Sometimes you finish a belt and cannot quite work out what is bothering you.

The leather is good. The edges have been sanded, burnished or painted properly. The buckle sits where it should. Nothing is obviously wrong.

And yet, laid flat on the bench, the finished belt still looks a little off.

Usually, the problem is not in the most noticeable part of the work.

The buckle slot may sit less than a millimetre away from centre. The five adjustment holes may not follow quite the same line. One side of the English point may be a touch fuller than the other.

Each difference is tiny. On its own, it may not seem worth remaking the belt for. Put them together, though, and they change the rhythm of the whole piece.

That is the tricky thing about belt making. The construction looks simple, but there are very few places for an error to hide. The cleaner the design, the more visible proportion, alignment and repetition become.

So this is not simply an article about whether DC53 is a “better” steel.

The more useful questions are these:

• Why do two belts made from similar leather and hardware sometimes look completely different in quality?
• Should belt holes be spaced at 21mm, 23mm or 25mm?
• Should a buckle slot be chosen according to the strap width or the buckle itself?
• Is a thinner cutting edge always better?
• What do DC53, heat treatment and HRC 60 actually tell us?
• Does a professional punch improve the first cut, or does it make the tenth belt look more like the first?

Those are the questions worth getting into.

Not every irregularity deserves to be called “handmade character”

A handmade object does not need to look factory-produced.

Natural grain, slight colour variation and the small differences that come with hand finishing can all add something to the work. They remind you that the object was made from real material, by a real person.

But some inconsistencies do not add character.

A buckle slot that should be centred but drifts to one side does not look more handmade. Neither does a row of holes that gradually moves away from the centre line, or a pointed strap end that leans slightly left.

These details have a clear geometric relationship. When that relationship becomes irregular without any obvious design reason, the result feels uncontrolled.

That is the distinction:

Natural variation comes from the material and the making process. Unplanned error usually comes from the positioning, the tool or the workflow.

A professional-looking belt does not need to be sterile. It simply needs the parts that are meant to follow a system to look as though somebody thought about that system.

On a traditional leather belt, three areas tend to reveal this faster than anything else:

1. The slot for the buckle tongue
2. The row of adjustment holes
3. The round or pointed strap end

Detail One: A Buckle Slot Is Not Just a Random Oblong Hole

The opening for the buckle tongue is usually described as a belt slot, buckle tongue slot or prong slot.

It looks simple enough. In practice, it has several jobs:

• It must allow the tongue to pass cleanly through the leather
• It must give the tongue enough room to move around the buckle bar
• It should not be so large that an obvious empty gap remains
• It has to stay stable while the leather bends and carries tension
• It needs to sit in visual alignment with the buckle, keeper and centre of the strap

There is no single buckle-slot size that works for every belt.

Start with the buckle, not the punch

In public leathercraft discussions, experienced makers regularly point out that slot length should be determined by the shape of the buckle tongue and bar, not simply copied from the width of the strap.

A slim brass buckle and a heavy harness buckle may both be fitted to a 30mm strap, but the tongue movement required can be very different.

A better approach is to measure the tongue where it moves around the buckle bar, then test the slot in scrap leather of a similar thickness to the final strap. This is also the general advice that appears repeatedly in leathercraft community discussions: choose the hardware first, then work backwards to the slot size (Reddit, n.d.).

Some traditional rules of thumb suggest using a slot length close to the belt width. That can be a useful starting point. It should not be treated as a formula.

A more practical test is this:

The buckle tongue should move naturally, without leaving a large and distracting opening around it.

If the slot is too short, the tongue catches and pulls against the leather. If it is too wide or too long, the buckle area can feel loose and unfinished. Over time, the excess movement may also exaggerate stretching around the fold.

Leather thickness changes the answer

Measuring the buckle on a flat surface is not enough.

Once the strap is folded, the actual working area becomes thicker. The result also changes depending on whether the fold has been skived, how stiff the leather is and how tightly it wraps around the buckle bar.

A soft 2.5mm leather and a firm 4.5mm bridle leather may need different slot treatment, even with the same hardware.

A reliable workflow looks more like this:

1. Choose the final buckle
2. Measure the tongue and the area around the buckle bar
3. Test the slot in leather close to the finished thickness
4. Fold the sample and check the tongue movement
5. Only then punch the finished strap

It takes a few extra minutes. That is still cheaper than discovering the slot is wrong after the strap has already been edged, dyed and finished.

Handled or handle-free is not a question of status

Oblong punches are commonly made with or without handles.

A handled version gives a clearer striking point and can feel more stable on larger slots, thicker leather or repeated work. A handle-free version is more compact and often makes positioning easier on very small openings.

So a handled punch is not automatically the more professional choice.

For a tiny slot, adding a long handle may not improve anything. As the slot becomes larger, or the leather becomes heavier, the extra stability can begin to matter.

This is the thinking behind the two versions of the CÍ × Bangbang DC53 Leather Belt Slot Punch. The current range includes sizes such as 4.5 × 23mm, 5 × 25mm, 5 × 19mm, 6 × 25mm and 6 × 28mm, along with smaller formats and made-to-order options. Larger sizes and repeated heavy use are better suited to the handled version, while compact sizes often make more sense without one (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-a).

The real value is not having more sizes for the sake of it.

It is being able to start with the buckle and project, then choose a slot that suits them, rather than forcing the design to suit a generic tool.

Detail Two: There Is No Perfect Hole Spacing, but You Do Need a Standard

How far apart should belt holes be?

It sounds like a simple question. It rarely gets a single answer.

Common options include:

• 21mm
• 23mm
• 25mm
• 1 inch, approximately 25.4mm
• 1¼ inches, approximately 31.75mm

All of them can be right.

Is 21mm, 23mm or 25mm better?

That depends on the belt and the amount of adjustment you want to give the wearer.

Closer spacing allows finer adjustment. This can work well on narrower belts, straps and pieces where a small change in fit matters. Wider spacing can look calmer and more open, particularly on heavier or broader belts.

Some makers use strap width as a rough guide. Others use 1 inch for almost everything. Leathercraft community discussions show both approaches, which is a useful reminder that these measurements are conventions rather than laws (Reddit, n.d.; Leatherworker.net, n.d.-a).

The better question is not:

Which number is the universal industry standard?

It is:

Which spacing suits my product, and can I reproduce it accurately every time?

The problem is usually not the chosen number

A belt rarely looks untidy simply because the maker chose 23mm instead of 25mm.

More often, the problem is something like this:

• The first gap is 24mm and the next is 25.5mm
• The holes slowly drift away from the centre line
• The punch was not kept vertical
• The ruler was moved and repositioned several times
• Small measuring errors accumulated along the row
• The distance between the final hole and the strap end feels unrelated to the rest of the design

Leatherworkers have been discussing this for years. Common solutions include dividers, paper patterns, acrylic templates, self-centring guides, marking jigs and fixed-spacing tools.

The aim is always the same: remove as much repeated measuring as possible from a process that needs to stay consistent (Leatherworker.net, n.d.-a).

Template or fixed-spacing punch?

Both can work very well.

A template is flexible, affordable and ideal while you are still testing different layouts. If the template is accurate and the positioning method stays consistent, there is nothing amateur about using one.

A fixed-spacing punch is useful for a different reason. It combines several repeated steps:

• Less individual measuring
• Less repositioning
• A fixed relationship between the cutting points
• Fewer chances for cumulative error
• A faster workflow once the design has been settled

The CÍ × Bangbang Leather Belt Slot Spacing Punch is currently offered in 21mm, 23mm and 25mm spacing, as well as custom options. The body is made from DC53 tool steel, with a removable stainless-steel handle, and each piece is produced in small batches or to order (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-b).

The point is not to declare one spacing correct.

The point is to help a maker establish a standard and keep using it.

That said, this is not a tool everybody needs.

For someone making one occasional belt, or still experimenting with different spacing, a well-made template is often the better choice. A fixed-spacing tool becomes more valuable when the same design is being repeated, when small-batch work begins, or when several makers need to produce the same layout.

Consistency has a habit of becoming more valuable as production grows.

Detail Three: Strap Ends Look Simple, Which Is Exactly Why Errors Show

Round ends and English points are very simple shapes.

That simplicity makes them unforgiving.

When two curves are supposed to mirror each other, the eye notices an imbalance immediately. You may not be able to measure the difference by sight, but you can still tell when the point leans slightly to one side or one shoulder looks fuller than the other.

Cutting from a template is perfectly valid

A template, compass and sharp knife can produce a beautiful strap end.

For one-off work, this method is often more flexible than a dedicated punch. You can adjust the depth of the point, soften the curve or change the proportion without buying another tool.

The difficulty usually appears with thick leather and repeated production.

When the leather cannot be cut through cleanly in one pass, the maker has to return to the same line several times. Each re-entry into the cut creates another opportunity for the blade to drift. If the template moves, the knife is not vertical or pressure differs from side to side, the final shape can lose symmetry.

This issue appears repeatedly in leathercraft forums. Makers describe marking the centre carefully, checking the punch position, then still ending up with a tip that shifts to one side. The responses nearly always return to the same factors: alignment, punch symmetry, striking angle, cutting support and practice on scrap (Leatherworker.net, n.d.-b).

A shaped punch does not make the result automatically perfect.

It fixes the outline, but the maker still needs to:

• Find the true centre of the strap
• Match the punch to the actual strap width
• Hold the tool vertically
• Use a cutting surface with even support
• Strike evenly rather than favouring one side

Should the punch be exactly the same width as the belt?

Matching nominal sizes is a sensible place to start, but measure the finished strap first.

A belt described as 38mm wide may actually measure 37.7mm or 38.3mm after cutting. Edge beveling, sanding and finishing can change it slightly again.

If an English point punch is too narrow, it may leave small shoulders on either side. If it is too wide, the point can become shallow or create small steps where the shape meets the strap.

Round ends are usually more forgiving, but the curve still needs to suit the width and proportion of the belt.

The useful measurements are:

• The real width of the cut strap
• The internal width of the punch
• The depth of the point or curve
• The symmetry of the tool itself
• The way the outline meets the strap edges

The CÍ × Bangbang DC53 Belt End Punch is available in Round End and English Point profiles, covering widths from 15mm to 40mm, with custom sizing also available. Each tool is made to order, heat-treated, sharpened and test-cut before dispatch (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-c).

A shaped end punch does not exist to prove that cutting from a template is somehow less skilled.

It exists for makers who have already settled on a shape and want to reproduce it cleanly on the next belt, then the one after that.

What Is DC53, and Does It Actually Make Sense for Leather Punches?

DC53 is a cold-work tool steel developed by Daido Steel in Japan.

It was not originally designed specifically for leathercraft. Its more typical applications include precision punches, press tools, shearing tools and dies that need to resist wear while handling repeated mechanical loading.

That gives it some obvious relevance to leather punches.

A leather punch is not working under the same conditions as a thin knife moving through material with steady hand pressure. Each strike creates a short, concentrated impact.

The tool has to deal with:

• Impact from a mallet or press
• Resistance as the edge enters the leather
• Side loading when the punch is removed from thick material
• Wear from repeated contact with the cutting board
• Local stress when the tool is not held completely vertical
• Fatigue from repeated use

A good punch needs to retain an edge without becoming so brittle that it chips easily.

The advantage of DC53 is not simply higher hardness

Daido Steel positions DC53 as a cold-work steel that combines high hardness with improved toughness compared with conventional SKD11 tool steel.

Its technical literature highlights high hardness after tempering, finer primary carbides, improved fatigue strength, better resistance to chipping and useful machinability. Depending on the heat-treatment process, the steel can be tempered to a range of approximately 57 to 63 HRC (Daido Steel, n.d.).

Why does that matter?

Because edge failure is not always a matter of gradually becoming blunt.

An impact tool can suffer from:

• Abrasive wear
• Edge rolling
• Local chipping
• Small cracks
• Body distortion
• Fatigue after repeated striking
• Weak points caused by uneven heat treatment

Hardness helps resist wear and plastic deformation. Toughness helps the tool absorb impact and resist crack formation.

In other words, the value of DC53 is not just the ability to reach a large HRC number.

It is the possibility of balancing hardness and toughness in a way that makes sense for repeated impact.

Does HRC 60 Automatically Mean a Better Tool?

No.

HRC is a Rockwell hardness measurement. It tells us something useful about a material’s resistance to indentation and permanent deformation.

It does not tell us everything about the finished tool.

Two punches can both be labelled HRC 60 and still perform very differently because the result also depends on:

• Whether the steel itself is consistent
• The quality of the hardening process
• Whether tempering was carried out correctly
• How even the hardness is across the tool
• The geometry of the cutting edge
• The amount of support behind the edge
• The symmetry of the punch
• The quality of final grinding and polishing
• The cutting surface used underneath it

The CÍ DC53 Belt End Punch is specified at approximately HRC 60. That sits within the normal working range published for DC53, but it should be understood as one part of the material and manufacturing information, not as proof of quality on its own (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-c; Daido Steel, n.d.).

Hardness matters.

It just does not deserve to carry the whole sales pitch.

Heat Treatment Is Often More Important Than the Steel Name

The same steel can behave very differently depending on how it has been heat-treated.

Heat treatment changes the internal structure of the material. That affects hardness, toughness, wear resistance, dimensional stability and the amount of stress remaining in the tool.

Daido Steel’s published guidance for DC53 includes hardening at approximately 1020 to 1040°C, followed by tempering according to the required balance of properties. High-temperature tempering can maintain high hardness while improving stability, although the precise process should always reflect the size, geometry and intended use of the finished tool (Daido Steel, n.d.).

This is why simply printing “DC53 steel” in a product description is not quite enough.

The steel grade tells you what the raw material may be capable of. Heat treatment determines how much of that capability reaches the finished tool.

Poor treatment can lead to:

• Insufficient hardness and rolled edges
• Excessive hardness with poor toughness
• Chipping under impact
• High residual stress
• Distortion over time
• Uneven performance across the cutting edge

When comparing punches, the steel name is worth checking. So are the heat treatment, hardness range, edge geometry, sharpening and final testing.

A good material cannot rescue careless manufacturing.

Why Is the Thinnest Edge Not Always the Best One?

This is where the conversation around punches often becomes too simplistic.

A thinner edge does require less force to begin cutting. It can feel impressively sharp out of the box, and that first cut may be very light.

But a leather punch is not a disposable razor blade.

It has to absorb repeated impact.

An extremely thin edge with very little material behind it is more vulnerable when:

• Cutting dense or heavy vegetable-tanned leather
• The strike lands slightly off-centre
• The punch is not held vertically
• The cutting board is too hard
• Several heavy blows are used
• The tool is used frequently over a long period

At the other extreme, a very thick edge may be strong but inefficient. It compresses and pushes the leather before it cuts, increasing the striking force and leaving more visible pressure around the opening.

A good edge sits somewhere between those extremes.

It needs:

• A fine enough tip to start the cut cleanly
• Enough material behind the tip to support it
• A tool body capable of handling repeated impact
• Accurate internal and external geometry
• A profile that can be maintained and resharpened
• Long-term stability, not just an impressive first cut

This is the design approach behind the CÍ × Bangbang DC53 punch range. The edges are not made theatrically thin simply to look sharp under a macro lens. The aim is a more practical balance between clean cutting, accurate shape and long-term durability (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-a).

Put simply:

Sharpness belongs to the very tip of the edge. Durability belongs to the whole edge structure.

That difference matters.

Are Heat-Treatment Marks a Sign of Poor Quality?

Not necessarily.

Heat-treated tool steel can show slight colour variation, dark patches or processing marks. Stonewashing and other surface treatments may reduce the appearance of these marks without removing every trace.

A perfectly even cosmetic finish and a functional cutting edge are not the same thing.

More useful questions are:

• Is the cutting edge continuous?
• Is the shape symmetrical?
• Are there visible cracks or chips?
• Does the punch match its stated dimensions?
• Can it stand and strike evenly?
• Has it been sharpened and test-cut?
• Does it roll, distort or chip during normal use?

The CÍ product information notes that small colour differences and heat-treatment marks may remain on the surface of these punches. They do not, by themselves, affect performance (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-a).

A premium workshop tool does not have to look like jewellery.

At the same time, poor finishing and structural defects should not be dismissed as “handmade character”. There is a difference between honest manufacturing marks and problems that affect use.

Do Not Ignore the Cutting Board

When a punch struggles to cut cleanly, the tool gets blamed first.

Sometimes that is fair. Sometimes the real problem is underneath it.

The cutting board is part of the system.

When the board is too soft

A very soft surface collapses under pressure.

The punch has to travel further before the whole edge completes the cut. This can create:

• More striking force
• Greater compression around the cut
• Dragging at the leather fibres
• Difficulty removing the punch
• More friction along the cutting edge

When the surface is too hard

Metal, glass, stone and marble provide no safe entry for the edge.

The punch meets a hard stop, rebounds and may damage the cutting tip immediately.

A better cutting surface provides firm support while still allowing the edge to enter slightly. The CÍ product guidance recommends a medium to firm professional cutting board and warns against striking directly onto wood, metal, glass or stone (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-a; CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-b; CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-c).

Buying a better punch while continuing to use a deeply damaged or unsuitable board often produces a smaller improvement than expected.

The punch, leather, board, striking method and positioning system all work together.

No tool works alone.

So, Is a DC53 Leather Punch Worth Buying?

The honest answer is: it depends on the problem you are trying to solve.

You may not need one yet if:

• You only make one or two belts occasionally
• You have not settled on your usual strap widths or buckles
• You are still testing different hole spacing and end shapes
• Your existing templates already produce good results
• The main issue is positioning rather than cutting
• Your cutting board is clearly unsuitable
• Your budget would be better spent on reliable measuring and strap-cutting tools

In those cases, an accurate template, a clear centre line and a stable workflow may improve the work more than a more expensive steel grade.

A professional DC53 punch becomes more useful if:

• You repeatedly make the same specifications
• You have an established belt range
• You need consistency between batches
• You often work with thick or firm leather
• Lower-grade punches quickly become blunt or roll at the edge
• You have lost finished pieces to misaligned holes or uneven strap ends
• You need unusual slot sizes, custom spacing or non-standard widths
• You want support if a tool develops a problem during normal use

For a working studio, the value of a professional tool is not simply whether it can cut leather.

The better question is:

Can it reduce rework, lower material waste and make the tenth belt look more like the first?

That is usually where the real return appears.

Three Tools, Three Different Kinds of Error

Placed side by side, these three belt punches are solving different problems.

Belt Slot Punch: matching the buckle properly

The aim is not to own a “universal” oblong punch.

The aim is to give the buckle tongue enough movement while keeping the buckle area compact and clean.

What matters:

• Tongue width and thickness
• Buckle-bar construction
• Folded leather thickness
• Slot length and width
• Handled or handle-free construction

Belt Slot Spacing Punch: reducing cumulative measuring error

The aim is not to force every maker to use the same spacing.

It is to reproduce an already chosen 21mm, 23mm, 25mm or custom spacing without measuring each hole separately.

What matters:

• How often the same belt is produced
• Whether small-batch consistency matters
• Whether the workshop already has a spacing standard
• Whether repeated marking and measuring are slowing the process

Belt End Punch: reproducing a symmetrical outline

The aim is not to replace pattern cutting.

It is to preserve a confirmed Round End or English Point profile and repeat it across future pieces.

What matters:

• The true width of the finished strap
• The proportion of the curve or point
• Symmetry of the punch
• How cleanly the outline meets the strap
• Whether a standard or custom size is more suitable

None of these tools replaces measuring or judgement.

They take a decision that has already been made and help execute it consistently.

That is a much more useful way to think about professional tools.

About CÍ

We did not write this article to suggest that every leatherworker needs a full set of DC53 punches.

Whether a tool is worth upgrading depends on what you make, how often you make it and what your current setup is actually struggling with. One maker may need better repeatability. Another may need the flexibility of a template. Someone else may simply need to replace a poor cutting board.

CÍ is a curated leathercraft tool store built around that idea.

Some of the tools in our collection are made in our own factory or developed through collaborative projects. Others come from independent tool designers and specialist manufacturers we have worked with over time.

The aim is not to put every possible tool onto one website.

It is to find, develop and bring together tools that make sense on a real working bench.

Alongside the belt punches discussed here, the CÍ collection includes:

• Hot foil stamping machines and accessories
• Brass type, custom fonts and logo stamps
• Pricking irons and punching tools
• Stitching ponies and hand-sewing equipment
• Skiving machines and leather-thinning tools
• Leather knives, cutters and custom cutting dies
• Edge-finishing tools
• Belt buckles and other hardware
• Measuring, storage and workshop accessories

The wider CÍ range covers hot foil stamping, cutting, skiving, punching, stitching, hardware, templates, storage and other practical areas of leatherwork.

CÍ was founded by twin sisters, with one co-founder based in Nuremberg and the other in Shanghai. That cross-border setup allows us to work closely with independent makers, factories, designers and leathercraft studios in different parts of the world (CÍ OFFICIAL, n.d.-d).

We provide free worldwide shipping on orders over USD 50, with long-term support before and after purchase. Depending on the destination and product, orders may be dispatched through our Shanghai or German fulfilment network.

For us, after-sales service is not simply a returns policy.

It also means helping with size selection before an order, checking custom details before production, providing clear updates during shipping and remaining available once the tool is in use.

The CÍ × Bangbang DC53 punch range includes a one-year quality warranty for damage arising under correct, normal use.

CÍ has now collected more than 500 verified reviews from makers around the world, with an overall rating of 4.91 out of 5.

These DC53 punches are still relatively new, so their individual product pages have not yet built up a large number of dedicated customer reviews. We do not want to present feedback from unrelated products as evidence for them.

We would rather explain the material, sizing, construction, intended use and limitations clearly, then let makers decide whether the tools fit their own way of working.

To us, reliability is not just about a tool looking good when it arrives.

It means there is somebody to speak to when a size is unclear. It means custom details are checked before production. It means support is still available if something goes wrong after the order has been completed.

A good tool should stay on the bench for a long time.

A trustworthy tool store should still be there after the purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DC53 always better than an ordinary tool steel?

No.

DC53 offers a strong material base, particularly where hardness and impact toughness both matter. Final performance still depends on heat treatment, edge geometry, manufacturing accuracy and quality control.

A steel name cannot replace good tool design.

Does a higher HRC number mean a punch will last longer?

Not automatically.

Higher hardness can improve resistance to wear and deformation. Without enough toughness, however, a highly hardened edge may be more vulnerable to chipping.

Impact tools need a useful balance between hardness, toughness and edge support.

Should belt holes be spaced at 21mm, 23mm or 25mm?

There is no universal answer.

A spacing around 25mm or 1 inch is common, while closer spacing provides more precise adjustment. The choice should reflect the belt width, hole shape, buckle style, intended fit and overall design.

The important part is consistency.

Should the buckle slot be as long as the belt is wide?

Not necessarily.

Slot size should be chosen according to the buckle tongue, buckle-bar construction, leather thickness and folded structure.

Strap width can be a reference, but it should not be the only measurement.

Is a Round End more professional than an English Point?

No.

They are different design languages.

A Round End feels softer and simpler. An English Point looks more traditional and visually defined. The quality comes from proportion, symmetry and how well the shape works with the buckle and strap width.

Do I need a professional strap-end punch for one belt?

Usually not.

An accurate template and a sharp knife are enough for one-off work. A dedicated punch becomes more useful when dealing with thick leather, repeated designs or small-batch consistency.

Why does a new punch still need maintenance?

Every cutting edge wears gradually.

Using an appropriate cutting board, avoiding hard surfaces and carrying out light maintenance when needed will extend the life of the tool.

Routine maintenance is normal. Having to completely rebuild the edge on a new professional punch is not.

References

CÍ OFFICIAL (n.d.-a) CÍ × Bangbang DC53 Leather Belt Slot Punch: Oblong Belt Punch for Buckle Slots, Handled and Handle-Free. Available at: https://ciofficial.com/collections/belt-making/products/ci-dc53-leather-belt-slot-punch-oblong-belt-punch-for-buckle-slots-with-handle-handle-free (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

CÍ OFFICIAL (n.d.-b) CÍ Leather Belt Slot Spacing Punch: DC53 Tool Steel Strap Punch. Available at: https://ciofficial.com/collections/belt-making/products/ci-leather-belt-slot-spacing-punch-dc53-tool-steel-strap-punch (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

CÍ OFFICIAL (n.d.-c) CÍ × Bangbang DC53 Leather Belt End Punch: Made-to-Order Strap End Punch for Clean, Consistent Belt Tips. Available at: https://ciofficial.com/collections/belt-making/products/ci-dc53-leather-belt-end-punch-made-to-order-strap-end-punch-for-clean-consistent-belt-tips (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

CÍ OFFICIAL (n.d.-d) Welcome to CÍ: Our Story. Available at: https://ciofficial.com/blogs/news/welcome-to-ci-story (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

Daido Steel (n.d.) DC53: High Hardness and Toughness Cold Work Die Steel. Available at: https://www.daido.co.jp/en/common/pdf/pages/products/tool/dc53.pdf (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

Leatherworker.net (n.d.-a) Best Way to Make Consistent Holes for Belts: Any Special Tools or Methods? Available at: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/49847-best-way-to-make-consistent-holes-for-belts%E2%80%A6-any-special-toolsmethods-exist/ (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

Leatherworker.net (n.d.-b) Any Help on Punching a Clean Tip on the End of a Strap? Available at: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/83286-any-help-on-punching-a-clean-tip-on-the-end-of-a-strap/ (Accessed: 13 July 2026).

Reddit (n.d.) Belt Making Questions. r/Leathercraft. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/Leathercraft/comments/1q4uwyb/belt_making_questions/ (Accessed: 13 July 2026).