Basic supplies and tools for Jedi belt

[Ani-Chay Pinn]

On a whim, I posted this on another web site, so I thought I would copy it here:

I make costumes for other than SW, so it was worth my while to get my own tools and make my own Jedi belts. Just in case you want to try it, this is what goes into making a basic belt for me.

Parts:
- 2 1/2 in pre-cut belt blank for back belt
- 1/2- 3/4 in pre-cut belt blank for inner belt
- 8 studs to hold inner belt in place
- Buckle (those are the toughest for me to find - I've found Anakin style online and salvaged belts from the Goodwill, but I have to look at a lot of belts before I find one I like)
- Thin leather scrap to make belt keeper (to keep the ends of the inner belt in place depending on what kind of buckle you have)
- Brown cord for sewing the belt keeper
- Long Leather scraps to glue on the inside of the belt to give you a 'ledge' to hook the saber clip and those pesky food capsules on so they don't come off.
- Brown leather dye (or whatever color you use)
- Leather finish (to protect/seal in the leather dye color)
- Leather glue
- 4-5 oz leather for the loop on the back (if you have enough to wrap around the end of the belt twice, you can make the wide belt completely adjustable with the other end going through the loop, so the only fastener you need is the buckle on the smaller belt in front - you can sew the end of the belt to the double loop, but I used rivets, so add rivets and rivet setter if you do it that way)

Tools:
- Utility knife for cutting
- Metal ruler (for cutting straight and marking holes)
- Masking tape (for marking leather before you cut or punch holes)
Hole punch (there's a 6-size plier type hole punch if you don't know what size holes you need for the studs)
- Wool daubers (for painting on the dye and finish)
- Leather sewing needle (to use with the cord for sewing up the belt keepers)
- ice-pick-like hole punch for making the belt keeper

Add some 4-5 oz, or 5-7 oz leather and some sticky-back velcro augmented with leather glue, and make your own pattern with some trial and error, and a multiple hole punch, you can make your own belt pouches, too, but that's another story.

I get most things from Tandy Leather online. But if you have a local leather store, that's good, too.

[rebelscum]

I like to use the cheap foam paint brushes for applying the dye, particularly on something long and straight like a belt. If you use one just wider than the belt, you can apply the dye in one even stroke.

You can get the brushes just about anywhere. I've found them at craft stores and home improvement stores.

[Mon-Jas Charan]

I like to use an old T-Shirt to apply the dye to get a grained effect. I also use edge coat to make the edges of the belts nice and firm.

My biggest frustration is buckles.