How to un-curl leather kilt straps?

**unixken** · 23rd February 12, 04:10 PM

Short of trimming back the length of the free ends of the straps, the free ends of each strap are each currently about 4-5 inches long when buckled, so they stick out quite a bit. I suppose I could try wrapping the straps around something round, like a dowel, to reverse the curl a bit, to at least get the worst of the outward curl out of the straps. At the moment they just strike me as curly cat's whiskers, sticking out so far from my body. LOL

**Lyle1** · 23rd February 12, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by unixken

Short of trimming back the length of the free ends of the straps, the free ends of each strap are each currently about 4-5 inches long when buckled, so they stick out quite a bit. I suppose I could try wrapping the straps around something round, like a dowel, to reverse the curl a bit, to at least get the worst of the outward curl out of the straps. At the moment they just strike me as curly cat's whiskers, sticking out so far from my body. LOL

Try rolling the ends of the the straps in on themselves a few times and securing them with a paperclip for a few days.

**Downunder Kilt** · 23rd February 12, 04:42 PM

If you are going to be wearing a belt with your new kilts the belt will cover the 2 waist buckles. As for the hip buckle, I would go with what Lyle 1 suggested.

**unixken** · 23rd February 12, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by Lyle1

Try rolling the ends of the the straps in on themselves a few times and securing them with a paperclip for a few days.

This sounds so insanely simple.

Just slap me for over-thinking the problem.

Thanks!

**unixken** · 27th February 12, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by Lyle1

Try rolling the ends of the the straps in on themselves a few times and securing them with a paperclip for a few days.

Simplest is always better. Lyle, this worked beautifully. Thanks!

I know from past experience that although water can make leather pliable, I've seen a few occasions where the leather ends up dried out, and stiff, as a result. (Think baseball gloves left out in the rain, when you were a kid LOL)

I also didn't want to risk mink oil or other such penetrating treatments leaching into the fabric of the kilt, possibly staining or otherwise damaging it.

Lyle's quick-fix solution, followed by Artificer's suggestion that the leather would relax on it's own, did the trick. My straps now lay flat.

Thanks again, everyone, for all the input!