Making a Wet Molded Leather Tool Belt 100% by Hand 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. So much experience and practical demonstration combined is a huge help and motivation. Keep up the great work - -

Very nice . I've been a carpenter for 35 years and that part that goes on the belt i would roll to the back and sew it so there fingers don't get caught on it .

GREAT tip about punching your stitch marks partway through the thicker leather and finishing with the awl. And the paper trick is pretty dang useful too!

For years I have marveled at your video's camera work. Kayleena is so good at it. It actually makes all your videos better than most in the genre. Kudos to her and her design work.

The paper trick for the glue up was a brilliant trick. Thanks a million!

You can also wet mould your tools!, I use plastic wrap around my tools so they won't get rusty, but for pliers holders works great!!

People wonder why I buy cheap Wicket and Craig or Hermann Oak bellies at around 6-7 oz. Bellies stretch the best for molding cases, as simple as that. It is also why you should Never make belts out of bellies. I also have 6 inch long 1.5mm (1/16") drill bit for drilling through thick layers of leather.

I watched at 2x cause I just got home from work and have to go to bed before working another night shift. I know, needless information, but I enjoy these videos and feel like I know you from watching all your videos. Anyway, excellent project and workmanship as always, Take care.

Thumbs up for the tip/trick about using the of a Sharpie on wet molded leather to create a good reference line to trim to.

Wow, that plywood probably cost more than the leather at today's prices.

This tool pouch looks excellent. The owner must be over the moon with it. Lovely job and very practical piece which is great to see being made. Thanks

Great video, and a great final result. The one thing that really gets to me is the design of the back panel and the belt loop. I know that is what the client wanted. but they would seem to need guidance. There was enough leather in the piece you used to simply fold over a loop all in one piece.Perhaps even fold it backwards leaving a nice smooth entrance and exit from the back pocket.. If it ever needed replacement, just cut it off then make something like you did but you have several years of use with out all the edges to catch on tools. All The best.

This is the kind of content I love thanks guys😍

About 20 years ago I made a knife sheath with a pocket for a Swedish fid from a charity shop handbag. I drilled each stitch with a 1mm bit. I love the absolute bespoke of this project. No one else uses exactly these tools and wants them in this order.

You always give your viewers such great tips!!!! Thanks👍

I think that it is very well made and you did a great job. I have used quite a few in my years of work and nothing I was able to buy was even half as nice as this one.

Years ago I started using nylon kitchen cutting boards as moulds and as a surface for cutting and punching on. It works pretty well and I've never had any issues with form or waterlogging or anything else. I do a bit of blacksmithing as well and make most of my own tools.

It turned out so beautiful, the veg tan leather looked so nice on this piece ^_^

That turned out sweet! Nice job man love it! I'm a cabinet maker laminater trying to learn leather work, thanks for sharing your expertise

If you cut the wooden forms from a piece of wood with a drill and jigsaw and keep the female side you can just sandwich the wet leather in between for a perfect wooden mold and you avoid all the nailing and shaping by hand. Much less wasted leather also. Cheers

I’ve been doing stained glass for years. For laying out and pinning the pieces of glass, I use a board called Homosote. Not sure if I spelled that right. Been doing leather work now for about nine months. The homosote works great for a cutting surface and a pinning surface for wet molding. Much easier to pull your tacks out of. Thanks Corter for getting me hooked on yet another hobby. ✌️☮️😊

Excellent build, thank you.

Wow! So cool. And great holster!!!

As always, very impressive work!

this is an awesome little project

Very Impressive! you make it look so easy

Beautiful work! Great video. Editing perfect! Thanks for posting. Just subscribed.

I love it. I especially like your instruction. I could build this using this video. And like everyone, I have a preference. With mine, I'd like a back that rises approximately 3/4 of an inch above the top. Then fold backwards all the way to the bottom giving it a two layer back. Then a stitch going across about 2inches from the top for a belt loop just big enough for a belt. If that makes sense. Ive always had trouble finding a small pouch that I can remove tools from the front pockets without using both hands, which is necessary for me as an electrician. Apouch that hangs way lower than the belt tends to pull outwards and up, or the leather gets soft and just folds up. Very nice. Thanks.

Beautiful!

Very neat, good job. I would like to see it again together with the tool, in the kit.

Just saying thank you. I made my 1st pair of moccasins and got interested in leather and by watching your videos i got a very cheap set up to do all the sheaths and pouches I'll need.

Great work and very inspirational to a relative beginner. TY!

Very nicely done

Meticulous wet mold shaping really makes a difference in the finish quality. Nice design and fabrication.

I made my own carpenter belt and for more strength I haven't done any sewing at the bottom of the pockets but more like a one piece back and front, saw together on the sides and it's much stronger, don't have to worry about any hole at the bottom specially when you have screws, nails etc in there, or sharp tools ! But this one is pretty nice for workshop tools pouch !

Very nice work I'm going to make one you gave me lots of good ideas I love your work thanks for the video

I've punched thru about 16oz of leather with my pricking iron by dipping it in beeswax before punching without undue difficulty pulling out the pricking iron. I learned this technique from Tandy Leather instructor online. Wasn't sure if you knew this trick or not, so I thought I'd share it with you. However I like your technique as well. Keep up the great videos, thank you!!

Thanks for posting this. I've done wet molding but never like this with one side molded and mounted on a flat. I guess it's time for a new cell holster. ;)

Very good piece of quality. Touch of human hand can do magic. There is no future for machine.

Thats fabulous

Wow l bet he was pleased with it Corter. It would be nice to see what it looks like in situ with his tools in it 😊

Great tip using the paper!!!

Top job, mate, I'm gonna make one for me. Perfect tutorial, thanks.

Great job buddy! I am making an insert for my nylon tool bag that has existing pockets that are sloppy and don't hold specific tools in place very well. A molded leather pocketed piece will keep things organized and in place much better. The reason I watched ur vid was how to do the molded leather; it's more of a process than I thought it might be but now at least I know somewhat how to do that. Very professional looking piece you made there, Xcellent Job!!

That is very cool work!

That is the CLC 1501 tool pouch. I've been using it for over a decade. (Replacing it ever other year-ish) and I've always wanted it in leather. The biggest sell for me is the not the belt loop it is the pocket flap. It allows you to stick the flap in your pocket and walk around without having to feed the loop through you belt repeatedly. Now I honestly think I'll give this a try!

defiantly gonna try this

Beautiful work Thanks you

Final product looks awesome, biggest concern would be if sharp tools, chisels, knives are put in the larger pouches, there's very real potential for them to just slice the stitching for the smaller pouches apart from the inside as its all exposed

MUCHAS GRACIAS POR SU MAS FINA ATENCION EXCELENTE TRABAJO

Love it would love to see more designs suited to a finisher Carpenter. A tool pouch for measuring ie combo squares, callipers, rules and pencils

I love these videos and thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I was wondering if molding the two pockets on the outside in one piece of leather that is not cut apart would work? Then you would still stich between them, but to have it all in one piece would it be more stable and look cleaner? Just wondering if it is alot harder to mold that way instead of individual or if there are other reasons. Thanks again.

This will last a long time. I am a super amateur leather worker. I make knives, so I occasionally make sheathes for them, and have made a handful of gun holsters, belts, wallets, etc. I am also a carpenter, so I decided to make some tool bags (that’s what we call them, “bags”). I made one out of leather, one out of nylon (I also sew and make outdoor gear, much better at that). I’ve now been using the two bags for four years. The reason I made one leather and one nylon is I wasn’t sure which I would like, and which would hold up better given the brutal Pacific Northwest weather, which I work in every day. Four years later and the leather bag is the winner. They’re both still going strong, but the leather is much nicer to use. It is pretty ghetto looking, but it works great. I expect it to break down at some point. I just treated it with Mink Oil when I made it, and that’s it. It has gotten mildewed over the years of being constantly wet. I should have cared for it better. Basically, my point is that if my rickety leather bag, with zero rivets, and almost zero care, has held up to four years of abuse in the Pacific Northwest as an outdoor carpenter, your bag will last 15-20 years being on a tile guy indoors. He will cherish that thing. This has inspired me to make a new set. Also, as others have mentioned, next time make the backing extra tall and fold it back to make the belt loop. That way you don’t have catch points when putting tools in and out. Also, make the belt loop wider so it is less likely to swing on your belt. I made my belt loop pretty much the entire width of my bag.

Просто ПОТРЯСАЮЩЕЕ изделие !!!

That’s a great pouch.

Nice work sir

I make holsters too and chisel through 2 layers of 8/9 oz leather all the time, not all that hard. use a straight edge to hold the leather down as you pull the chisel out, keeps from stretching the holes you just punched

Me gusto para mi herramienta de electricista. ..... muy buen video..

Very nice!

Super. I learned a lot.

Precioso y practico

Интересная идея и такой хороший мастер класс. Вы просто мастер с большой буквы. Браво.

As always a nice tutorial. I'm really enjoying your channel. Could you just tell me where you got your snaps done and how many you had to order? Thanks and have a great weekend.

Thanks a Lot for this IDEA 🙏🏻. Instead of belt loop, i will try with 12mm eylets to hang it upon wall.

I like it, maybe I'll make one someday

this is badass!

"It's not good to hit your stitching chisels into wood" *stare at my mangled 4x4*

I dont know why but I was jonesing for a visual with all the tools in it!

Me encanta,yo hice una parecida ......pero bueno a mi manera. Saludos desde Galicia

you got yourself some fancy equipment.

We need an update! I wanna see the patina!

good job

Muy buen video amigo😎

It looks so great! Did it work out for him and what's it look like now?

Amaizing

Just 1 thing, would like to have seen the pouch with it's contents. As I'm a carpenter and wish to do a similar build myself, top build.

This is much nicer than anything I have owned, and it is gorgeous, but working in the field, for me personally, I would have preferred the two snaps to hook on the side of my body instead of the tool side. I would be concerned about any tools I pull out of my pouch hooking that leather and breaking loose the snaps. I would like to say I really appreciate yall's videos though, I am a beginner trying to learn the ropes and you are one of the channels I enjoy most, the tips you give as you create your pieces based on your experience are incredibly helpful, so thank you!

Hi..firstly I love your videos and get a lot of inspiration from you..can I ask if you use a computer program to design your pieces and if so which one do you recommend?

Love you vids. Im new to leather craft, what stitching chisels do you use

I do this a little bit different, but the point is the same.. I use aluminium forms, with heaters inside it.. Its done in a minute, and its good for almost all types of leather

It would have been nice if you'd have given us any details about the wet moulding process, hot or cold water, soaked in, poured or dabbed on...

I would love to do this but don’t have the patience very nice

Excellent work. Can you tell what you use under your work for your punch pad. It look like it's burgundy plastic. Also, where did you get your designer rivets. Hard to make out from the video. Been looking at your videos, great work. You make it look easy lol. Thanks

a drill is another option for making the stitching holes in very thick leather. works very well

When doing stitch lines as long as those on the larger two pouches, do you still pull enough thread to do the stitch line in one run? I've done it that way on a few axe scabbard and knife sheath projects, and it is somewhat unwieldy.

Excelente trabajo me gustaría ver cómo se hace un porta gafas 🥸

nice, neat.

awesome

Great video. What type of leather is this?

YAY!!

Hi, what is thickness ? And how did you prepared before? As i understand you mouistured before mold...right?

iv been searching for a good place to find snaps like that for months. bought some from several well known places and have never been pleased with the end result. im specifically looking for something that would go thru about 12 ounces. any clues?

Will it keep shape if got wet put into water or rain?

Does someone make a diamond owl that matches up to Weaver's stitching chisels? Any recommendations?

Nice

So do you make them and sell them. If so how much.

I have bent my punch forks many times punching through too thick of leather, I do 3 ply sometimes , it is hard to pull it back out

Awesome. Would love to know how many hours total it took to make this. Just awling through all those chisel holes is sooooo tidious haha. Love it!

Any chance of putting the plans back up?

could ya do a vid on one needle stitch i am one handed single side paralyzed but still very handy with the right side