So, the other day, I got this idea stuck in my head about that John Cena spinner belt. You know the one. Saw an old match replay, and it just looked cool, spinning right there. Official ones? Way too pricey for me, and finding a decent used one seemed like a hassle.
Getting Started
I figured, maybe I could find a beat-up one and fix it myself. Spent a while poking around online marketplaces and even checked a couple of local thrift spots. Finally, bingo! Found an old WWE spinner belt, definitely seen better days. Looked like Cena’s design, but scratched up pretty bad, some fake jewels were gone, and the main plate wouldn’t spin at all. Perfect project.
The Repair Job
First thing I did was get it home and lay it out on my workbench. Taking it apart was the initial step. Lots of tiny screws holding the plates onto the strap and the spinner mechanism together. I made sure to put them in little labeled cups so I wouldn’t lose track. You always lose one screw, right?
Once disassembled, I started cleaning the plates. They were that typical fake chrome plastic stuff mostly. Used some gentle soap and water, then tried a plastic polish on the bigger surfaces. Some deeper scratches wouldn’t come out, but hey, adds character, I guess. For the stuck spinner, I had to really look close. Turned out some gunk and maybe a slightly bent piece of plastic inside were jamming it. Cleaned out the gunk carefully with a small brush and some rubbing alcohol. Then, I took my pliers and very gently bent the warped bit back into shape. Oiled the mechanism lightly. Gave it a flick, and boom! It spun again. That felt pretty good, not gonna lie.
Next up were the missing gems. Just cheap plastic things. I wasn’t going to hunt down exact replacements. Went to a craft store, found a pack of similar-sized sparkly bits. Close enough for me. A dab of strong glue for each, carefully placed them in the empty spots. Had to let that dry properly.
The strap itself was kinda worn, especially around the edges and the snap buttons. Thought about replacing the whole strap, but that seemed like too much work. Decided to just clean it as best I could and used a black marker, like a permanent marker, to touch up the really faded spots on the fake leather. Crude? Maybe, but it looked better than before.
Putting It Back Together
Reassembly time. This was basically doing everything in reverse. Trying to remember which screw went where… yeah, those little cups helped a lot. Lined up the plates, screwed them back onto the strap. Attached the spinner mechanism carefully, making sure it still moved freely before tightening everything down. Checked all the snaps worked.
The Result
So, here’s the finished thing. Is it mint condition? Absolutely not. You can still see some wear and tear if you look close. But compared to how I got it? Huge improvement. The plates are cleaner, the gems are all there, and most importantly, the center plate spins! It’s got a nice heft to it too. Put it on the shelf for now. Felt satisfying, doing it myself instead of just buying one perfect off the shelf. It’s my version of the John Cena belt now.
