This looks great and I left all the material and just tucked the excess behind the running end of the belt. It holds the locked position and I've used the bottle opener more than enough. Durable, beautiful belt that will stand up to everyday use. UPDATE: The needle fell out on March 27th, lasted 3 months, I was able to use a paper clip and make a small jig to hold it all together and so far it works with no noticeable change in function or appearance.