With the torch you described either of the 3, propane butane map will all do the same.
The problem you have is you need to CONTAIN the heat like a cooking oven! by making say a small surround of glass fibre or silica fibre which is much better or light weight refractory brick you can cut up with a hand saw or hacksaw. to make a 3 sided say 4in y 4in internal size enclosure with a similar piece on top.
Always try and run a trial with a similar sized piece of copper, you can afford to scrap as a test. If it gets hot enough, only then go for the silver.
QED.
Ted.
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Ahh, I see! Sort of like a partial kiln. Excellent! You are very wise dear sir 
I learn something new every day. I was actually thinking of doing that yesterday while making another attempt. But I only have a fire brick, which does not refract the heat. Could I find the fibre/fiber at a hardware store? I know being in different countries could make it completely different as to where you can find things, but Iām sure itās worth the question.
At last, your beginning to ask the right questions of yourself. This is one of the most important parts of this one man/woman way of working .So to the use of fibre you need to ask not if a hardware store is where to get it but to ask WHO uses it? Then track them down and ask for a a small quantity to try our explaining what you want it for. youll get an armfull for free!.
Also who uses fire bricks light weight?
track them down as well.
Let us know how you get on with this.
Ted
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So many useful comments have been made that Iāve refrained. However, I vote for constructing a sort of enclosed oven to hold the heat. Thatās the secret. I think the elevated trivet lets too much heat escape. Also watch the flux to turn glassy - that indicated soldering temperature is high enough for flow.
I found soft fire brick at a brick yard. It was used to line their huge kilns and I got some that were a bit broken on the edges so that they were unsuitable for the kilns. This is easily cut into slabs with a hack saw. Then you make further cuts to form sides and back with the largest slab lying on the top. Then inside the little oven, bend some (preferably Titanium, although copper will work - it just gets soft)) metal strips perhaps 1/2 inch wide, into āVā shapes so that you are elevating the buckle off the base. That allows you to bounce the flame underneath.
One note: keep the vertical height as low as you can. While you want to be able to direct the flame over and around the piece, you still want to trap as much heat as possible and a tall oven takes more heat to get up to temperature, as it were.
I hope youāll share a picture of the final product. Best wishes and carry on!
Judy in Kansas, where itās another sunny, warm day. Can you believe Iām irrigating???
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Ok, I got the 1st joinā¦after I melted the end. And I had to cut a piece the exact size of the gap that I had to cut out. Now Iām trying to join the added piece. Itās, again, not getting hot enough. Itās in the exact same spot as it was before with my little fire brick cave. I tried adding my solder after clearing the flux but they still just blackened. Iāve been using my magnesia block in order to refract the heat. Itās quite a little oven in there. Iām just worried about adding any metal to stand it on to raise it up. I have an enameling trivet and wonder if thatād be the best situation and just heat the front to bring the back to temp and flow the solder without having direct flame on it.
Hi Rachael,
the problem as I see it ,with out a picture from you,
is that your using the wrong type of heat.
Ted.
Well, I switched to map gas since it gets just a little hotter than propane. It worked once for the 1st join
I am completely ecstatic to announce that everything on the face of the buckle is joined!!! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your advice, support, patience and EVERYTHING!! Now to tie up some parts that didnāt join and fabricate and join the fittings and clean it up. Iām so immensely happy and whole now!!
Rachel Firestone, post picture when you
have finished it, please!
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Rachel,
Congratulations! I knew you would. When finished I hope youāll send a pic.
Jerry in Kodiak
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Thank you I most certainly will. By the way, whatās the easiest, fastest way to make the belt attachment? The hook is self explanatory for me, but Iām just trying to choose the least complicated fitting for the belt. Iāve got the heating down. Iāve been able to to run the steps like clockwork and my solder flowed flawlessly, so Iāve conquered my torch-work and heating conditions which has made smaller pieces incredibly quick and effortless, like breathing. I have my 8g wire for the rectangle. I also have 2mm x 1mm rectangle wire, silver sheet between 20g & 30g with all sizes in between. Also, I even have pmc3, but i havenāt worked with it yet, so I donāt think I want to use that for trial and error possibilities/reasons. Any suggestions?
If you go to this thread on the 11th of Dec youll see a picture of the buckle backs
and the way the wire rectangle plus the leather hinge is shown.
Improvise from there. also read my description for Don Meixner how its all made coldā¦
Ted.
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Hi Rachel,
At this point why not just use your imagination? You know what you need; a bridge across the back of the buckle just a smidgen over the width of the buckle and high enough to pass the belt through. The footing for the bridge should fold over and maybe spread out a bit to give it a good grip. That's all. There are a number of ways to do it. You can even make it so it will lay down against the belt if you want. I found years ago that some of the fun of metalsmithing is the satisfaction you get when you have figured a way to solve the problems that come up.
Jerry in Kodiak
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thank you gentlemen
Jerry, Iāve been working out in my head what my blueprint is. I think I know what Iām gonna do. this has been a massive learning experience just finding ways to get to the end result and like Ted said, improvising.
Iām planning on finishing it in the morning when I get off work.
I can even just do a half rectangle and solder it down. Just high enough for the belt to go through. Thatāll be just 2 quick bends and join
Then Iād have time to finish my other gifts.
Rachel,
Actually that should be four little bends rather than just two. The added two would be bent outward from the legs, thus making little "feet" for the legs to stand on and increasing the strength of the joint.
Jerry in KodiakLooks like all of my sentence didnāt make it. The added two bends are to
make little āfeetā at the bottom of the legs to increase strength of the joint.
J in K
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Even if I just soldered it to the back of the buckle? Hereās a sketch. Itās not award winning or anything.
No, No no!!
not just enough, thats wrong.
you need to allow IF using a fixed metal loop,
- for the FIXED end of the leather to go around the loop
- the loose end of the leather, the one with the holes for the peg,to go through over the top of this leather loop. not behind, with an 1/8in extra clearance.
if your going to use and therefore make a hinged rectangle of wire , normally of steel, 1/10th in thick, as per my pictures, then the 2 metal loops on the buckle back are like small hinges. These are like upside down letters āUā when fixed, soldered,in place , you then bend the wire into these āUā's as per my pictures, having made this wire rectangle to size.
Draw it out, like pencil and paper, not wire drawing, first to make sure you have enough clearance for what will be 3 thicknesses of leather at the fixed end. Looping the leather is a crap way ,in my opinion, not worthy of a silver buckle.
Confirm you understand the aboveā¦
Ted
Oh, I most definitely understand. I wear a belt buckle, so I understand the mechanics of it.
After considering the design, thatās what I had decided on doing. So where would I get a stainless steel (for pickling) wire for it that I could bend?