Tina,
The majority of belt buckles featured in jeweler’s catalogues (at
least the ones I have) have findings that consist of a squarish loop
of heavy wire and a single, slightly curved prong. In this sort of
buckle, an end of the belt is folded over the wire loop and, when
worn, the tip of the belt is passed through the loop under the
buckle but over the folded end (does this make any sense?), while
the prong hooks into the holes. It’s held in place while wearing
just by tension. You can buy just the findings for this sort of
buckle, or the whole buckle (in varying degrees of fanciness)
already assembled and ready to decorate with engraving, beadwork,
etc.
The other type of buckle, with the movable prong attached to a bar
at one end or in the center, works like conventional store-bought
buckles. This is the type generally featured in ranger sets (buckle,
tip, and keeper).
For either style, you will need to find belts that feature snaps
that allow the end of the belt to come apart. These are very rarely
found on department-store belts and are not even that easy for
jewelers to find. Many western-wear places carry belts like this,
but they’re often stamped with leaves and acorns or guys riding
horses and pestering cattle. Rio Grande carries a few nice styles,
but they are quite expensive. I have found a heavy, plain leather
style at www.i-m-e-x.com for about $4.50 - $5.00 wholesale. Check
these through carefully before using or selling them, however, as
the snaps are prone to spontaneous disassembly (known to the layman
as “falling apart”). The leather quality is quite good, though, and
the price is unbeatable.
Jessee Smith
www.silverspotstudio.com
