Two On Ten: SNAKE SKIN BELTS

For years now we have supplied each of our nephews with a taste of Texas in the form of a snake skin belt.
Snakes are not a rarity here as we have plenty of non-venomous and venomous varieties.
Copperheads, Coral Snakes and Rattlers are a common finding on the edge of our yards and do pose a danger to our pets, livestock and family members.

We have mastered the tanning process and it is quite simple. We will outline this process in another blog.

For this post we are just talking about making the belt from the tanned skin.

STEP 1: Cutting the skin- We tape off the skin inside down to a flat cutting surface with masking tape. You will want to measure your belt blank adding 1/8" for overlap. Making marks on the tape will help accuracy.

STEP 2: Using a rotary cutter and a long straight edge, carefully cut the skin.

STEP 3: We strongly suggest using a buckle belt tip to keep the skin from peeling off your belt end.
Cut your blank tip to match the shape of the metal tip.

STEP 4: Measure for hole placement and using punch make holes in blank. You will need to cut a slit for the buckle arm at this point as well.

STEP 5: If your skin has dried scales still on it, you will need to scrape all remaining scales from the skin. We use a plastic credit card to do so.

STEP 6: Protect your surface with newsprint, lay out your skin inside up and apply contact cement to center 2/3 of skin where your blank will lay.

STEP 7: Apply contact cement to the outside of the belt blank as well and let both to dry for 5-8 minutes.
STEP 8: Carefully lay belt blank in center of skins starting at one end and working your way to the other.
STEP 9: Apply contact cement to inside of blank and the reset of the skin. Let sit for 5-8 minutes.