Starting another kilt belt... have questions

[Ryan Ross]

All I can say is....WOW!!!

As for your question, personally, I think that'd look great as kilt belt!

Same here!

[billmcc]

If you look at the knotwork at the cantle (the rear part of the seat), you can see kind of what I'm thinking about for my belt. Something like that, but all dyed the same color. That wouldn't look too busy on a kilt belt, would it?

I don't think it would be too busy if all dyed the same color. Knotwork looks good, but my personal choice would be a basketweave pattern.

[xman]

Holy sheep dip! That's beautiful work.

[billmcc]

There are a lot of different basket stamps out there that can give any number of appearances. In fact, there's even a Celtic themed basket stamp that has tiny little Celtic knots in the pattern that you'd never see except up close.

The Celtic basket stamp sounds perfect for a kilt belt! I would be very interested in seeing the pattern it makes.

[Good Egg]

Wow in spades. That saddlebag looks very sporran like to me. Thanks for the link on how to braid I will investigate the possibility. Great minds often think alike...

I agree with Piperdbh don't be too afraid of tipping your bonnet to your Texas heritage especially if it is showcasing your good lady's work.

[Tobus]

The Celtic basket stamp sounds perfect for a kilt belt! I would be very interested in seeing the pattern it makes.

Hidecrafter has this one:



And they also have this one:



Both are Barry King tools, which are pricy. But they're good quality tools. I think I prefer the first one.

A basket stamp will only show its distinct pattern when you look at it up close. For the most part, this basket stamp will look the same as any other from more than a couple of feet away.

I was talking to my wife about this, and she's not thrilled about basket stamping the belt. She can do it no problem - she has plenty of experience but she gets bored doing basket stamps. She prefers to hand-tool. So it may be the large Celtic knot like on the cantle of the saddle.

Wow in spades. That saddlebag looks very sporran like to me.

I've thought about having her tool me a fancy sporran, but I'm not sure I'd want a sporran that fancy. That would REALLY stand out and overshadow the tartan, especially when worn on the front of the kilt, hanging in front of the best displayed part of the tartan.

[DougC]

I don't know--that saddle bag looks pretty good. I saw that before your post and thought a matching sporran might be a good idea. Of course, I had a big buckle and tooled belt growing up...you can take the boy out of the country, but...

[billmcc]

...I think I prefer the first one...I was talking to my wife about this, and she's not thrilled about basket stamping the belt. She can do it no problem - she has plenty of experience but she gets bored doing basket stamps.

I also prefer the first one. Yes, basket stamping is boring. I've done a few things (a wallet and checkbook cover) that way in the past.

What kind of buckle are you going to put on this belt?

[cavscout]

Yes, I'll admit that the belt you're showing there sort of started this thought pattern. That's the one you (and Jack Daw) were wearing at the Highland Games a few weeks ago, aye? It looks like they do a simple embossing on the leather, and I was considering taking it a step further with an actual tooled pattern - although probably not as "busy" as that one. The deeper impression from the tooling would probably put it overboard with a pattern that busy, although it works well with embossing.

Your comment made me wonder, so I roughed out a carving with some modeling tools. I may need to increase my scale a little to make it easier but I think it turned out pretty good for an impromptu test. I'll try a longer strip later. Looks like I'll be adding a few new tools to the bench.

[Good Egg]

I've thought about having her tool me a fancy sporran, but I'm not sure I'd want a sporran that fancy. That would REALLY stand out and overshadow the tartan, especially when worn on the front of the kilt, hanging in front of the best displayed part of the tartan.

My own taste tends to be towards the plain. This is partly a question of indecision and partly thrift. I don't like the look of the sort of thing I feel I could afford and would not be able to decide what I wanted if I decided to commission something.

If I was in your boots that would not be such an issue. Not only would I have the world nicest leather purse sporran I'd also have a hair sporran with the most worlds most interesting leather cantle. I have a London Scottish hair sporran with a leather cantle, again if I was in your boots I'd certainly go for leather over silver.