looking forward to it!

It’ll look better on your waist …

[Thanks_M8]

@Duke Mantee you are quickly becoming sufu's bespoke belt maker love your Work!

[Duke Mantee]

16 minutes ago, Thanks_M8 said:

@Duke Mantee you are quickly becoming sufu's bespoke belt maker love your Work!

Thank you - I’ve been very fortunate folk have trusted me enough. I enjoy it though 

[beautiful_FrEaK]

24 minutes ago, Duke Mantee said:

It’ll look better on your waist …

With the right jeans of course  

[Duke Mantee]

Just now, beautiful_FrEaK said:

With the right jeans of course  

Have you bought a pair of FW? 

[Thanks_M8]

11 minutes ago, Duke Mantee said:

Thank you - I’ve been very fortunate folk have trusted me enough. I enjoy it though 

not to forget highly talented ! 

[Duke Mantee]

3 minutes ago, Thanks_M8 said:

not to forget highly talented ! 

Hmm - not sure about that, but I’m learning and I if nothing else I really try to make each the best I can. 

[Thanks_M8]

^takes patience, time and peace of mind to make them like they are. Since I started working full time I did maybe one belt, cause I didn't find the time for it...

still have to set up my workstation at the new flat.. things take time

[fre-co]

Looking forward to mine. Thanks again @Duke Mantee - this one is for trousers. Probably won’t wear it with denim. 

[Duke Mantee]

27 minutes ago, fre-co said:

Looking forward to mine. Thanks again @Duke Mantee - this one is for trousers. Probably won’t wear it with denim. 

I think it would be fine with denim, but I agree it has the feel of a belt for trousers

[Duke Mantee]

A wee comparison of the last two - bearing in mind an 8~9oz leather (the thinner one in the pic) is plenty strong for a belt

[srudy]

On 1/31/2022 at 5:13 AM, Duke Mantee said:

And this for @srudy … Wickett & Craig harness leather ‘rough out’

I love this belt so much! Can’t wait to get it in the mail and wear it!

[beautiful_FrEaK]

19 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Have you bought a pair of FW? 

One could believe you are on their payroll  
But no...

[Duke Mantee]

37 minutes ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

One could believe you are on their payroll  
But no...

I’d love to be in their payroll, but sushi is so careful with his money you’d think he was from Yorkshire rather than Kantō

[MJF9]

2 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

I’d love to be in their payroll, but sushi is so careful with his money you’d think he was born and bred in Yorkshire rather than Kantō

Fixed that for you to avoid any ambiguity 

[Duke Mantee]

2 hours ago, MJF9 said:

Fixed that for you to avoid any ambiguity 

Nailed it - thank you 

[Duke Mantee]

… and for @LazyS - Wickett & Craig Bridle, custom made buckle and apart from said buckle is a design based on an old 1940~50s design

 

[scooby]

@Duke Mantee thanks again for making me such an awesome belt. Now the Mrs. wants one too of course 

[Duke Mantee]

Thank YOU @scooby  … took a while thanks to our intrepid postal services, but I hope you get to put some wear on it as much you do your denims.

… and of course if the missus wants one who are you to deny her? 

[bartlebyyphonics]

On 1/31/2022 at 1:13 PM, Duke Mantee said:

And this for @srudy … Wickett & Craig harness leather ‘rough out’

 

8 hours ago, scooby said:

@Duke Mantee thanks again for making me such an awesome belt. Now the Mrs. wants one too of course 

very nice; these two my favorite thus far! great work!

[scooby]

4 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

… and of course if the missus wants one who are you to deny her? 

You’ll be hearing from me… rather, US… soon  

[Duke Mantee]

… and a 3rd belt for John Brooklyn

Very similar pattern as the previous - still wanting all the brass hardware be given a vintage patina and (bluer) matrix turquoise gemstones buffed down to remove the surface sheen and give a matte finish, but he also wanted a strap to be a black finish over brown with an antique look.

I used a natural Tuscan Vachetta leather and ended up applying 8 layers of different dyes and wax to create the finish.

It’s not teacore as such (and that’s a grossly overused badly misunderstood term anyway) but the top finish hasn’t penetrated the leather deeply so will give way to the natural colour of the leather which in itself will age very quickly being Vachetta.

Anyways - I deliberately took the pics is direct sunlight to show the finish … comes up a lot darker in overcast skies

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[fre-co]

Beautiful

[beautiful_FrEaK]

What a belt!

 

[Duke Mantee]

What a great customer 

Here’s hoping Levin’s mum had a lovely birthday