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Easy fit buckle

AJB Temple

AJB Temple

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Drawn a blank with internet searches for this.

I have to carry very sharp butchery knives, big chopper and a saw around (in the car) in a leather knife roll. At Beal's Mangalitsa farm this week, I broke one closure buckle on the knife roll, by pulling too hard. The pin broke. By pin I mean similar to the pin that attaches a watch strap - but permanent.

I need to replace both buckles (the other will go the same way I expect). The strap is both stitched and riveted on. Therefore to make life easy I need a buckle that can have the pin removed, like on a watch, or even better, one that screws in from one or both sides. The pin width is 30mm and the buckle length is 40mm. Size not super critical, but needs to be near enough. Prefer brass finish, but function is more important.

I've drawn a complete blank at this size. Any pointers much appreciated.

The width is I suppose similar to a stirrup leather - which is a thought actually. But they are usually stitched in fully as they take the full rider weight.
 
I’ve never seen a watch strap/buckle with a removable pin so may be misunderstanding what you are looking for.

Is it something you could make from a cotter pin?
 
On a watch I meant where the strap meets the watch lugs Robert. Spring loaded pins that go through stitched piece of leather or metal bracelet. I would prefer screw through as it will be stronger.
 
Sorry…I suspect that you will need a new knife roll..maybe cut back on the Wheetabix ?😉🙂
 
Have you been drinking Roger?
PS Weetabix has no H.
Maybe best if you avoid commenting on my threads in future.
 
What thickness is the pin, maybe you could get a brass piece and drill and tap a thread or use a die to thread the exterior and use a fancy nut.?
 
duke said:
What thickness is the pin, maybe you could get a brass piece and drill and tap a thread or use a die to thread the exterior and use a fancy nut.?
Click to expand...
Thanks Duke. I did consider that. I think the existing buckle is cast alloy of some kind and doubt it would survive drilling, but I suppose I have nothing to lose trying it. Does not even need to be threaded as a steel pin could be glued in or peened over.
 
i
AJB Temple said:
On a watch I meant where the strap meets the watch lugs Robert. Spring loaded pins that go through stitched piece of leather or metal bracelet. I would prefer screw through as it will be stronger.
Click to expand...

I see, these are called spring bars. I’ve only ever seen them on watches.

I’d be inclined to look for a saddler or cobbler to replace the buckles with something more robust.
 
Without seeing a picture it's hard to know exactly what you're after, but in your shoes I'd be tempted to give a leather supplier (e.g. Leather4Craft in Newhaven) or saddlery a ring and talk it through with them.

There's a list of hardware suppliers on Nigel Armitage's site: right-hand column here: https://armitageleather.com/supplies/
 
I had a search out of curiosity. Think what you are after is a 'repair buckle'. - there seem to be a lot of plastic ones but metal are rare and expensive.
 
I agree I'm really bad at posting pics. Lazy. Forget. Slow internet. Don't really like it. Anyway, let's buck the trend. This is my knife roll. The pin that goes through the leather snapped in the middle. The seating was feeble at each end, but that was not the failure point.

In use the buckle has to be pulled up tight as the roll has some things (butchery saw for example) loose in it and the knives are just in pockets - not secured, and can fall out. Hence it broke. It wasn't corroded. The width (across strap and buckle) is 30mm and the buckle is 40mm long. The metal belt buckles I have found with pins that come out, are all at least 40mm wide. Maybe that doesn't matter.
 

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Pair of new leather belts and be done with it.
Off at a tangent but may end up being equal hassle (or less) to repairing the existing arrangement.
The ratio of Time/Skill/Money often brings about an informed decision.
Unfortunately I have lesser degrees of any.
Also how much it really matters to you
 
The solid bar ones definitely look like a good idea, but the leather strap would need to be unstitched & then restitched. It probably wouldn't be that much work for someone who's good at saddle stitch, but certainly not as easy as fitting one with a removable pin.

If it were me, I'd ask my other half to do the saddle stitch. Is it worth finding a local leatherworker & making the request? I can't imagine it would be obscenely expensive for such a small job & then you'd end up with a really robust strap.
 
You could unstitch the old strap with a blade then rivet the new ones, reducing the requesite skill.
 
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None of the links seem to have buckles or the right width with demountable pins. There are any number of buckles on the internet. Mostly too big. I'm a neat freak and I don't want a bodge. Tight stitching, as in shoe welts, requires a machine and waxed threads. I will try drilling the curved bit of the buckle with a bit of wood in it to provide support. In a drill press. If that fails a cobbler or saddler will be located.
 
AJB Temple said:
None of the links seem to have buckles or the right width with demountable pins. There are any number of buckles on the internet. Mostly too big. I'm a neat freak and I don't want a bodge. Tight stitching, as in shoe welts, requires a machine and waxed threads. I will try drilling the curved bit of the buckle with a bit of wood in it to provide support. In a drill press. If that fails a cobbler or saddler will be located.
Click to expand...
Take what I'm about to say with a pinch of salt as I don't know much about the subject.

However, from what my other half has told me, the strongest stitching is hand saddle stitch. Machine stitch can hold things together but a single break can pull the whole thing apart whereas saddle stitch is robust to any break. Getting a solid bar buckle & a saddler to do the stitching will give you a long-lasting result & I don't think it would be a bodge.

I suspect de-mountable pins will be a bit niche & will certainly be weaker.
 
Thanks Al (and others, eg Ian). Turns out there is a saddler and harness maker in Brenchley, which is next village along. We are horse central here. I will make a trip this week - maybe as much as 4 minutes drive.
 
Turned out the saddler is 77 and retired. Can't get rid of his internet presence. But a really nice man and he's doing it for me anyway. Wants me to butcher some fallow deer for him (nuisance cull) from the farm over the way, when the season starts again. Which is fine. May turn into a free source of local wild deer for me. The bucks / stags aren't much use as prime cuts until well past the rut.
 
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