Special products: The Quick Release Belt

We do like all our products, but there are some that are very special. The design, the original idea… makes them particular and unique.

Today we would like to show you The Quick Release Belt and show you why it’s so interesting. 

We believe the Quick Release belt owes its origin to the firemen of the early 19th Century, when fire tenders were equipped with this type of buckle on straps retaining the coiled hoses which once on site could be released quickly with a single handed movement.

The buckle was rediscovered in a local antique market and immediately its potential as a belt buckle was spotted so we asked our buckle makers if they could recreate it; the adaptation and use as a belt buckle was truly inspirational as it combines originality with functionality.

Since then the iconic Quick Release belt has been the hallmark of the Hardy & Parsons collection.

Today the Quick Release belt comes in bridle leather as well as bridle leather combined with webbing, whilst the buckles and keepers come in solid brass or pewter and are offered in two sizes: 1 ¼” and 1 ½”.

If you want to see how these belts work, you can find it on this video!

BETA 2013

Do you remember when we told you about our experience in Nuremberg, where we attended IWA Exhibition? Well, this wasn't our only fair experience this year... We also attended BETA International, a trade show that took place at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.

BETA International is the world's leading international equestrian trade show, where the best products and services from the equestrian industry are shown. This countryside environment is ideally suited to show Hardy&Parsons' products, which were very successful!

Do not miss this photos of the show and our stand. If you want to see more, just click here.

Bridle Leather

We’ve been absent last week and we’re sorry, but nothing better than being out some days to prepare great contents for the blog! We’ll show you photos, interviews and reports in the following weeks… and in the meantime, let’s talk about Bridle Leather.

Bridle Leather is the raw material we use to make our belts and the rest of the products. But, what is it exactly?

Bridle Leather refers to the way that a piece of leather is finished at the tannery. We only use 4mm thick bridle butt leather, which is vegetable tanned and hand curried in England. Bridle butt is the best cut of the hide as it offers the most consistent structure throughout as well as constant thickness. This is always a difficult handmade process that, of course, deserves just the best quality leather. This means the leather removed from the central part of the piece, which is the back of the cow. In that way, we’ll ensure that each belt is made of one unique piece of leather, smooth and soft, without the imperfections of some other parts of the body.

One we have the right piece of leather, it undergoes a process called vegetable tanning, which is the traditional method of preserving leather. Hides are hung in a series of pits, which contain a solution, otherwise known as a liquor, which is made up of water, tree barks and leaves which produce a natural chemical called tanning. This process produces flexible yet strong leather and preserves its natural durability. This is followed by hand waxing using pure paraffin and hand polishing with a soft wool cloth to give the leather the appropriate dull lustre.

Currying of the leather is done by hand which pares off any roughness and unevenness that may be present in the hide and makes the leather soft and pliable and gives it the necessary surface and colour.

The result of this will be good looking, soft and durable products!!

We’ll also show you how the best craftsmen of England work in their workshop to make our belts with Bridle Leather. But you’ll have to wait. Just remain updated with our latest news and sooner or later you’ll be able to discover the beautiful world of the saddlers, from where Hardy&Parsons' belts come from.

Accessories: Wrist Bands

The best accessories are always made in leather. In fact, it's a must in belts, shoes, bags, briefcases... Bearing in mind the importance and quality of this raw material, it isn't surprising to see how leather is also used to design ornamental accessories such as wrist bands.

Hardy&Parsons has designed three different bands for men and women. Bits, Clinchers and Plaited are the latest models. All of them handmade in England in our full range of colours.

Bits Wrist Band

Clinchers Wrist Band

Plaited Wrist Band

Choose the one that you prefer and use it in your daily life!

Welcome Spring!

Despite the weather, which is not helping... Spring has officially begun! And there is an activity that all countryside lovers (and those who live in the city and enjoy the green parks) like to do: picnicing!!! Spend the day lying on the grass, picking flowers, sunbathing, eating and drinking. 

Hardy&Parsons has one special product to make the best of these days: the Drinks Cabinet.

The classic combination of English oak and bridle leather blend together superbly in these beautiful drinks cases which are built by hand in our workshops. Craftsmen work to exacting standards, molding best leather around the solid oak sided and lined cabinet prior to hand stitching the seams and handles. Solid brass locks, gun case corners and handle plates are then fitted with every screw individually tightened and aligned by hand before lining out with bridle leather in the fold up table and pigskin suede interiors. Completed by a set of eight numbered pewter tumblers for place drawing or simple recognition and the facility to hold three bottles, (for example two standard spirit or wine, plus champagne) and four small mixers.

Just choose one of the best parks in London and spend the weekend picnicing with this beautiful accessory. 

Richmond Park is a beautiful National Nature Reserve in south-west London. The largest of London's Royal Parks, it was created by Charles I in 1634 as a deer park and now has over 600 red and fallow deer.

Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, and one of the most popular Royal Parks, famous for its Speakers' Corner.

Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park. This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate.

Enjoy the Spring!

Key Fobs

After showing you the dog collars and leads that Hardy&Parsons design, today is the turn of the Key Fobs. They are, as all our products, handmade in England with the best leather.

But these are not all the pieces that we can show you. If you want to see more, just keep updated with the information that we post everyday on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Dog Collars and Leads

Hardy&Parsons doesn't design just belts for men and women, but also some other products handmade in leather as well. Today we would like to show you some dog collars and leads, of the same high quality as our belts. The best accessory for dogs!

Bredon Dog Collar and Bredon Dog Lead

Dog Collar Plaited

The dog collars and leads can be customized like the belts. You can choose the leather, webbing and thread colours to design your own piece. Enjoy our Facebook Fan Page to see more dog products, and you can also follow us on Pinterest to see more pictures!