Cast this from 95/5 Bronze in Petrobond. After the casting I textured it with a die grinder then added a patina. In the past I had done finishes like this with a hammer but I like how the die grinder could go deeper with more control. If anyone can suggest a good lacquer I would like to know as this patina isn't super resistant to rubbing and I have always left my work unlacquered
Was inspired by the recent steel knuckles. Had been doing a hammered finish for many years but always thought the hammer strikes were a bit shallow. I wanted it to have more depth and look craggy. This was cast with 95/5 Bronze then carved with an air compressor die grinder. The first burr was about 3/4" wide then touched it up with a little 3/8" burr to fill in any gaps I had missed. Pretty happy with it. Normally I don't lacquer my buckles but it seems like this would be something that should be finished as the patina isn't super stable and rubs off with effort. If anyone has any suggestions for a lacquer that's fool proof to apply and durable I am open to suggestions.
Pictures
Early Bronze Roman Buckles
Roman Military Official
15th Century Spanish Bronze Buckle
Civil War Brass Buckle
1920's Reproduction Buckles Alexandra King
Rilleau Knotted Belt
Vintage Western Belt
Wilson Capron Buckle set
Tech Ether Brass buckle
Clintonville Leather Forged buckles
I was inspired by u/garage_artists excellent history posts, unfortunately I lack his formatting skills 😂
The earliest known examples of belt buckles date back to 1500 BC. A number of examples were found in what would have been the Roman Empire. The earliest pieces were forged bronze as humans were still working their way through the Bronze age. Bronze was the scientific discovery that allowed humans to stop using stone tools and weapons. Bronze remained a prized metal by sculptors, nautical tool makers and many industries well after the advent of carbon steel during the Iron Age due to its qualities. Bronze has the unique ability to be work hardened to a strength almost equal to steel. This was a huge benefit to both industry and war.
Early buckles were crafted by skilled workers and limited to Nobility and high ranking military officials. They were mainly used to hold a scabbard for a sword.
It was over 1,000 years later before buckles became more decorative and used as we know today. They were still reserved to people with more financial means as they were expensive to manufacture with only hand tools and skilled labor. Many early examples were found in Spain.
The industrial revolution made it possible to mass produce buckles cheaply and thus the popularity of the modern day belt took off amongst the working class. The Industrial Revolution also saw Brass start to gain popularity as it was cheaper to make and had properties that made it useful in industry.
There are still thousands of Civil War era buckles in existence today they were mostly issued to the military. Reenactors have also replicated many of these old buckles to be used today in reenactments.
The Roaring Twenties saw more decorative and elaborate buckles often featuring enamel or precious stones.
WWII saw all metals being shipped off for war efforts. In 1943 the Federal Reserve resorted to making steel pennies due to the cost and lack of available Copper. There was very little metal for buckles. Leather workers became resourceful and designed buckle free belts that were tied on. Rilleau Leather pioneered two knotted belts and still makes them today.
The 1950's slowly saw metal reserves returning and the simple buckle shapes we know today started being manufactured. The classic Western trophy buckle saw rising popularity during this time as Cowboys in Texas began crafting them more often. Today Master craftsmen like Wilson Capron, Beau Compton and Michael Pardue make beautiful custom buckles.
The 1970's saw a surge in handmade cast brass buckles. These buckles ranged from pictorial wilderness scenes to various abstract shapes. Tech Ether was a popular collective of artisans which designed and created these buckles, many of which are collectable today.
The History in this era is hard to piece together but I have had a number of anecdotal conversations with industry professionals which suggest a number of causes that brought down the American buckle industry.
Science started showing the hazards of melting brass in foundries. Zinc and lead start to vaporize into gas before the brass actually melts which can cause occupational health hazards. This led to tighter regulations and better exhaust and air filtration in the foundries. Unions had been gaining strength for some time. Cast items are very rough when they are done. When the men machining the sprues off the rough castings became union members, labor costs went up. Rising costs made it difficult to make small items like buckles in the US.
In the 80's US companies and investors built foundries in Taiwan to manufacture small hardware that was no longer profitable to make in the US. Shareholder profits were increased and a lot of people lost very good jobs. Most buckles today are made in Taiwan. Even historic foundry Abbey England has begun selling some imported hardware to remain competitive, though they continue to produce their own historic designs.
I began forging buckles in 2015 and started selling them the next year. I began doing this out of sheer frustration from not being able to find US made buckles. I was also driven by the fact that most buckles fit very thick workwear belts very poorly and caused the leather to bunch up and create a bulge. The forged buckles I made fit medium weight straps well but I had to learn metal casting to make buckles that fit heavy weight straps
At the time handmade buckles were somewhat uncommon and difficult to find. Information on how to create buckles was also difficult to obtain. Internet forums and YouTube have made sharing this information easier to do. Much like in the 1970's there has been a resurgence in handmade buckles. Today one can find buckles from Blacksmiths, Jewelers, Silversmiths, bit and spur makers and even some leather craftsmen. Making it much easier for the individual to wear a unique buckle instead of a mass produced cookie cutter item.
Have been making these and also Copper Roller Buckles for years. This is made from 110 Copper 5/16" round stock. The leather is from Wickett and Craig, 12-14oz Dark Brown Bridle.
Forged with mild steel finished with BLO and a wax mixture. Attached to a strap of American Bridle Leather
Have been working on this enamelled Bronze buckle set for the last several months. Shown here with a swatch of Wickett and Craig Cobalt Bridle leather. 100 years ago many of the luxury brands offered enamelled pieces but it seems to have become a rarity today as it is very time consuming to fuse multiple layers of powdered glass onto metal.
The powdered enamels are made in Kentucky and they offer a wide variety of colors. This is transparent Prussian Blue.
Finally getting the hang of enamelling very thick Bronze after more attempts than I can count. This is 5% Tin Bronze that was cast in Petrobond. Looking forward to creating more interesting designs with the techniques I have been learning