Sleigh Bell Restoration
Do you have an old set of bells you would like brought back to their former glory? We can do that for you! We can remove and polish your antique bells and put them on a brand-new handcrafted leather strap with heirloom quality details such as hand stitched and fancy embossed loops, colored felt scallops, colored patent leather, etc. We can help you design a new strap around a set of bells or replicate an old one. Email us with your ideas. Below you will find some of our past projects and helpful information. I also have access to brand new, beautiful brass sleigh bells. If you are interested in commissioning a set of new bells, please email to discuss your needs.
Past Projects
String of Bells
BEFORE: String of old bells that hung on a barn wall for decades.
Bells were removed from the old strap, cleaned(old patina was kept ), straps and keepers cut and prepped, buckle polished.
This strap required 24 handstitched keepers
The keepers were then put in an antique loop press- one at a time . The press embosses the loops with a design and also presses them from the sides. This helps "box" them up. This ensures strap can easily pass through
Buckle end and loops in the process of being handstitched. Stitching was done at 9 stitches per inch on this project.
AFTER: Completed bells on a double strap.
Graduated Brass Bell Restoration
These bells are not for sale, they were a custom commission. They were sent in needing a new strap, buckle and billet and to be cleaned. Customer chose not to polish.
Finished bells on a heavy creased brown strap
Buckle and keeper sewn, splice tacked and prepped for stitching. The buckle is an antique that I was able to provide for this project.
Splice halfway thru being saddle stitched.
Strap completely sewn, holes and slots punched. Ready to install bells
Close up of completed bells. Everything was saddle stitched by hand at 9 stitches per inch. Keeper was handsewn in as well and also hand creased. It's little details like this that matter when you want high quality work done.
Collection of loose bells for door hanger
Antique brass bells sent in by a customer. Request to be up into a door hanger, polished and lacquered.
Polished bells, hardware and keepers
Close-up of bells installed on strap
Completed door hanger, all handstitched leatherwork
Sleigh bell double strap Restoration
Before: old brass bells on double strap
Loose bells polished and keepers, ready to be put on a new strap
Creased keeper on strap, shown with the tools used to get that effect.
Closeup of keepers- that was a lot of stitching and creasing!
Finished buckle end
After: Completed bells on doubled strap, keepers in between, everything handstitched
Close- up of bells and strapwork
Combination Strap Chimes/Bells
Before: circa 1915 Saddle chime/bell strap. These bells had great sentimental value to the customer. Since the plating was in poor shape, we decided to just gently clean them and put them on new strap work matching it as close as possible to the original.
Saddle had red wool felt and strap work had imitation stitching along edges.
All that remains of the pinked wool edge along saddle
Bells after being removed from strap and cleaned. As you can see, lots of wear on plating.
New leather and felt pad tacked up and ready for stitching. I used thick 100% Merino wool felt and an antique scallop punch to make the decorative border.
Saddle in the process of being stitched together by hand.
Strapwork prepped and tacked together. Imitation stitching replicated along edges as on the original.
Close up of work, bells are ready to be installed
Finished saddle
After: Completed bells
Pony Rump Bells
Designed to attach to the back band of a horse harness .
6 small antique brass bells that have been cleaned and polished. Unique hand stamped border and keepers.
Completed strap
Close up view
Another view of bells
False Martingale with Bells
False martingale with hand stitched keepers in an embossed pattern, raised patent leather drop with brass ornament and 3 antique brass bells. These can be made to complement an existing harness.
Strap of 29 Graduated Brass Bells
Body strap of 29 graduated antique brass bells on a hand cut wavy and tapered strap. Strap features a hand stamped border, pinked wool felt edge and a hand stitched and creased keeper, raised leather billet. This piece is fulling lined in heavy chestnut bridle leather and measures approximately 4" in the center and over 100" long.
String of polished brass bells on doubled strap, handstitched and creased keepers.
Another style of bell on dark brown strap, original patina retained.
Fancy shaped strap billet end, also available in "raised" leather. A very nice detail to add to a string of bells. Shown with embossed keeper on buckle end.
Saddle Chime Information
Modern brass saddle chimes awaiting cleaning and polishing
We can clean and polish your antique or modern saddle chimes. Please note: a lot of antique chimes were plated over a base metal. We do not offer re plating services. All chimes will be taken on a case by case basis. If interested, please send several good quality images of the chimes in question.
BEFORE: brass rump bells on old, rotten leather strap
Chestnut leather neck strap of graduated brass bells with pinked wool felt border and brass roller buckle.
AFTER: the same bells (on the left), cleaned, polished and installed on heirloom quality strapwork with a tooled border.
10 antique brass bells made up into a door hanger on wide brown leather strap, stamped border, brass ring for hanging on a wreath hook or door knob
Graduated brass bells that have been cleaned, polished and lacquered. Installed on a new brown leather strap with brass roller buckle for use as a a neck strap for a horse.
Fancy shaped 15 bell door hanger with stamped border and brass spots, ring for hanging.
Short video of antique sleigh bells being rung
Early Post Civil War sleigh bell strap( dated 1866)
Interesting custom project I had come through the shop. Customer requested no cleaning of the bells and to try to reuse the original buckle. I had to make a custom hand punch to get this particular strap pattern and replicate the " imitation" stitching down the edge that was on the original.
How to get started
-Email pictures of your bells and what you would like done.
-I will discuss with you the options available and a price quote.
-Ship your bells (packaged securely), along with your contact information, the number of bells you are sending and the down payment.
-I will notify you when the bells are received and email a work order.
-Remaining balance is due before shipping back to customer.
Down Payment:
-If you are sending 1-9 bells the downpayment is: $60.
-If you are sending 10-19 bells the downpayment is: $ 100.
-If you are sending 20- 29 bells the downpayment is: $200.
-If you are sending 30 bells or more the downpayment is: $300
Personal check or money order made out to: Clark Harness
SHIP TO:
Clark Harness
1918 North Yoki Road
Forbes,MN 55738
What to Expect:
-I will send out updates and keep you informed of the progress.
-Remaining balance due before shipment
-I guarantee all work coming out of this shop.
A Note About Riveted Type Bells
These bells were originally installed using rivets and the rivets must be cut off in order to remove the bells from the old strap. The tools originally used to install rivets in these bells is almost impossible to find. There are two fastener types in use for the riveted bells- screws and cup washers or a custom modified ,modern rivet. With this method of installation, there is a chance of a bell cracking. This is more likely to occur if the bell is already cracked. I take great care to avoid this. If, in the unfortunate event it does occur, I will notify the customer and try to install the bell in a less conspicuous location on the strap. This also changes the appearance of the backside of the strap. If that is a concern, there is the option of a doubled strap with keepers or rivets.
Steel Bells
Steel bells can be cleaned/polished and put on a new strap. They do not clean up as well as brass bells and the finish on them can vary. I recommend this only if they are family heirlooms or have sentimental value.
Available Configurations
These are some of the bell configurations, but not all. If you have something in mind, please inquire.
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Door hangers; straight strap or shaped
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Harness drops; all shapes
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Body straps; plain or fancy
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Martingales; can be made to match your harness
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Rump bells
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Swiss style body strap w/tassels; plain or fancy. This goes behind driving saddle
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Pony sized bell straps
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Neck straps; plain or fancy
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Pony straps- a wide strap with double rows of small bells
Additional Resources
The American Bell Association is an excellent source of information for those interested in sleigh bells (or just bells in general) and for finding like-minded individuals. You can visit their site here: https://americanbell.org
Prices vary according to the work to be done, strap design, configurations, number of bells, etc. Unfortunately, we do not offer repair of cracked or broken bells or re-plating services. If interested, please email.