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How To Scratch Building Coldstream Guards Dress Belt

I wanted to replace the very plastic looking molded belt that came with my DML 'Malcolm Parks' Coldstream Guards figure, which appears to be based on the old Slade-Wallace design, with something that looks much more realistic.

Scratch Building: Coldstream Guards Dress Belt

Original DML Belt from 'Malcolm Parks'

What You Need

DML Coldstream Guards White Belt
DML '37 Pattern Plastic Belt
DiD 'Carnot' Shoulder Belts

Instructions

1. The belts from 'Carnot' were carefully taken apart and stripped of any loops and fittings. From these belts I was left with 3 useable lengths which I cut to a more accurate width, using the DML belt as a gauge. This needed a very sharp knife as the pleather distorted when pressure was applied with the knife.

2. Starting with the rear centre section of the belt, I cut a length of pleather to the right length allowing for folded over ends. I removed the buckle and slides from the DML '37 belt and chopped out a 2mm centre section on both parts of the buckle. These 'U' shapes were glued in place when the ends of the belt section were folded over and glued.

3. From the remaining 2 lengths of pleather I made the left and right end sections, checking with a figure that they'd be long enough, when the ends were folded over at the buckle and where they joined the rear section. One end of each length had the corners cropped for neatness while the other end was joined to the rear section by passing through the 'U' sections and folded and glued. A belt slide from the '37 belt was fitted to the (figures) right side of the belt.

4. From the remaining pleather I shaped a piece to act as a backing to the buckle which I presume is used to protect the uniform underneath. This piece was glued to the remaining '37 belt slider. This belt slider was then fitted to the (figures) left side of the belt.

5. The male section of the DML buckle was fitted to the right end of the belt and the loose end folded back and passed through the '37 belt slider.

The female section of the DML buckle was fitted to the left of the belt and the loose end folded back and passed through the '37 belt slider with attached backing.

Scratch Building: Coldstream Guards Dress Belt

6. Using spare pieces of pleather I made a frog for the SLR Bayonet.

A flat vertical loop was made, leaving enough room for the belt to pass through at the top and extending down far enough to take a loop to secure the scabbard. The scabbard loop had a tiny horizontal slit cut in it to take the pommel on the scabbard and keep it in place. This ends of this loop were glued to the back of the vertical loop.

6. The finished belt and frog.