Leather Suspenders
Cut from a single side of 9–10 oz Hermann Oak veg-tanned leather, edges beveled, slicked, and waxed. Built H-Back or X-Back to match what you already wear, fastened with a button or a fabric loop.
Choose a style above to see sizing.
Copper rivets and burrs, with your choice of hardware finish: stainless and black stainless included, solid brass at an upcharge.
Tap a symbol to put it in at your cursor in the cross piece, before your name, after it, or both. Each one is a character. To take one out, backspace over it or tap it below.
Put the measurement you actually took, in inches, so I can check it against the size you picked. Anything else you think I should know, say it here.
Specifications
| Leather | Hermann Oak veg-tanned, 9–10 oz |
|---|---|
| Buckles | Two per pair, in stainless, stainless black, or solid brass |
| Hardware | Copper or brass rivets; stainless or solid brass rings and buckles |
| Made in | Indiana, USA |
How to measure
- Front waistband, over the shoulder, to the back waistband.
- Pick H-Back or X-Back to match what you already wear. The stitching follows the path of the leather across your back either way.
- Say how they fasten: a button or a fabric loop. Not sure what you have? Send a picture.
- Give me the total measurement.
Care & what not to do
Shipping & returns
Made to order in 5–6 weeks, then UPS with tracking. Custom-stamped pieces can’t be returned, but sizing or workmanship problems get fixed or remade at no charge. Email me first.
Every detail, up close
The parts you cannot see in a catalog photo are the parts that fail first on cheap gear. Here is what you are actually buying.
Built for the job
Button or fabric loop, chosen before I build, because it changes how they are made. More styles are coming; if you wear something else, ask.
The stitch pattern follows the path of the leather across your back, whichever style you carry.
Measured front waistband, over the shoulder, to the back waistband, so the weight sits where it should instead of digging in.
H-Back and X-Back are cut on different patterns, so they size differently. Pick your style first and the chart follows it. Anywhere outside the bands, custom sizing is +$25.
Stitching, hardware, resizing. Send back anything I made and I'll put it right. You pay shipping.
How this differs
| Detail | This pair | Mass-made |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Cut to your gear | S / M / L |
| Hardware | Solid brass / steel | Plated zinc |
| Repairs | For life, by me | Replace it |
| Made by | Our family bench, Indiana | Overseas line |
Not NFPA-certified PPE. This is traditional veg-tanned leather gear. Check your department policy before you carry it on the fireground.
How your pair gets made
Nothing is cut before you order. Five weeks of bench time, in this order.
01Measurements read back against your connectors and style. If something looks off, I call before a knife touches the hide.
02Laid out on a single Hermann Oak side, around scars and stretchy belly, so the pair matches end to end.
03Stitched in your H-Back or X-Back pattern, then hardware riveted at the stress points.
04Edges slicked and waxed, leather oiled once, then UPS with a care card.
Testimonials
Almost immediately I started getting questions about where I got my leather suspenders and radio strap from. People notice items made from Martin Leatherworking. There was a back and forth with Martin Leatherworking to get the specific details right on my items, and the turnaround time was surprisingly fast.
Sizing & FAQ
Where do suspenders get stamped?
Depends on the style, because the two are not built the same at the back. H-Back has a cross piece: up to 10 characters there, up to 5 in 1" letters, and past 5 the letters get smaller, down to 1/2", so all 10 fit, plus one character on each shoulder strap below it, usually an initial or a symbol. X-Back has no cross piece, so the stamping moves onto the straps themselves, up to 8 on each. Any spot can be left blank. Same rule as everywhere else: letters, numbers and emblems all count as a character, and an emblem is struck wherever you put it in the stamp.
H-Back or X-Back, which do I need?
Whichever your department already wears. The stitching follows the path of the leather across your back either way. Tell me how they fasten too, a button or a fabric loop. Not sure what you have? Send a picture through the custom order form.
How long until my order ships?
5–6 weeks from when you order. Everything is made after the order comes in. Rush placement is +$60 and ships in 10 business days.
Can you match my department's specs?
Usually. Send the spec sheet or a photo of an approved piece through the custom order form and I'll tell you straight whether I can match it.