What do you use to keep your bells on???

[spottedeagle]

Just trying to get ideas. I made a set of sleigh bells for my ankles, and used hard leather boot lace to run throught the bells to hold them on. Well after a couple of powwows one of my bells fell off. So I'm trying to find out if there is something better to use. Or does everyone else have the same problem??? I hate the idea of things dropping from my outfit while I'm dancing. Even if it is just a bell.


So who knows a better way of keeping the bells on. I had though about using some kind of wire to hold them on but wasn't too sure about that idea.

Thanks for any advice
Joe

[Tibiki Kinew]

bells

Ya, never thought I would share this one but hey,,here you go. Try using heavy duty nylon tie wraps with metal inserts (the ones you wrap and pull tight, like the handcuff ones or the ones for heavy duty wire hanging) They are a bugger to loose and you need asharp tool to cut them open. They come in differnet colors and they even have them in a Vehicle parts department.

[wyo_rose]

For my twin nephew's bells, I used regular latigo type leather. I made a strip from the thicker latigo and cut slits in it for the bell tops to go thru. Then I cut a 1/4 inch strip of thinner latigo, folded it and ran it thru all the bells, and out of slits cut in the end of the larger strip. Then tied it off real close and left a 'tail' for tying onto their ankles.

Hope this helps.

[MAROONDANCER]

to whoom it may concern:
well I have sliegh bells, sheep bells, hawk bells , and cow bells.to hod them on I use latigo boot lace. it's made to hold strong and hasn't broken on me yet. I use the same thing for my hawk . for sheep and cow , I used the stuff in the kit first , until it broke, then I put rawhide on . after it dried it held the bells strongly and tightly , Plus it molds to your leg. ooooh good Idea I just remembered someone told me.try plastic wrapped wire . the stuff you can buy at lowes or home depot. it has several pieces of wire and won't cut you on your leg.








Rob

[TWDBear]

I use wire to go through all the sleigh bell loops. The wire is on the back side of the belt leather and is covered with a strip of duck tape and the leather is lined with buckskin.

I also run a "safety" line through all the bells so even if the tab on the bell breaks or the wire breaks, the bell won't fall off but will hand down.

I've used these for the past 9 years and have never lost a bell.

Tim.

[spottedeagle]

Thanks for the help!!!!!

[yuchgeha]

One more suggestion for you. Use a deburring tool or needle file on the inside of the loop on the bell. Sleigh bells are punched out of a sheet of metal and then formed. They will always have a sharp edge on the inside of the loop.

[powwowbum49]

Well, it all depends on the kinda bell as to what I use.

Sheep bells -- nylon dog collars, dang they work great!

standard sleigh bells -- this is tricky cause I do not use the sleigh bells with the loop on the back. Way back, when Tandy leather used to be in about every city, they used to sell a bell that just had a hole in the back of it. Not sure if they still do, but now days Crazy crow sells them and that is my preferred bell of this type because all one needs to do is pop rivet them on to the leather with a wide collet pop rivet and then it takes an act of congress for them to fall off. I have never once lost a bell of this type put on this way!

Antique brass sleigh bell -- never made a set out of these before, but dang they got the best sound, especially for straight dancers

[Str8Dancer49]

Gotta second what PWbum49 said - I've got a set of sleigh bells that I put together using pop-rivets. Never lost a bell in my life. Crazy Crow still carries those sleigh bells w/ the hole instead of the loop, but I think only in one size - and not the size I wanted way back when I made my set (15+ years ago!). SOOOOO.... I just got some real good wire cutters and cut the loop part off of the bell (squeeze HARD!), drilled out the hole a bit bigger to accept the rivet, and went to work w/ the pop rivets. One thing I did though was put a little extra washer under the flange of the rivet on the inside/backside of the leather for a little extra security.

If you ever wanna take 'em off, the rivets are a PAIN in the A$$! I tried drilling out the rivets, but ultimately just cut up the leather and used a hacksaw on the rivet shank. Just proves how good the rivets work!

[spottedeagle]

I'm using 1 1/2" sleigh bells. I just looked Crazy crow sells sleigh bells with the holes in 1", 1 1/4" and 1 1/2". same as with the loops.

Think I'll be looking for a rivet gun as soon as I get a little extra cash!!!!!

Thanks for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[ron red eagle]

Originally posted by yuchgeha
One more suggestion for you. Use a deburring tool or needle file on the inside of the loop on the bell. Sleigh bells are punched out of a sheet of metal and then formed. They will always have a sharp edge on the inside of the loop.

Cool thanks!!!

RRE

[tewabeadz]

My hubby used artifical sinew and sewed his bells onto the strap. I hope this helps. :Wave

Tewa

[TallmanFL]

I put a cotter pin and bend it each way to hold the bell. I think this waswhat was suggested in the book "The Northern Traditional Dancer"

I am not sure cotter pin is what they should be called. But they are bent in each direction and it feels sturdier than anything else I have tried. A second leather strip is required in the backing to hold back the sharp points.

[Grits & Beans]

Originally posted by tewabeadz
My hubby used artifical sinew and sewed his bells onto the strap. I hope this helps. :Wave

Tewa

Aah, you guys want to hear this crazy story? I made a grass dance outfit for a male friend. I used sinew to tie the bells on. The first powwow he danced at was on his birthday this year. And he must have been dancing real hard cause the bells started falling off one by one! So I don't know if using sinew is a good idea.

[TallmanFL]

With all due respect artificial sinew will not work.

Rivets, wire or cotter pins are still the way to go. You can buy coter pins at the local hardware store.

Brian