Got 3 Chromexcel straps for about 38,500 KRW each. Brown didn't really vibe with me, so I went with Black, Burgundy, and Natural.
The cut edges of the leather were all sharp and blocky like this,
So I rounded them off with a tool called an 'edge beveler.' Might seem like a small thing, but they say these tiny details are what make the final product look high-quality.
Cut the belt tips using a pattern template,
Now I have to coat the inner side with something called 'Tokonole.' If you don't coat it, leather dust sheds like crazy.
You just apply it like this and rub it in smooth with a burnisher or something while pressing down slightly.
The top is without Tokonole and the bottom is with it. It's hard to tell in the photo, but if you touch it, the uncoated one feels scratchy and sheds dust, while the coated one is smooth as butter.
You gotta do the Tokonole coating on the edges too. You can definitely see the difference in the photo between the coated and uncoated edges.
Used the buckle pattern to punch the stitching holes and the buckle pin hole,
Then punched the belt holes too.
Popped the buckle in and did some clean saddle stitching with high-end Japanese leather thread. Done! Photos of the final product below.
I didn't even learn this from anyone, just followed YouTube. Took me 10 hours straight without eating just for 3 belts lol. Since one wrong hole means trashing a 40k KRW Chromexcel strap, I was being extra careful, which took forever. Now that I'm done, I'm so proud. No cap, I like these way better than store-bought ones. If you're bored while browsing the gallery, I highly recommend trying it yourself.
"The gallery members are super impressed by the DIY skills, with some getting inspired to fix their cheap AliExpress belts or start leathercrafting themselves."
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