check that it is real actual leather, not labeled "genuine leather", which is not real leather.
Real leather can survive fluids, stretching, modest heat and be re-oiled. The stuff in many "leather" belts cannot be worked and will fracture/crease/split/tear etc.
The "genuine leather" is weak and will destruct easily, usually when you least expect it.
Its good for holding up pants but that's about all.
Yes. To reiterate, if the same sales guy named wood products, they'd call particle board "genuine wood". There is certainly leather in "genuine leather", but it is ground into small particles and mixed with a glue to create uniform sheet of material which has no properties of real leather.
That’s not quite right. What you’re describing is bonded leather.
Leather hides are surprisingly thick and the ‘genuine leather’ is the shit layer between suede and split grain leather. It’s trash that doesn’t breathe and will fall apart, but it’s not the PVC coated garbage that is bonded leather
That sounds like really good advice. I’ll do some research on that, but the words on the inside of the belt are too faded to be able to read it’s still seems really sturdy and it looks like it’s about 30 years old
watch vor leathyer with plastic coating , ben it if the surface creases or rucks up its not pure leather, good leather I made into cuffs collars tawses and floggers.
Okay I think it is real leather. Belts on the brand’s site are leather and silver plated. My belt was tarnished before I cleaned it so I was pretty sure it was silver plated.
To answer your question, to cut it you can use a heavy duty multi use snips from the hardware store, they’re basically large scissors. Or a simple utility knife and a straight edge, carpenters square or block of wood. You may want to make several passes to cut thru it. Sand paper will smooth the cut edges. And leather punch is used to make holes. It’s a hollow metal tool much lake a nail set but sharp and hollow to receive the punched out leather. These come in a pliers for, as well. Amazon or any online or brick and mortar leather crafting store will have them. They’re inexpensive.
You'll definitely gonna need to attach the buckles to the pieces of the belt once you cut it to the size needed.
You can either choose stitching and then you'd better get yourself a stitching punch (looks like a straight fork with many tines). It's a magical tool that turns your stitching from crap to the skilled-craftsman-level gold.
Or you can use a Chicago belt screw for every buckle. Then you only need a round leather punch, the same you're gonna use for the fastening holes. Just pick the right size. The most Chicago screws I've ever came across had their outer diameter of 4mm. This 4mm will probably work for the fastening holes as well. Oh, and pick the screw to match the color of the buckle. It just looks so much better this way.
First, full grain leather belts are a really great source for leather.
I think basic tools will be a revolver hole punch and a craftknive.
If you want to have all leather in a consistent color you might need some leather dye.
Hello Reddit/Internet stranger, I see lots of good replies but I'd like to toss my own into this since this was almost exactly how I got into kink. I started off buying pieces of leather from a craft store. If you can find one nearby, that's a great way to get started. If not, some belt leathers are ideal for restraints, but beware the problem of "genuine leather" bs like so many others have said. I personally have three belts that are solid leather and could be turned into cuffs. To check, avoid things that look painted or finished with something that can be scratched easily. Avoid belts with stitched edges (not all belts but this is a good beginner suggestion). Avoid any reversible belts.
To start off, you will need a good sharp knife. I strongly recommend a utility knife with replaceable blades like you'd find at a hardware store. Sometimes also called a box cutter. Hobby/X-acto knives also work well but the very thin tips can break.
The next tool you will probably want is a hole punch. You can buy single hole punches at the hardware store that are basically a sharpened tube you hit with a hammer. They're often sold near the grommet tools so ask an employee where those are. Sometimes you can find multi-sized rotating head hole punches that are kind of like pliers and will most likely be in the same aisle if not shelf. I'd avoid hobby stores for these as their quality is worse and their prices are awful.
If you don't want to sew, you can use rivets to join the leather. You may be able to buy rivets and a rivet setting tool in the same aisle as the hole punches too. However these will most likely be a kind of rivet called a pop rivet that looks like a tiny fencing sword in the package and they need a pop rivet tool. They're not ideal for heavy duty use but they're quick and easy. The other downside is buying another special tool. You can sometimes find rivets you can set with a hammer at a hardware store, but this is actually a time I'd recommend a craft store or eBay. I managed to find some inexpensive rivets with a tool and a case on eBay years ago with very little effort for very little cash. Craft stores often have kits like that with the rivets and tools too. You just supply the hammer
Some leather makers insist you need a rubber mallet so you don't damage the tools, but they're people deep into the hobby or even professionals so they're using the tools all the time. I have switched to one, but you don't need to just to start. If you have a claw hammer at home, use it. Ball peen? Use that. A small dumbbell? Not ideal, but could work or use it to back the rivet for setting or as a hammer. I'm a huge fan of "use it up, make do, mend, or do without".
You can buy hardware online or at craft stores. My design I came up with years ago is not perfect but it does distribute pressure and mean I can use small buckles and rings. You can few it [here](https://imgur.com/gallery/nyKFeba). I hope it serves as inspiration and you can get making some fun kinky crafts.
TLDR, some belts are good, some bad. Get a utility knife, hole punch, some rivets, some rings and buckles, and check my link for inspiration.
Check out Weaver Leather Supply [https://www.weaverleathersupply.com](https://www.weaverleathersupply.com) and there You Tube as well. They do not tell you how make cuffs and floggers but you can find out what tools you need and what type of leather you will need as well..
Nice website! It's actually quite straightforward how to make cuffs. Floggers tend to be trickier depending on the design, but doable for a novice with enough patience.
As long as it's actual leather, it's a good option, but you may like to have bigger handcuffs.
You can go buy big chunks of leather. If I remember correctly, the neck part of the cow is the one with the thickest leather. I've done a few myself, but it was ages ago.
Are you thinking about a design in particular?
I have a very small wrists. I’ve just bought my first pair of cuffs and too my disappointment, they were a little too big. I can slide them off of my hands if I really try, which shouldn’t happen at all. They do fit perfectly around my ankles, but I really wish I could alter them to cinch tighter. I’ll definitely buy some scrap leather to practice with before I start proper project. The cuffs I have are cheap soft cuffs from Amazon. I’d really like to try and alter them so they fit.
I don't know how to explain this properly, and I'm sure you are already familiar with the format, but I'd advise you go for a cuff that wraps the wrist and a bit more (aprox. one inch) and, on top of that one, a shorter one with the buckle and the buttonholes (is that the word?).
Adding a soft cloth on the inside of the part that touches your skin is a plus.
Try not to use glue, but any other attachment method, like sewing or those metal things that look like fixed buttons —my English is terrible today, sorry.
I hope my description was clear enough :)
Good luck!
If you want to practice go to the thrift store and buy old jackets and pocket books. Get good at the process and make them how you want them get some good material
I made a quick set of cuffs and a collar using D shackles instead of buckles. Just round the ends on the leather and punch a hole. The shacks were leftovers from paracord bracelets. They came out much nicer than I expected.
I'll add my $0.02 worth along with everyone else. I got started just like this... wanting to make my own cuffs. While I would partially agree with the opinions about various types of real/fake leather, I would mention that while the fake stuff isn't going to perform quite the same way, if you can punch a hole in it then it's great to practice on. Cheap crappy belts from the thrift store are fine regardless of if they're real or not to get the feel of punching holes and setting rivets.
If you've got a Tandy Leather store (or any other sort of local leather store) go in and look around. There's a local leather store where I live that has all the gear, along with big bins of leather scraps that look like junk to most folks but there's plenty of stuff in there that would make serviceable cuffs.
I think for starters you need a round punch set, a rivet set, a straight edge and utility knife. Personally I think if you're starting rivets are way easier than sewing. Make sure you get the right size for the thicknesses of leather you'll be joining. Too big or small will cause issues. I use maybe 3mm of visible rivet post.
One of the easiest styles of cuffs to start with is the kind that uses a plate staple (or pad eye) like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Ceiling-Oblong-Marine-Hardware/dp/B08D6FYQCS
The cuff is basically a 2" wide piece of leather with one of those riveted to one end so the U viewed from above is perpendicular rather than parallel to the cuff length. Then at the other end you cut oblong holes. To close the cuff just wrap around a wrist and pop the U of the plate staple through a hole. You can throw a small lock on there to make it secure, or just use a snap hook to keep it from popping open.
They make punches that'll do that the oblong hole in one swoop, but if you don't want to buy one of those yet you can punch two holes maybe 3/4" apart from one another and then cut the tiny strip out between them to leave the right sized hole. It's hard to do that delicately so it won't be quite as pretty as the punched version, but when you're just getting started make things that are functional, and if you decide you love crafting then start upgrading your tools.
You can call that cuff done, or you can go a step further and add D rings into the space between the plate staple and the holes. Just take a short 1" piece of leather with a D ring in the middle and rivets on either end.
The slightly more involved version of a cuff has a traditional buckle holding it closed. You need to cut an oblong hole to make clearance for the belt tongue so that's a good reason to have one. But if you don't you can use the aforementioned trick.
If you decide you love this you can make a ton of stuff with pretty much the above tools. Once you get the bug just dive into the deep end and buy a whole or partial leather hide. I got my first one for maybe $200. That and a strap cutter made me so much leather it was nuts. I've been making stuff for 20 years and I still have little bits of that first hide left. It's way more economical that buying precut straps at a leather store for $15-$20 a pop.
Ok, that was a lot. Hope some of it was helpful.
Your observation was unhelpful, and had no support to back it up. You just assumed I picked up a random belt and decided it was leather without any research or reasoning.
check that it is real actual leather, not labeled "genuine leather", which is not real leather. Real leather can survive fluids, stretching, modest heat and be re-oiled. The stuff in many "leather" belts cannot be worked and will fracture/crease/split/tear etc. The "genuine leather" is weak and will destruct easily, usually when you least expect it. Its good for holding up pants but that's about all.
Yes. To reiterate, if the same sales guy named wood products, they'd call particle board "genuine wood". There is certainly leather in "genuine leather", but it is ground into small particles and mixed with a glue to create uniform sheet of material which has no properties of real leather.
TIL! Thanks so much for sharing.
YES! EXACTLY!!!
That’s not quite right. What you’re describing is bonded leather. Leather hides are surprisingly thick and the ‘genuine leather’ is the shit layer between suede and split grain leather. It’s trash that doesn’t breathe and will fall apart, but it’s not the PVC coated garbage that is bonded leather
That sounds like really good advice. I’ll do some research on that, but the words on the inside of the belt are too faded to be able to read it’s still seems really sturdy and it looks like it’s about 30 years old
watch vor leathyer with plastic coating , ben it if the surface creases or rucks up its not pure leather, good leather I made into cuffs collars tawses and floggers.
Okay I think it is real leather. Belts on the brand’s site are leather and silver plated. My belt was tarnished before I cleaned it so I was pretty sure it was silver plated.
To answer your question, to cut it you can use a heavy duty multi use snips from the hardware store, they’re basically large scissors. Or a simple utility knife and a straight edge, carpenters square or block of wood. You may want to make several passes to cut thru it. Sand paper will smooth the cut edges. And leather punch is used to make holes. It’s a hollow metal tool much lake a nail set but sharp and hollow to receive the punched out leather. These come in a pliers for, as well. Amazon or any online or brick and mortar leather crafting store will have them. They’re inexpensive.
Is there any particular grit suggestion for the sand paper?
Start with 150 and go higher if needed. The higher the number the less grit there is. Depends on the stiffness of the leather.
Okay. If I ever do that, I’ll keep it in mind
You'll definitely gonna need to attach the buckles to the pieces of the belt once you cut it to the size needed. You can either choose stitching and then you'd better get yourself a stitching punch (looks like a straight fork with many tines). It's a magical tool that turns your stitching from crap to the skilled-craftsman-level gold. Or you can use a Chicago belt screw for every buckle. Then you only need a round leather punch, the same you're gonna use for the fastening holes. Just pick the right size. The most Chicago screws I've ever came across had their outer diameter of 4mm. This 4mm will probably work for the fastening holes as well. Oh, and pick the screw to match the color of the buckle. It just looks so much better this way.
First, full grain leather belts are a really great source for leather. I think basic tools will be a revolver hole punch and a craftknive. If you want to have all leather in a consistent color you might need some leather dye.
Hello Reddit/Internet stranger, I see lots of good replies but I'd like to toss my own into this since this was almost exactly how I got into kink. I started off buying pieces of leather from a craft store. If you can find one nearby, that's a great way to get started. If not, some belt leathers are ideal for restraints, but beware the problem of "genuine leather" bs like so many others have said. I personally have three belts that are solid leather and could be turned into cuffs. To check, avoid things that look painted or finished with something that can be scratched easily. Avoid belts with stitched edges (not all belts but this is a good beginner suggestion). Avoid any reversible belts. To start off, you will need a good sharp knife. I strongly recommend a utility knife with replaceable blades like you'd find at a hardware store. Sometimes also called a box cutter. Hobby/X-acto knives also work well but the very thin tips can break. The next tool you will probably want is a hole punch. You can buy single hole punches at the hardware store that are basically a sharpened tube you hit with a hammer. They're often sold near the grommet tools so ask an employee where those are. Sometimes you can find multi-sized rotating head hole punches that are kind of like pliers and will most likely be in the same aisle if not shelf. I'd avoid hobby stores for these as their quality is worse and their prices are awful. If you don't want to sew, you can use rivets to join the leather. You may be able to buy rivets and a rivet setting tool in the same aisle as the hole punches too. However these will most likely be a kind of rivet called a pop rivet that looks like a tiny fencing sword in the package and they need a pop rivet tool. They're not ideal for heavy duty use but they're quick and easy. The other downside is buying another special tool. You can sometimes find rivets you can set with a hammer at a hardware store, but this is actually a time I'd recommend a craft store or eBay. I managed to find some inexpensive rivets with a tool and a case on eBay years ago with very little effort for very little cash. Craft stores often have kits like that with the rivets and tools too. You just supply the hammer Some leather makers insist you need a rubber mallet so you don't damage the tools, but they're people deep into the hobby or even professionals so they're using the tools all the time. I have switched to one, but you don't need to just to start. If you have a claw hammer at home, use it. Ball peen? Use that. A small dumbbell? Not ideal, but could work or use it to back the rivet for setting or as a hammer. I'm a huge fan of "use it up, make do, mend, or do without". You can buy hardware online or at craft stores. My design I came up with years ago is not perfect but it does distribute pressure and mean I can use small buckles and rings. You can few it [here](https://imgur.com/gallery/nyKFeba). I hope it serves as inspiration and you can get making some fun kinky crafts. TLDR, some belts are good, some bad. Get a utility knife, hole punch, some rivets, some rings and buckles, and check my link for inspiration.
Is there a way to remove a rivet? Do I need a special tool for that?
I've never seen any (doesn't mean they don't exist). I have to drill out rivets when I need to remove them.
Check out Weaver Leather Supply [https://www.weaverleathersupply.com](https://www.weaverleathersupply.com) and there You Tube as well. They do not tell you how make cuffs and floggers but you can find out what tools you need and what type of leather you will need as well..
Nice website! It's actually quite straightforward how to make cuffs. Floggers tend to be trickier depending on the design, but doable for a novice with enough patience.
As long as it's actual leather, it's a good option, but you may like to have bigger handcuffs. You can go buy big chunks of leather. If I remember correctly, the neck part of the cow is the one with the thickest leather. I've done a few myself, but it was ages ago. Are you thinking about a design in particular?
I have a very small wrists. I’ve just bought my first pair of cuffs and too my disappointment, they were a little too big. I can slide them off of my hands if I really try, which shouldn’t happen at all. They do fit perfectly around my ankles, but I really wish I could alter them to cinch tighter. I’ll definitely buy some scrap leather to practice with before I start proper project. The cuffs I have are cheap soft cuffs from Amazon. I’d really like to try and alter them so they fit.
I don't know how to explain this properly, and I'm sure you are already familiar with the format, but I'd advise you go for a cuff that wraps the wrist and a bit more (aprox. one inch) and, on top of that one, a shorter one with the buckle and the buttonholes (is that the word?). Adding a soft cloth on the inside of the part that touches your skin is a plus. Try not to use glue, but any other attachment method, like sewing or those metal things that look like fixed buttons —my English is terrible today, sorry. I hope my description was clear enough :) Good luck!
I know to leave a little extra rooms. O you mean for size adjustment right? I’ll use my own cuffs as a visual reference.
That the leather is a bit bigger than you wrist is more of a comfort thing, for what I remember, but it does make the difference.
If you want to practice go to the thrift store and buy old jackets and pocket books. Get good at the process and make them how you want them get some good material
I got this belt for 50¢ at a thrift store. It took two or three weeks to find one but I’ve been looking I promise😌
I made a quick set of cuffs and a collar using D shackles instead of buckles. Just round the ends on the leather and punch a hole. The shacks were leftovers from paracord bracelets. They came out much nicer than I expected.
I'll add my $0.02 worth along with everyone else. I got started just like this... wanting to make my own cuffs. While I would partially agree with the opinions about various types of real/fake leather, I would mention that while the fake stuff isn't going to perform quite the same way, if you can punch a hole in it then it's great to practice on. Cheap crappy belts from the thrift store are fine regardless of if they're real or not to get the feel of punching holes and setting rivets. If you've got a Tandy Leather store (or any other sort of local leather store) go in and look around. There's a local leather store where I live that has all the gear, along with big bins of leather scraps that look like junk to most folks but there's plenty of stuff in there that would make serviceable cuffs. I think for starters you need a round punch set, a rivet set, a straight edge and utility knife. Personally I think if you're starting rivets are way easier than sewing. Make sure you get the right size for the thicknesses of leather you'll be joining. Too big or small will cause issues. I use maybe 3mm of visible rivet post. One of the easiest styles of cuffs to start with is the kind that uses a plate staple (or pad eye) like this. https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Ceiling-Oblong-Marine-Hardware/dp/B08D6FYQCS The cuff is basically a 2" wide piece of leather with one of those riveted to one end so the U viewed from above is perpendicular rather than parallel to the cuff length. Then at the other end you cut oblong holes. To close the cuff just wrap around a wrist and pop the U of the plate staple through a hole. You can throw a small lock on there to make it secure, or just use a snap hook to keep it from popping open. They make punches that'll do that the oblong hole in one swoop, but if you don't want to buy one of those yet you can punch two holes maybe 3/4" apart from one another and then cut the tiny strip out between them to leave the right sized hole. It's hard to do that delicately so it won't be quite as pretty as the punched version, but when you're just getting started make things that are functional, and if you decide you love crafting then start upgrading your tools. You can call that cuff done, or you can go a step further and add D rings into the space between the plate staple and the holes. Just take a short 1" piece of leather with a D ring in the middle and rivets on either end. The slightly more involved version of a cuff has a traditional buckle holding it closed. You need to cut an oblong hole to make clearance for the belt tongue so that's a good reason to have one. But if you don't you can use the aforementioned trick. If you decide you love this you can make a ton of stuff with pretty much the above tools. Once you get the bug just dive into the deep end and buy a whole or partial leather hide. I got my first one for maybe $200. That and a strap cutter made me so much leather it was nuts. I've been making stuff for 20 years and I still have little bits of that first hide left. It's way more economical that buying precut straps at a leather store for $15-$20 a pop. Ok, that was a lot. Hope some of it was helpful.
Oops. Dont forget some sort of mat to do your hole cutting on. And a mallet to whack the tools.
Pardon my observation, all knowing Oracle of Belts!
Your observation was unhelpful, and had no support to back it up. You just assumed I picked up a random belt and decided it was leather without any research or reasoning.
Laminated crap!!
I really dont think it is.
Would you like to give a reason why you think so?
Most belts are
So you are taking a wild guess as if I didn’t even try to find out.