Accurate Vader belt fastening?

[kurtyboy]

I have a pretty accurate looking ESB belt. The only thing I don't like about it is that it fastens at the back and the front buckle isn't functional. For some reason this is how nearly all the replica belts are made.

As far as I know the original belts fastened at the front and the buckle was functional.

Anyone know exactly how belt buckle attaches? You can see what look like a couple of rivets sticking out to the right of the buckle on the ANH belt in some pictures. Any of the Vader experts want to chime in and not say that this is top secret information that cannot be shared?

I'm particularly interested in the ESB hero belt (i.e. not the stunt belt which looks very sloppy at the front with a big rivet showing to the right of the buckle), but they were probably all constructed in a similar fashion.

Come on guys, lots of us are upgrading to accurate buckles, knobs lights etc, so lets get this nailed!

Thanks :cool

 

[Lan-Ed-Tul]

they did fasten in back, not the front. so the way we do it is right.

 

[bubba fett]

I am curious why you think they fastened in the back. Most of the information I have found on this would agree with kurtyboy that they fastened in the front. I think that is why you see the rivet next to the buckle and the holes in the belt to the left of the buckle (facing Vader).

Just curious if I might have missed something on this (I always seem to). Is OT any different than ROTS?

 

[Lan-Ed-Tul]

cuz somplace, i cant remember where now, i seen a pic of the screen used belt and its fastening mechanism, WAS IN BACK.

that rivot you refer to, was just a leftover rivot in the belt on that paticular belt.

there were several different belts even for one movie used. i mean, look at the jedi belts, i seen the screen used in the museum display suits of obi-wans, and qui-gons, and even theirs has the actual buckles in back, the laether flap folds over and snaps in place to hide it.

thats the same way i made my jedi belts, theyre adjustable, and hidden by a sleeve that slides over it.

now i am sure thy didnt use a sleeve on vade, no need to, with cape always covering it, but it was fastened in back.

 

[Cantina_Dude]

Well I'm going to have to disagree with you there. I think all the original trilogy Vader belts fastened at the front. Here is a small preview of something I've been working on that illustrates what I'm talking about.

I hope that helps you a little.

Cheers,

MJC.

 

[KevVader]

Yeah, that looks right. I think Cantinadude nailed it! Same type of system like the old school trucker/cowboy belt buckles.....makes sense.

Maybe the ROTS belt was different though....not too familiar with the PT Vader costume.

 

[bubba fett]

Yep, this is how I thought they worked as well. A standard hook and hole kind of arrangement. I have not seen the original though so cannot state anything "for certain". I am not sure of ROTS either.

BTW Nice illustration Cantina Dude - as always. Do you have a collection of these somewhere?

 

[yodakiller1138]

Now the question is: How do we fix our accurate buckles so they close in the front. Any suggestions?

 

[bubba fett]

Depends on the buckle I guess. Seems to me, on a RussRep you could fabricate a loop that comes off the bolt. You would have to have someone spot weld a hook however. I have a Porty bucke (for now) which would be much harder.

 

[Lan-Ed-Tul]

only problem i see with your idea, is SHOW ME the buckle holes.

i havent seen any buckle holes for the hook to catch in on ANY of the belts.

and if you want to do it that way, i dont mind, its your belt. but if you do, the best way to do it, would be, go to Tandy leather, get a square belt buckle blank, line up the vader buckle, if it has the bolt, then mark and drill a hole in blank buckle, then bolt and maybe a lil glue it to the blank buckle,

instant functional front vader belt buckle, simple as that!!

 

[DarthJ]

My ROTJ belt fastens from the front..:thumbsup

 

[Cantina_Dude]

SHOW ME the buckle holes.

GLAD TO.

First, a photo from a shoot for ANH of Prowse in the original costume:

...then this new photo from Freakengine of a mall appearance around Empire's release (I'll take this down if you like Tom):

There you go. These were just the first two I came across on my computer. Vader's right-hand belt box covers the visible hole in a lot of shots, but when the box is out of the way, it's there.

BTW Nice illustration Cantina Dude - as always. Do you have a collection of these somewhere?

Thanks for the kind words! I'm am building up a little collection of these illustrations. I hope to showcase them all together once I finish all the ones I want to do.

Take it easy everyone!

MJC.

 

[Lan-Ed-Tul]

ok, that first pic is a bit blurry, barely make out a hole there.
the 2nd pic i see holes, but as you said, yourself its a mall appearance, so no proof that that paticular shot is of the actual movie costume.

and we all know by now, that a tour or photo shoot costume is NOT the exact same suit worn on camera. look at the rots manny they run on tours, saying its the actual screen used vader worn by hayden. its not, that suit was made specially for the tour.

i actually think i did spot a screen cap from either ESB or ROTJ where it looked like holes there, im not positive. im not sure if that screen cap was from the movie itself or not.

it was in a guy i knows screen cap collection from the SLD. so if that shots right, at least one time they did use a front setup, no good shots of any other movies to show it tho.



and DC, thats exactly what i was talkin about. mounting the vader buckle to a tandy leather blank buckle.

 

[ddocvjm]

Darth Clayton,
How did you get the thick leather of your belt to fold back so nicely over that buckle ring? Did you cut a score or crease in it?

Vince

 

[GINO]

All the film used OT belts had holes and fastened in the front.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise as they are just wrong.

FYI
No exhibit has ever featured a screen used OT belt, beltboxes, buckle.
All post production for exhibits which none matched the film belts.

 

[Lan-Ed-Tul]

well at least i am right on the tour/exhibit suits not being screen used like i said.
lol

Gino you got any clear screencaps showin the belt holes?

i dont see any at all on ROTS vaders belt.

 

[GINO]

That's why I said OT (original trilogy).
I have never paid any attention to the ROTS vader. That's a whole different animal.

 

[TMP]

There were used front and back closure on the movies from ANH-ROTJ.
Both versions are correct.

However... I personally dont se value of this issue.
If you want the holes in the front then you can add them on the front. but still have closure on the back. :love

Regardless. Do what you feel is right for your self.
As long as the appearence is the same.

 

[GINO]

That is factually incorrect.
I hate seeing incorrect info as fact. It then becomes myth if not nipped in the bud.

No film used original trilogy belts closed in the back.

For costumes/display, do whatever you feel looks good. To each their own.
Just don't confuse that with what was screen accurate.

 

[TMP]

That is factually incorrect.
I hate seeing incorrect info as fact. It then becomes myth if not nipped in the bud.

No film used original trilogy belts closed in the back.

For costumes/display, do whatever you feel looks good. To each their own.
Just don't confuse that with what was screen accurate.

When i get home i will se if i can find the photo of one of the belts. (ESB or ROTJ)
Some of the beltboxes were conected glued together. It was therfore done some modification to the belts to adjust the back of the belt allowing the boxes to stay in one possition. If you got it on the front it whould not allow you to move the boxes. For each hole you narrow it the buckly will slide closer to one of the boxes.

No disresect of your thoughs, but again you slach forward with an absoloute say.

Also remind you that the there was not one belt for each movie and you know that. Also making it in front makes it harder to adjust and more resourses to measure a person to match up the boxes for sizeing.