Custom hand carved Belts MADE at Seidel's Saddlery

Or print order form, and mail to Seidel Saddlery

One of the specialties of Seidel's Saddlery, besides custom saddles and leatherwork, is the creation of distinctive, hand made belts. Both material and construction differences distinguish us from other makers.
Construction
Looking first at construction, all of our belts are lined. That is, the outer surface is one piece of leather, and the inside is a separate piece. The two layers are placed back to back, glued and edge stitched. The result is a finished surface on both sides. The completed belt will be approximately 12 ounce weight (3/16ths thickness). Some makers are satisfied with an edge stitch count of as few as 6 per inch. Depending on width and other details, ours will be between 10 and 12 per inch. The result is a much more detailed and finely finished product. Just producing the edge finish on our belts is an eleven-step process done by hand.

Materials
Regarding material, many (even custom) makers use the industry standard 'tooling' or 'strap' leather as the exterior surface, and the belt, if lined, will commonly have 'chap' leather on the inside. The outer layer is the one into which the craftsman will carve the final pattern or design. While these leathers are widely used, Seidel's Saddlery takes a different approach. Our belts are constructed using a saddle 'skirting' leather exterior, and tooling leather lining. In other words, our inside is everyone else's outside. Skirting leather requires a tanning process roughly twice as long and with many more steps, but, we believe, the result is worth it.
While much more expensive as a raw material, the surface is more durable, colors more richly, and allows our artisans to capture finer detail in the carving than would result using strap leather. The result for our clients is superior definition, artistry, and durability in the finished product. The majority of the belts that leave Seidel's Saddlery have the liner (or inner) surface finger carved. (For an example of this tooling see the photo under belt options.)
On items that are edge laced, we use only kangaroo lacing. While considerably more expensive than cowhide, kangaroo hide produces a fine textured, smooth surface that wears extremely well.

Special Requests
From time to time, we receive requests for very specific dimensions. An example could be a person in law enforcement seeking an especially heavy weight belt that still retains a classy appearance to support the weight of a service sidearm. This might entail a finished belt in the 15-16 ounce range. It could also result in a width request to precisely fit belt loops(which vary widely with trouser style). In both cases we can honor reasonable requests for the different weights and finished widths.

Tooled Belt Patterns

Wyoming Wild Rose

$400.00

The Wyoming Wild Rose is our most popular pattern and you can have this beautiful pattern shipped today. We keep a large number of Wyoming Wild Rose pattern belts in most options and sizes in stock and available for immediate shipping.

Call (307) 587-1200 for stock on hand!!

California Poppy

$400.00

Yellowstone Rose

$400.00

Sheridan Primrose

$400.00

Teton Rose

$400.00

Annie Oak Leaf

$400.00

'Old Faithful' Oak

$400.00

High Chapparal

$500.00

Historic Cheyenne

$400.00

NEW! Tooling Patterns

Alpine Lace

$500.00

Wilderness Wild Flower

$500.00

Western Exotic Belts

Western Exotic In this style, the body of the belt is made of choice exotic leather, with a full lining. It's shape is that of the tapered style, with the exotic leather making up the center portion of the belt. At the ends of the belt, billets carved in the Wyoming Wild Rose pattern are incorporated to hold the buckle, keeper, and tip. The finished belt has a seamless lining on the inside and a dramatic and elegant look on the exterior with the contrasting textures of the exotic leather and carved saddle skirting belt ends.

Alligator Western Exotic (shown in Chestnut color)

$900.00

Chestnut

Dark Brown

Black

The Western Exotic alligator belt has been our most popular new belt-- marrying a beautiful exotic alligator hide with the traditional western carved billet. We generally make the gator and the tooling the same color, for a simple elegant look; however you can be as creative as you'd like! Stocked in 1 1/2" x 1" in three colors; black, dark brown, and chestnut, but can be ordered in custom widths and sizes.

Custom Stingray (shown in Green)

$1,000.00


Black	Dark Brown	Orange	Red

Our custom Stingray belts feature a wonderful array of colors of garment tanned, sanded stingray, with our own custom hand carved billets inlaid into the stingray hide, showing the stingray through the filigree work. This belt comes standard with a finger carved back. Color options shown above are black, dark brown, green, red, and orange.

Belt Options

Finger Carving

Add $50.00

We refer to 'finger carving' as an option on the back of our belts. This is a process wherein a pattern (different from the exterior side) is cut with a swivel knife into the lining leather of the belt. As well as being decorative (although usually hidden), it relaxes the belt making it more comfortable, and the texture helps keep the belt in place on slacks or jeans.

Laced Edge

Add $400.00

We use only kangaroo lacing: while considerably more expensive than cowhide, kangaroo hide produces a fine textured, smooth surface that wears extremely well. Kangaroo is the material of choice for bullwhips and stock whips, being very tough and up to four times stronger than cowhide. Edge lacing availability is restricted to belts one inch and over in width. Narrower belts do not allow sufficient room for both the tooling pattern and holes for the lacing. Laced edges are available in Black, Dark Brown, and Natural. (Please note that any leather products using 'natural' colored hide will begin to darken with use.)

Dyed Background (Two Tone)

Add $75.00

Dyed background is the process of using a darker colored dye, and "painting" the background a darker color, thus emphasizing the tooling pattern. We utilize dyes that are most compatible with the belt color ordered. (Above picture is chestnut color with the background dyed).

Filigree with Lizard Inlay

Add $200.00

The filigree option on a belt is achieved by carving a pattern (Wyoming Wild Rose being best) into the saddle skirting outer layer, then carefully cutting out all the background of the pattern. Then the lizard inlay is placed behind the outer layer so it shows through the cutouts from the top. When executed by Seidel's craftsmen it provides a wonderful balance of exposure of the background and integrated design in the foreground. Assembly is completed when the belt is then lined and finished as we do on our other styles. Lizard Inlay is available in Black, Dark Brown, and Peanut Brittle.Inlays can be different than lizard, just call for more options, or make your personal request.

Color Options


Black	Cognac	Light Brown	Mahogany	Chestnut	Dark Brown

The buckle that you have chosen for a belt will determine which of the following styles you need. Generally, most buckles take belts that are 1 1/2", 1", or 3/4" in width, and can be straight or tapered. For example, you may have a belt buckle that takes a 1" belt, and our suggestion would be a belt that is 1 1/2" wide at the back and tapers to 1" at the buckle and tip ends. However, you may prefer a 1" straight belt, or a belt that tapers from 1 1/4" to 1". So you see, you can have varying widths at the back (keeping in mind the width of your belt loops), but the leather ends that go through the buckle must fit the buckle inside width.

Straight

This belt style will be a uniform width throughout its entire length. The most common width is 1 1/2 inches, used primarily for trophy-style buckles.

Tapered

The main body of this belt will be a uniform width, and will narrow at the buckle and tip ends. The most requested sizing will be 1 1/2 inches in the main body, with the ends tapered to 1 inch. Also popular is 1 1/4 inches tapering to 3/4 inch, but other combinations, within reason, are possible.

Traditional Ranger

Add $100.00

The main body of the belt is a uniform width along its length. For both the buckle and tip ends, an additional, narrower, piece of leather, called a billet, is stitched to the main body of the belt. In this arrangement, there are two layers of the main belt body that overlap and form a background behind the buckle, keeper and tip set. This style adds some thickness at the front because of the layers of leather in that area, but gives a nice look and remains popular. The benefit of the ranger belt is the "all one width" look in the front, unlike that of the tapered belt.

New Ranger

Add $75.00

This design arose from a desire to offer a thinner belt in the buckle area than the traditional ranger style. In this style, the main body of the belt is a uniform width along its length, with the exception of the buckle end. The buckle end is tapered to the size of the buckle set, and when fastened, the buckle set is highlighted from the rear by the extension of the full width piece behind the tip end of the belt. The design is thinner than the regular ranger style by two thicknesses of leather, yet offers the same highlight effect of the traditional ranger style. Most commonly done with a 1 1/2 inch main body and 1 inch ends, but can be made to other dimensions. Again, has the "all one width" look in the front without the taper.

Seidel's Saddlery - 1200 Sheridan Avenue

Cody, Wyoming 82414 - 307-587-1200