OpenTube

How to Make Professional Leather Keepers | The Leather Element

Weaver Leather Supply

20,468 views

In this Leather Element shop tip, Chuck Dorsett shows multiple ways to make leather keepers, then shares a fast, professional method that lets you make a dozen finished keepers in the time it usually takes to make two.

You’ll learn keeper sizing, leather weights, rivets vs staples, wet forming techniques, and how to batch dye and finish keepers so they’re ready when you need them—not the other way around.

Perfect for belts, straps, tack, and leathercraft projects where clean details matter.

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Leather Keepers
00:56 – Making Leather Keepers with Rivets
02:38 – Making Small Keepers with Waxed Thread
03:23 – Wet Forming Keepers for a Professional Finish
06:30 – Leather Weights That Work Best for Keepers
08:38 – Batch Cutting Keepers to Save Time
09:38 – Staples: The Fastest, Easiest Method for Making Leather Keepers
11:35 – Batch Dyeing and Wet Forming on the Mold
13:34 – Finishing Keepers While They’re Still on the Form
15:20 – Final Results and Why This Method Saves Time

Tools & Supplies Used in This Video

2200 Double Cap Rivets
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Deluxe 4-Piece Snap & Rivet Setter (65-6275)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Wooden Strap Cutter (65-6161)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Master Tool® Little Wonder (65-6650)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Staple Driver & Loop Anvil (65-6672)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Slide Loop Staples – Pack of 100 (77-7251)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Fiebing’s Pro Dye
Black (50-2030) & Light Brown (50-2035)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

Fiebing’s Leather Balm with Atom Wax (50-2188)
https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/p...

20 Comments

@dantecharlestonjamesjr570 7 months ago

Love Chucks enthusiasm in everything he does

@richardkatzman1215 7 months ago

Chuck, I love it. Just when I thought you were out of new ideas, you come up with more good ones! Too bad the Mighty Wonder and ancillary accessories are too expensive for crafters.

@amberhuls3359 6 months ago

Simple and efficient. Thanks, Chuck!

@leaknelsen1656 4 months ago (edited)

Thank for all these videos you put out they help a lot🎉
I would love to see a leather element on how to make a complex, tooled leather dog collar.

@EllMc-Leather 4 months ago

I just bought Weaver’s marble slab and sound deadening pad. I tried it this morning for the first time and it totally shocked me—literally zero sound. If you live somewhere with roommates, close neighbors, or don’t like loud sound, get these! (I wished that I had bought them sooner.)

@knight4today 7 months ago

Belt keepers are great projects for one of those days when nothing is going right.

@bobzee5153 7 months ago

Always happy to see a Chuck video. Thanks Chuck!!

@BourgeoisVandal 7 months ago

Chuck is the best

@Obermayer_Leather_Werks 7 months ago (edited)

Reminded me to make keepers for a belt I’m making haha.
If you have acrylic belt making templates, you can grab the width from that and maybe even wet form on it (can also stack them)

@Sir.Leonardo.Scherer 7 months ago

I've always made my keeps with a square knot, and I've never had one fail on me...

@Freeman-Dl70 7 months ago

I have a few ready for my next belt projects.

@darrincannon9056 7 months ago

Nice video.. Has anyone else had a staple prong bend in the opposite direction using the Little wonder with staple anvil like Chuck used? I've had it happen more often than i'd like it to. I usually take it out and re-do it..

@smol-goon 7 months ago

Now that's a keeper!

@barbarahautsch7232 7 months ago

Thank you. Great information and results.

@AdamNathanielBlake 7 months ago

very helpful

@donkerr8709 7 months ago

how about a how to for Weaver's airbrush

@Haladmer 7 months ago

I can see the time saving benefit of the staples, and while actually stitching might be "better" for some, if you're just knocking out a large batch of keepers for some reason, this looks like it would be more economical, especially at scale. Even if you do only like stitching them, using the forms to shape, dye, finish, and store them might be something folks hadn't encountered before, still making it a useful tip for some.

For which might be stronger/better, maybe set up a test with 3 or4 keepers from the same leather, for each join style, and hang weight/load test them. Would settle the debate fairly quickly lol

That said, I'd almost be tempted to try those staples just for a metal detail, those copper and silver finishes really pop with both the light brown and black dyes.

@jojopaul6136 3 months ago

How to put alright the fibres that are pulled while removing the tape that was stuck for casing and tooling. pls advice

@6Sally5 7 months ago

New belt maker here. I discovered that the keepers are right where the first belt loop on pants usually is….making it difficult to get the belt through. I just started leaving them loose and thread them on when the belt goes on. Any ideas about this? It’s just one of these stupid little things I’ve never given any thought to all my life.