Leather straps for medieval belts
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A leather strap forms the basis of any custom-made medieval belt – whether it’s a narrow pommel strap, a wide weapon belt or a long belt that is wrapped several times around the waist. If you’d like to put together your own belt, you’ll find vegetable-tanned cowhide leather straps here in various widths and colours, ready to be fitted with a buckle and decorative fittings.
What is a leather belt blank – and what do you need it for?
A ready-made medieval belt comes with a buckle, fittings and end piece – it is ready to wear straight away. A leather strap as a belt blank, on the other hand, is the unprocessed raw material: a cut strip of vegetable-tanned cowhide in a defined width and length, without accessories. You decide for yourself which buckle to fit, how many belt fittings to add, and whether to cut the end pointed, rounded or straight.
This makes the blank the first choice for anyone who wants to customise their belt. Typical uses include DIY medieval belts for re-enactment and medieval markets, armour straps for shoulder plates or arm guards, replacement straps for worn belts, as well as straps and fastening straps for belt pouches and bags. Anyone who sells belt fittings at markets or assembles armour will also find this blank useful – it offers maximum flexibility in terms of length, buckle type and appearance.
Particularly practical: the straps here are cut to a length of approx. 2 metres. This is not only ample for standard waist sizes, but also leaves enough leeway for long belts that are wrapped once or twice around the hips – a style of wear that was particularly common in the Early and High Middle Ages.
Vegetable-tanned – why this is crucial for leather straps
Leather is preserved through tanning – there are two fundamentally different processes, which yield significantly different results. Chrome-tanned leather is softer, cheaper and quicker to produce, but reacts poorly to colour treatments and ages with less character. Vegetable-tanned leather – also known as plant-tanned leather – is produced by treating the hide with natural tanning agents derived from tree bark and fruit, a process that can take weeks or even months.
The result is a leather with significantly more character: it is firm enough to hold fittings securely, yet can be easily worked into shape by bending, moistening and greasing. Over time, it develops a natural patina that makes the piece appear older and more valuable. For re-enactment and medieval markets, this is a decisive advantage – a well-worn vegetable-tanned belt looks authentic because the material itself is authentic.
What’s more, vegetable-tanned leather is excellent for re-dyeing. A natural brown strap can be oiled, dyed dark or treated with wax to achieve different looks. This gives you full control over the final result of your belt project. Only cowhide leather is used here – its robust, dense fibre structure makes it the ideal choice for straps that are used daily.
Width and colour: the right combination for your belt
The width of the leather strap determines not only the visual weight of the belt, but also which buckles and fittings are suitable. Here you’ll find straps in five widths and four colours – the table below gives you an overview of uses and suitable buckle widths:
| Width | Typical use | Matching buckle | Colours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 mm | Knob straps, dagger holders, decorative belts | Buckles up to 15 mm | Natural brown, light brown, dark brown, black |
| 20 mm | Lightweight everyday belt, early Viking belt | Buckles up to 20 mm | Natural brown, light brown, dark brown, black |
| 30 mm | Classic medieval belt, pouch belt | Buckles up to 30 mm | Natural brown, light brown, dark brown, black |
| 38 mm | Wide hip belt, knight’s belt | Buckles up to 60 mm | Natural brown, light brown, dark brown, black |
| 50 mm | Weapon belt, wide armour belt | Buckles up to 60 mm | Natural brown, light brown, dark brown, black |
When choosing a colour, bear in mind: natural brown is the classic choice for historical costumes and can be treated to make it darker later on. Light brown has a fresh look and goes well with light-coloured linen fabrics or Celtic outfits. Dark brown is suitable for more elegant knightly and High Medieval looks. Black is particularly popular in LARP and harmonises with dark garments and black metal accessories. You can find matching belt fittings and decorative fittings directly in the shop.
How to turn a leather strap into a medieval belt
Making your own belt from a raw leather strap is no rocket science – with a little patience and the right accessories, you can create a unique piece that perfectly matches your outfit. Here’s the basic process:
- Determine the length and cut to size: Measure your waist circumference and decide how long you want the belt to be after the buckle. For long belts, allow for significantly more length. The 2-metre blank provides plenty of leeway here.
- Prepare the buckle end: Fold one end of the strap around the buckle bar and sew or rivet it in place. For a neat finish, we recommend using a belt rivet or sturdy saddler’s thread.
- Attaching the fittings: Belt fittings are threaded onto the strap before the buckle is fitted – this cannot be done afterwards. So plan in advance how many fittings you want to attach.
- Punching holes: Use a hole punch or an awl to punch the fastening holes at regular intervals. Typically, there are 5 holes spaced 2–3 cm apart.
- Shaping the belt ends: You can finish the open end of the strap with a pointed, rounded edge or a belt end fitting (strap tongue). The latter is historically particularly common and protects the leather from fraying.
You will need: a suitable buckle, decorative fittings of your choice, a hole punch or awl, and rivets or saddler’s thread. Optionally, a belt holder can be added to the finished piece for drinking horns, daggers or axes.
Which belt widths are suitable for which periods and roles?
Early Middle Ages & Vikings
Narrow straps of 15–20 mm dominate this era. Natural brown and black are historically documented; fittings were often made of bronze or iron and used sparingly. A simple strap with a basic pin buckle strikes the right note here. To go with it: Viking clothing for men.
High Middle Ages
Widths of 20–30 mm are typical. Belt fittings became more elaborate, with buckles often made of brass or blackened iron. Dark brown and black straps harmonise well with the heavy woollen clothing of this period. Combines well with gambesons and armour vests.
Late Middle Ages & Knights
Wide weapon belts of 38–50 mm come into play. They carried both sword and dagger and were often richly studded. Sturdy, thick cowhide straps were indispensable as a base for plate armour. Natural brown is suitable here for the antique look.
For LARP players: all widths are in demand; black is particularly popular because it goes well with dark fantasy garments and black metal accessories. Anyone putting together a complete knight’s outfit or a Viking outfit will find all the matching accessories in the shop.
Caring for and breaking in leather straps
Fresh from production, vegetable-tanned leather is still relatively stiff. This is not a defect, but a characteristic of the material – it needs to be broken in first. The simplest way: bend the strap several times in different directions, pull it over an edge or knead it in your hand. This loosens the fibres without damaging the leather.
At the same time, we recommend treating it with a leather care product. There are essentially three options available:
- Leather grease (e.g. deer tallow): A classic option, it penetrates deeply, makes the leather supple and protects against moisture. Has a slight darkening effect – ideal for natural brown and light brown.
- Leather oil: Thinner consistency, absorbs more quickly. Good for straps that have already been worn in and need refreshing.
- Leather wax: Forms a protective surface, repels moisture more effectively. Recommended for straps that are regularly exposed to rain.
Natural brown straps can be darkened through targeted oiling and re-dyeing – this creates an antique look, which many re-enactors prefer. You can also find suitable leather dyes and leather greases in the shop. For details on care routines, it’s worth taking a look at our blog post on leather care.
Whether you want to put together a simple everyday belt for the next medieval market or equip a wide weapon belt for your knight’s outfit – with the right leather straps, matching buckles and medieval and Viking belts from the shop, you have everything you need to build your belt exactly as you imagine it.
Frequently asked questions
A ready-made belt comes complete with a buckle, fittings and end piece – it’s ready to wear straight away. A raw leather strap, on the other hand, is an unfinished strip of leather of a specific width and length, which you can fit with a buckle, fittings and end piece yourself, just as you like. This gives you full control over the look, length and features of your belt.
The buckle width must match the strap width – a 30 mm strap requires a buckle with an internal width of at least 30 mm. In the shop, you’ll find buckles suitable for straps up to 15 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm and up to 60 mm. When purchasing, ensure that the clear opening of the buckle matches the strap, as vegetable-tanned leather has a certain thickness and should not be squeezed too tightly.
Vegetable-tanned leather retains its shape better, can be easily re-dyed and develops a distinctive patina over time. It holds fastenings and rivets better than chrome-tanned leather, which is softer and more pliable. For historical costumes in re-enactment, vegetable-tanned cowhide is also the historically accurate material – chrome tanning did not yet exist in the Middle Ages.
For a standard hip belt, around 120–140 cm is sufficient. The straps offered here are approximately 2 metres long, which allows ample room for all waist sizes as well as for long belts that are wrapped once or several times around the hips. You can shorten the excess length if necessary – this can be done easily with a sharp knife and a flat surface.
Freshly tanned leather is still relatively stiff. Repeated bending and kneading loosens the fibres. We then recommend treating it with leather grease or leather oil – this makes the belt more supple and protects it from moisture. Natural brown belts can be darkened specifically through repeated oiling, giving them a natural antique look.