Harold Vickery and Son

Harold Vickery and Son Leather and textiles built to outlast the job

12/08/2026

Some things are built to take a hit.

Get in touch if you need gear that can say the same.

09/08/2026

Most people have replaced a belt they thought was decent. Few of them knew what to look for before they bought it.

There are two things worth checking before any belt leaves the shop with you. The first is whether it's actually leather. Flip it over, look at the edge, check around the holes. If you can see woven fabric, it's not full grain leather regardless of what the label says. That fabric is the giveaway that the material has been pressed together from offcuts rather than cut from a solid hide.

The second is the edge finishing. A painted or buffed edge isn't just cosmetic. It's what stops sweat and moisture working into the leather over time, swelling the grain and breaking the belt down from the inside out. A lot of belts are going out at serious price points right now with no real edge treatment at all.

The reason this matters beyond the initial purchase is repairability. A quality leather belt with proper finishing can be retreated with beeswax or dubbin when it starts to wear. That's the difference between a belt you replace every year and one you own for 20. At a hundred dollars, the maths aren't hard to do.

09/08/2026

Working with Italian machinesā€¦

05/08/2026

"Do you have change for a twenty?"

Never thought that question would end like this. šŸ¤£

02/08/2026

The person who orders the gear rarely has to wear it for 12 hours. The person wearing it for 12 hours rarely gets a say in what's ordered.

That gap is where "genuine leather" quietly does its damage. It's a label that sounds like a quality mark but is actually the lowest grade of material still legally allowed to use the word leather. And because it looks fine in a product photo and undercuts the price of better options, it keeps getting ordered.

The problem shows up on site, not in the catalogue. Belts splitting at the tip or around the buckle, workers complaining, replacements being ordered ahead of schedule. By then the original decision is already made and someone's answering for it.

Full grain leather costs more because it's cut from the strongest part of the hide, where the fibre structure is still intact. That's what carries tools underground without breaking down. It's not a premium feature, it's just what the job actually requires.

If you're specifying gear for site, it's worth knowing what the label actually means before the order goes in.

Send us a message if you want to talk through what we use and why.

29/07/2026

Asked the team for their favourite coffee in Port...

26/07/2026

One question from a supplier completely changed the direction of the business.

Matt had a plan. Buy a laser cutter, follow the research, do what made sense on paper. Then a bloke in Melbourne sharpening a blade for an old splitter asked a simple question. Why not use a knife cutter instead.

Turns out the supplier sold them, and he pointed Matt toward the same kind of machine RM Williams uses to cut their leather. One conversation, and the entire equipment strategy changed direction.

It's a good reminder that the best advice doesn't always come from where you're looking. It comes from people who've already solved the problem you're about to spend money solving. Asking the right person the right question can save months of research and a fair bit of money.

The old splitter blade is still sitting in the workshop, serial number and all, dating back to before 1950. A small piece of the business that's been cutting leather longer than most of the equipment around it has existed.

22/07/2026

A back support belt is only as good as its weakest part. This one's broken down piece by piece for a reason.

The main body is full grain leather, which matters because it's the part taking the most flex and load over a shift. Anything less than full grain tends to stretch and lose shape after a few months of hard use. The wool felt backing sits between the leather and your back, which is what actually stops the belt becoming uncomfortable after hour six or seven.

The modular straps are there so the belt isn't a one size fits all setup. Different jobs need different holsters, so the system's built to let you configure it around your own tools rather than working around the belt.

The webbing holders work with the harness almost like suspenders, taking some of the load off your hips and spreading it across your shoulders too. That's a small detail but it makes a real difference over a long shift. The 50mm roller buckle is sized up specifically for that, so it holds under tension without slipping or working loose.

Every part has a job to do. None of it's decorative.

19/07/2026

Had to give the lens a wipe because this one deserves to be seen properly.

Full grain leather, stitched and finished here in the workshop.

15/07/2026

Most back support belts are built for a warehouse shift. This one's built for what happens underground.

The miners back support belt is made by hand in Port Macquarie, using full grain leather and Australian wool felt. That combination matters more than it sounds. Full grain holds its shape under load instead of stretching out over a few months, and the wool felt backing stops the belt digging in when you're wearing it for a full shift, not just an hour or two.

The modular setup is the part that gets the most use on site. Different roles need different gear hanging off a belt, and most miners end up building their own configuration over time rather than using it straight out of the box. Pouches, harness points, tool attachments, all added or swapped depending on the job.

It's the kind of gear that gets adjusted once and then forgotten about, because it's doing its job properly.

If you're in Port Macquarie, come have a look in person. Otherwise send us a message and we'll talk you through what setup suits your site.

Address

Unit 1 51a Jindalee Road
Port Macquarie, NSW
2444

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 2pm

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