Buckle Terms

Continue with belt buckle terms that have evolved from as early as when the silversmiths were creating chain maille for battle and other handcrafted jewelry. The heritage artisans of the colonial times have expressed their ideas in fine silverware. The same traditional techniques are maintained now while creating your belt buckle masterpiece.

Enjoy the belt buckles terms below:

Hand Fabrication: - This production method of manufacturing buckles made of precious metals normally starts with a flat sheet of metal, which is formed, to the size and shape of the final piece. Several pieces may be soldered together to form a finished item.

Hinge: - Sometimes the loop is secured to the buckle by putting it in two curved half round wires that secure the belt buckle loop to the back of the belt buckle. This allows the loop to move making for a flatter fit for the buckle.

Jewelers Bronze: - A copper-zinc alloy of good color.

Keeper: - On back of the buckle the part that is a metal "loop". You put the belt through this part and double the belt back, snapping it to hold the buckle in place. Normally buckles have the keeper on the side towards your left hand as you are wearing the buckle, but sometimes the keeper is on the right side - more of a tradition for women belts.

Loop: - The rectangular wire shaped piece secured to the back of the buckle, which is used the anchor or secure one end of the belt.

Nickel Silver: - Similar to German silver, contains no silver.

Overlay: - Overlay is constructed from two layers of sterling silver. A design is traced on a sheet of silver and cut out with a jeweler's saw by hand. This top design layer is then silver soldered to another sheet, the bottom layer, of silver. Texturing is added to the bottom layer in all the open areas of the design using a hammer and a small punch. The assembled item is hammered into its final form, contoured and oxidized to blacken the negative areas of the design. The top surface is then buffed to either a matte-like satin finish or to a mirror-like high polish.

Panorama Buckle: - This buckle term refers to the shape of the buckle - a rectangular shape that is very wide horizontally. Sometimes called a "slide" buckle.

Pewter: - Any of numerous silver-gray alloys of tin with various amounts of antimony, copper, and sometimes lead. At least 51% must be tin but good manufacturers often use up to 90% or more. It is valued because it will not tarnish, rust or deteriorate in any way.

Plaque Buckle: - A flat surface trophy buckle. Ed Bohlin first used the term in the 50-60s to refer to his #466 buckle style.

Post: - The small "finger" that sticks out from the back of the buckle that goes into a punched hole in the belt, resulting in a belt size that is appropriate for you.

Ranger Set: - Normally three pieces: one a buckle, another the tip of the belt and the third is a piece that holds the end of the belt. Almost always in silver or gold with lots of engraving.

Ribbon: - Rectangular shapes, generally across the top and bottom of buckles, which permit engraving of information such as event titles, awards titles, recipient’s names, etc.

Rolled Gold Plate: - A layer of at least 10 karat gold, or finer, is bonded mechanically to one or more surfaces of a supporting metal. The bonded material is then drawn or rolled to a specific thickness. The karat gold layer may be less than 1/20th by weight and must be disclosed (1/30, 1/40). A proper marking for a rolled gold plate item is 1/30 14 Karat Rolled Gold Plate.

Rope: - Edging around the outside edge of the buckle that is twisted to look like a braided rope.

Silver: - Lustrous white, ductile, malleable metallic element, occurring both uncombined and in ores such as argentite, having the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of the metals. It is highly valued for jewelry.

Silversmith: - A person who makes and repairs objects made from silver.

Slide Buckle: - Refers to the shape of the buckle - a rectangular shape that is very wide horizontally. Sometimes called a "panorama" buckle.

S/S: - A belt buckle term symbol for sterling silver.

Silver Plate: - A thin coating or plating of silver over a non-silver base, often bronze. It does not posses the longevity and luster of a solid sterling piece.

Stamped: - Process where the image of the buckle is physically stamped or pressed into a base material (often jeweler's bronze or brass).

Stepped Tongue: - A post or tongue that has extra material at the end where it fastens to the buckle so that the buckle doesn't penetrate the belt all of the way. Makes the buckle lie flatter.

Sterling Silver: - A silver alloy consisting of 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% pure copper. Has a bright surface. By adding copper it causes the silver to become less pliable and stronger in its structure, which improves both strength and durability. A solid sterling piece is nothing but sterling silver.

Solid Sterling Silver: - A piece of silver that is top to bottom sterling. It is not plated with sterling, nor is it sterling overlay.

Tongue: - This buckle terms the small "tooth" projection that is soldered to the back of the buckle and utilized to fit into the holes in a leather belt, securing it to the buckle. Sometimes called the post.

Trophy Buckle : - Buckles that were made for a specific event such as a rodeo or cutting or other horse/cow event. They usually have the event name and year, maybe the individual event title and/or the winner's name. The more detail the more valuable.

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