[FStephenMasek]

Rich - you can carefully try to reduce the thickness of each ply of the the leather at the ends using a very sharp knife.

Otherwise, you could go to a Goodwill or a discount store to try to buy a belt made with two plies of leather, cut a length, insert the spring from the original or "reproduction" handle, and sew it back together using thick thread and a heavy-duty needle. I looked for a belt once, but need to remember to stop at Goodwill and Ross (across the street from each other in Lake Forest, CA) one Sunday when on the way back home from St. Nicholas.