Keeper loop strap with 31 graduated bells

A Texas woman sent 27 of her family's heirloom bells for restoration. She asked us to add four bells to replace missing bells, so the finished strap features 31 small to medium petal bells. A majority -- 22 of the bells -- are 1 1/4" diameter.

She wanted to give the strap to her father for use on his horse, so we sized it to fit the measurements she gave us of the horse and vehicle shafts. We used black bridle leather to match the harness.

The customer chose the "keeper loop" style, where small separate loops of leather hold the bell strap and its liner strap together.

Cows are usually only 7-8 feet long, and this strap needed to be longer than that. To solve this problem, we added separate pieces of leather for the buckle and billet (tongue.) Both are stitched and riveted for strength and looks.

This particular item is a custom, one-of-a-kind project made for a past client. Items in this Custom Projects section are for information only; they are not available for regular sale.