The Belt. Not Really Western. What's it called?

[scotrace]

With apologies for borrowing your image, Baggers...

I've seen this sort of belt in old films around many a high-waisted pair of trousers. Maybe a little narrower leather, but this is close.
Anyone know if this has a style name? I can't find this sort of belt anywhere.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

.

It's almost a ranger-style belt, but not quite. Is the billet (the part that has holes in it) sewn to the belt proper, or is it all one piece?

 

[scotrace]

Just don't know

Really have no idea of construction, style, time period, or anything. Just know I really think it looks sharp.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Some of these are close; certainly in that spirit.

 

[scotrace]

Thanks Hem, Zohar! "Ranger Belt." Now I have something to go on.

 

[Nick Charles]

Scott try these

http://www.enter.net/kart/kart.pl?cart=yodercustomlea&action=category2&catid=2&pwidth=4

http://www.tedblocker.com/dress-belts.html

 

[scotrace]

Scott try these

http://www.enter.net/kart/kart.pl?cart=yodercustomlea&action=category2&catid=2&pwidth=4

http://www.tedblocker.com/dress-belts.html

Jackpot. Thanks!

 

[EdinLA44]

Those belts would go great with an Open Road hat.

 

[LEUII]

Actually, they are not really Ranger belts. Rangers are defined by the double lap under the buckle. It is hard to describe, but once you see it you'll never forget it. They can be either tapered or straight.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

that's correct

This is what a real Ranger style belt looks like. I wear one every day made by El Paso Saddlery.

 

[scotrace]

So it's not the buckle design that makes it a ranger, but the design of the leather strap itself?

 

[zeus36]

With apologies for borrowing your image, Baggers...

I've seen this sort of belt in old films around many a high-waisted pair of trousers. Maybe a little narrower leather, but this is close.
Anyone know if this has a style name? I can't find this sort of belt anywhere.

Looks like a Western style "dress" belt. I have one in a lighter color. Guess I could wear it with some high waisted khakis.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

.

That's correct, Scotrace. Ranger belts are constructed differently. They're made to hold more securely, and they look neat, imo. You can have all kinds of different buckles on a ranger belt.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Single layer taper

Scott,
The belt is a single layer tapered belt. I have several I use to carry my gun holster.

http://www.mitchrosen.com/product_line/belts/body_belts.html

 

[Pilgrim]

Zohar, you're right on. I think the style originally mentioned is derived from the ranger belt. The ranger style has a wide main body, but the part that actually buckles is a smaller strap of leather attached to the larger body. Here's one explanation from the site http://www.nrhunt.com/silverbeltbuckles.php

The history of the Ranger belt began as a cinching technique in horse tack. It allowed for tightening a strap without pinching a horse's hair in the buckle.

Mexican Vaqueros were the skilled ranch workers of the early cattle days. They also attained great skills in leatherwork and silversmithing from the Spanish tradition in order to make the trappings of their trade.

Sometime in the 1840's, the new Colt Walker 6 shooter was tried out by the legendary group of frontier lawmen, the Texas Rangers. These new guns needed holsters which required wide belts. By adapting the technique from horse tack, a smaller belt buckle sufficed.

The Ranger belt and buckle sets are now Classic Western Americana. It is a rare photograph of a cowboy that doesn't show him wearing a Ranger belt or Trophy buckle. Few American traditions in dress are so timeless, as Ranger belts and buckles are popular today.

I always keep a brown and a black ranger belt in the drawer for casual wear with jeans. Nothing fits a pair of jeans better! Ranger belts generally come in 1.5", 1.75" or 2" widths. I like the 1.75" width for all-around handy wear. I personally like the plain loop buckle rather than the fancy western-style buckle, just because it's more versatile.

And the best prices I've ever found on ranger belts are through an outfit called the Sportsman's Guide that started with catalogs and now can be found online. Check the results of this quick search for "ranger belt" I did on their website.

Not bad when you can buy that kind of belt for about $20!

 

[scotrace]

Excellent source at a good price.

If anyone has access to The Big Sleep, the belt I'm looking for is the one Bogart is wearing through much of the film. You can see it in the conservatory/sweating scene early on with Bacall's father, and later in the scene with her in his office.

It has the western looking buckle above, but is thin and without the double leather of the ranger belts (which I like anyway and ordered one, thanks.) This seems to be closest:

 

[Baggers]

If I may chime in since it's my belt that got this discussion started. It's made in Mexico and is a single 1 1/2 inch wide layer of leather throughout, except for some nifty plaiting that goes down the center for most of its length, and tapers down at each end where the buckle and tip attach. The metal hardware is made from a nickle alloy and is easily removeable in case I ever decide to pop for genuine handtooled silver replacements.

I picked it up, along with one in black, in a shop in Durango Colorado called Appaloosa Trading Company. They both look great with khakis, and yes, the Bogart movie is what got me thinking of adding something with a western flair to the wardrobe. And BTW, even though I live in Texas, this is all the western wear I own. I did have to wear western duds almost ten years ago when I worked on "Walker Texas Ranger" for two seasons, but otherwise I've been a very nonprototypical Texan for most of my life!

Cheers!

 

[John in Covina]

Wore the Star and had a gun to back it up.

This is what a real Ranger style belt looks like. I wear one every day made by El Paso Saddlery.

*******
A lot of old time peace officers wore these ranger belts. I can't recall if they placed the holster directly on the ranger belt or if they used the gun belt that attached to the ranger belt.

 

[Pilgrim]

Most of those old boys used a holster that slides onto a belt - and they wore them much higher than the low-slung ones pictured on TV and in movies.

Part of the reason for the ranger-belt designation is that it allows the main body of the belt to be of heavier leather, more sturdy and suitable for supporting sheath knives and holsters.

Remember that in addition to the Walker Colt (one of the heaviest handguns ever made until the excesses of the past few years), the Rangers also were fond of Bowie knives and Arkansas Toothpicks, both of which were large and might have passed for short swords in earlier centuries. Those guys hauled some iron around on their belts!

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Ranger belt / Ranger buckle set

Pilgrim is right on the money regarding the true ranger belt. A ranger buckle set refers to a 3-4 piece set consisting of the actual buckle with either 1 or 2 "loops" and the tip. The description that Pilgrim gave regarding the belt was the best I've read. The newer connotation is of a wide belt (1"-1 1/2") that tapers down (1/2"-3/4") in the front. I have both types for different functions. I inherited my Dad's western ranger set that he got back in the 30's. I have it on a plain black 1 1/4" belt that tapers to 5/8" billet.