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Factory Tour: How Occidental Leather Makes "The Best Tool Belts Money Can Buy"

By David Frane - July 7, 2016

One of many Occidental products, the Adjust to Fit Pro Framer, consists of leather bags stitched and riveted to a belt made from a mix of leather and synthetic material. Occidental Leather 1 of 44

This is a view from the driveway. On the left is a newish warehouse building; on the right is the remaining part of the lumber mill--recognizable as a lumber storage shed--that Thurner turned into a factory. David Frane 2 of 44

It's easy to forget leather is a natural material until you see how irregular it is when it arrives at the plant. Each piece is from a single hide. David Frane 3 of 44

Few Occidental products are entirely leather; most contain leather plus synthetics such as neoprene and this foam sandwiched between pieces of industrial nylon--which will be folded and sewn into a pouch. David Frane 4 of 44

The leather used by Occidental is produced-to-order in domestic tanneries, and must meet strict specifications regarding color, thickness, water repellency, fat content, and temper or "hand." A chemical and mechanical process, tanning is far more complicated than most people think. David Frane 5 of 44

These "suspender" straps were cut from slightly larger strips of leather using one of the die cutting presses in the background. Note the many dies that are stored on or near the machines in this room. David Frane 6 of 44

The press operator places a die over the piece of leather that is to be cut... 7 of 44

...and then activates the hydraulics, causing the head of the press to push the sharp edges of the die through the leather. A press of this kind can apply in the neighborhood of 50 tons of pressure. David Frane 8 of 44

The operator peels the finished piece out of the die after the press punched it through. These suspender straps will pass through buckles—hence the many holes for adjusting their length. David Frane 9 of 44

A laundry cart full of tool bags waiting to be sewn and riveted to belts. David Frane 10 of 44

This is the area where Thurner makes prototypes. The ancient machine in the foreground drives a "hammer" against an "anvil" and is used to crease folded material prior to stitching. David Frane 11 of 44

An industrial sewing machine in the prototyping area. The best such machines are made in Europe--this one's from Germany. David Frane 12 of 44

It takes a powerful motor to drive a needle through multiple layers of leather. The large motor on this machine has a clutch, which fills half the space in the housing. David Frane 13 of 44

A seamster—the gender neutral term for one who sews professionally—folds and stitches the main body of a pouch that will be attached to a tool belt. Behind her (on the wall) are samples of everything the company makes, which are there for reference. David Frane 14 of 44

This seamster is stitching flat pieces of leather into tool holders. It's faster to stitch them one after another and leave them connected (like a string of sausages) and then later snip them apart. David Frane 15 of 44

This machine operator feeds pre-cut leather through a $30,000 splitter to shave off any high spots, because variations in thickness (which are multiplied when leather is folded or layered) make it harder to do a good job stitching and riveting. David Frane 16 of 44

The lighter area is where a tiny fraction of an inch was shaved off the back of this piece of leather. David Frane 17 of 44

The bandsaw-like blade in the splitter has no teeth and is kept razor sharp by a built-in grinder. It's so sharp that they purposely dull it before removing it to make it safe enough to handle. David Frane 18 of 44

This machine operator is riveting leather hammer loops onto nylon and leather tool bags. David Frane 19 of 44

The operator positions the bag for riveting by feeding a pin on the machine through a pre-punched hole in the material. Rivets are used to reinforce areas subject to high stress. David Frane 20 of 44

Here is the finished connection between a hammer loop and tool bag. The top of the loop receives the most stress so they put washers under both sides of the rivet in this location. David Frane 21 of 44

Those hollow pins are rivets. They're placed in a hopper at the top of the machine, fed down a slot on the side, and mechanically driven when they reach the bottom. David Frane 22 of 44

These washers will be placed over rivets to reinforce the connection. David Frane 23 of 44

I included a photo of this riveting machine because the original drive belt has been replaced with one made from leather—which seems appropriate in a shop where leather goods are produced. David Frane 24 of 44

Leather tags after they have been embossed with the musk ox that is the company logo. More on the musk ox later. David Frane 25 of 44

This embossing machine uses heat and pressure to permanently press logos into leather. David Frane 26 of 44

Thurner fabricated these large embossing machines because he could not buy ones powerful enough for some of the company's embossing needs. David Frane 27 of 44

These pieces will be folded and stitched into tool belt bags. The sides are foam sandwiched between layers of nylon; the top edges and bottom are clad in leather to prevent tools and fasteners from wearing through the material. David Frane 28 of 44

Bags and tool holders with hammer loops staged and ready to attach to tool belts. David Frane 29 of 44

Leather tool holders stitched, riveted, and ready to install on tool belts. Note the holder screwed to the side of the bin; it's there as a reference to what goes inside. David Frane 30 of 44

Bags are stitched inside-out; these workers are turning them right-side-out by working them over a metal fixture. I've seen a similar technique used at a shoe factory. David Frane 31 of 44

Yep, that's lamb's wool fleece they are gluing to pieces of leather. But why? David Frane 32 of 44

The back of this Buscadero model is covered in fleece to prevent chafing, a detail adapted from horseback riding by the saddle maker who produced the very first Occidental tool belts. David Frane 33 of 44

A carpenter bought these framing bags from Occidental 27 years ago and was so attached to them that he sent them in to be refurbished. I completely understand; if you wear a tool belt long enough it almost becomes part of you. Occidental Leather 34 of 44

Shot in the warehouse where products are stored before shipping, this is Thurner with the newFat Lip Tool Belt. David Frane 35 of 44

The "fat lip" stiffens the edge of the pouch and holds it open for better access. It is created by wrapping a piece of rope in leather and then stitching it onto the edge. Note the leather tool holders and plastic chisel sheath inside. David Frane 36 of 44

These Oxylight bags, made mostly from nylon, are in the warehouse and ready to ship. David Frane 37 of 44

You've probably heard the phrase "belt and suspenders". Well here they are, belts and suspender straps ready for shipping. David Frane 38 of 44

Tradepeople like to mix and match so Occidental sells many components ala carte. These and others can be combined into various rigs, including setups designed for left- and right-handers. David Frane 39 of 44

Occidental's suspension systems (think suspenders for tool belts) are extremely popular because they take a portion of the load off the wearer's back. Occidental Leather 40 of 44

Occidental's primary focus is on carpentry, but they also make products for other trades—like this Electrician's pouch Occidental Leather 41 of 44

One of several belt-freemodels that put the weight of the tools onto the wearer's shoulders instead of his lower back. Occidental Leather 42 of 44

The StrongHold Master Carpenter Case came out a few years ago and is aimed at the carpenter who wants to store tools in a carry bag. Occidental Leather 43 of 44

Occidental puts its musk ox logo on everything: embossing it on leather, printing it on packaging, and building it in wood on this fence near the entry gate. I asked why a musk ox and was told it stands for strength and tenacity in the face of all odds, a fitting symbol for a company started by a carpenter who wanted a better tool belt and was unwilling to settle for what he could buy. David Frane 44 of 44

If Mercedes-Benz made tool belts, this is what they would be.

I recently toured the facility—a small factory, really—where Occidental Leather makes what most tradespeople believe are the best tool belts money can buy. That's what I thought the first time I saw a a set of their bags on the Jobsite 20+ years ago, and my opinion hasn't changed now that I have seen how they're made and heard the unlikely story of how the company came to be.

Occidental Leather's tool belt systems are designed and manufactured in Sonoma County, California, a rural area north of San Francisco. The company was founded by Darryl Thurner, a building contractor who wanted a better tool belt than he could buy off the shelf. After seeing a fellow carpenter's home-made tool belt, Thurner convinced a local saddle maker to produce something similar for him. Other carpenters saw it and wanted to buy ones like it, so he went into business, designing and selling belts and paying the saddle maker to make them.

The saddle maker eventually lost interest in tool bags and went back to making horse tack. Thurner, with time on his hands due to a slump in construction, decided to learn the trade of leatherworking. The rest, as they say, is history—if history means spending 35 years designing and producing high-quality tool belts, converting an old lumber mill into a leather factory, and building a nationally known company that provides jobs to 40+ people.

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Pete Schirmer

8 years ago

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wait, I'm confused; which is it? "the best money can buy" or "the Mercedes-Benz of tool belts"??

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David Frane

David Frane is a tool nut who has worked as a carpenter, furniture maker, and journalist—with a special interest in how, where, and by whom things are made.