When I was recently gifted with a flask, I pondered the best use for it. While I move in circles where whisky and rye (and bourbon and rum) are familiar guests – I myself don’t drink distilled spirits. I do tend to keep a nice single-malt, and a few other things to hand for my friends who partake. But I’ve never had a flask to port that hospitality with me. Until now.
I figured a flask holder that I could hang from a belt might be a cool project.
And it would be even cooler if I could make it using a thrift store leather belt.
And after a fair amount of futzing around with the belt and the flask – and using my very rudimentary riveting skill (I’m ashamed to even call it a skill), I ended up with not only a decent flask holder, but ALSO — a pattern. A real pattern – with tips! – that I made along the way for anyone else who’d like to try this out. I’m hoping I can scan it and get a good true scale PDF to post here later.
Of course, my pattern is whisky-stained. Which led to the tip “Make sure your flask is completely empty BEFORE attempting this project”. But still – a pattern, guys!
Below are the progress pictures I made along the way. Since flasks vary in size and shape, these images may best serve as inspiration rather than any kind of “how-to” gospel. But the direction and goal should be sound for all – smile!
This was about a one-hour project for me – and fully half of that was “thinking” time.
I think I’m going to try this belt re-purposing to make a gun holster of sorts. This sounds like a really good or really terrible idea. I’ll let you know.
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- I measured so it would fit additional antique flask.
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- Rivets are really hard for me. These are snap rivets so they kind of held the pieces together for testing.
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- Halfway there.
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- Ended up tighter fit than intended. Meant to have the vert strap on the exterior. Still works, though.
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- Hey! The ‘stick’ part of the buckle ended up making a cool closure hook. Accidental awesome.
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- Yay!
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- Using a thrift store leather belt was a great hack – to get the nicely tooled look for this flask holder.
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- Make sure flask is empty BEFORE crafting with it.
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- Still pleased with this closure.
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- That’s my pattern under the holder! Not perfect but better than buying that real estate twice, I think.
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- I have another belt left over to do this right sometime!
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- Thrift store leather belt
