How to Make a Leather Bracelet

This bracelet is made as a miniature version of a leather belt. Use leather stamps or tooling to personalize it or add studs for decoration.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flat Work Surfaces
• Leather Dyes
• Leather Hole Punchers
• Leathers
• Buckles
• Clean White Cloth
• Measuring Tapes
• Razor Knives
• Wood Or Rawhide Mallets
• Newspaper
• Newspaper
• Pencils
• Pencils
• Rag Paper
• Saddle Soaps
• Rivet Tools And Rivets
• Rulers
• Straightedges
• Pencils

1. Determine the desired length and width of the bracelet. Measure the wrist and add approximately 2 to 3 inches to this measurement for a close-fitting bracelet.

2. Choose leather and a buckle. Use 6 to 8 oz. vegetable-tanned leather for the bracelet and a buckle that is the same width as the desired bracelet width.

3. Cut the bracelet from the leather. Decide at this point what shape the free end of the bracelet will be, and mark and cut it into the desired shape.

4. Fold the unshaped end of the bracelet back so that a crease is made 3/4 inches from the end.

5. Place a slot punch on the bracelet so that the punch's end evenly intersects the crease at the crease's center point. Hold the handle portion of the punch and strike the top with a wood or rawhide mallet. Repeat until the punch has completely punctured the leather.

6. Use a rotary punch or drive punch and mallet to make four rivet holes in the leather. The first two holes should be placed ¼ inch from the slotted bracelet end and ¼ inch from the bracelet's edges.

7. Place the second set of holes on the other side of the slot so that, when the bracelet end is folded back along the crease line, both sets of holes match up evenly.

8. Use an edge beveler to trim all the bracelet's edges. Do any tooling or decorative stamping at this time as well.

9. Insert the buckle prong through the punched slot so that the buckle is correctly positioned. Fold the slotted bracelet end back so that the rivet holes are lined up, and insert the rivets from the underside of the bracelet. Place the collar end on a flat work surface and affix the rivet caps to the rivets with a mallet.

10. Put the bracelet around the wrist. On the back of the bracelet, mark a hole position that will allow the bracelet to fit comfortably around the wrist when buckled. Mark a second hole, if desired to allow for a tighter or looser fit.

11. Punch the holes with a rotary punch or a drive punch and mallet. Make sure that the holes are centered.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut the leather 2 or 3 inches longer than the length calculated in Step 1. Fit the strip around the wrist to determine the most comfortable fit and then trim the piece as needed.
• The diameter of the rivets and the punched holes should be equal. Look for rivets and punches that are approximately 1/8 inch in diameter.
• Use leather dye to color the bracelet, if desired. See 'eHow to Dye Leather' for instructions. Allow the leather to dry completely and then use a clean white cloth to rub neat's-foot oil or saddle soap along the length of the bracelet. Polish and remove the excess oil or soap with newspaper or rag paper.
• Insert a narrow leather loop (made from the same leather as the bracelet) over the slotted bracelet end before beginning Step 9. The loop should sit between the rivets and the buckle and will help hold the free end of the bracelet in place.
• Look for appropriately sized buckle sets that come with a buckle, metal belt loop and metal belt end.

[yarri]

on 2/5/2007 I'm happy to have found this site. Working with leather is expensive enough, and the instruction just adds more to the debt! Thank you so much. It would only be nicer if there were at least one photo of a finished product or "in process" on the page.