Cowboy Belt Buckles
- Thread starter Brian
- Start date
KSnyder
Elite Cafe Member
You can buy pre-shaped silver & nickel from RioGrande or brass & nickel blanks from NGraver co.
I cut mine from sheet & formed it in a block(2 pieces) of wild cherry wood I gouged out with a #3 sweep and then pressed the whole mess together in a machinists vise. It was 16ga. so it took the set (curve) nicely.
hope this helps,
Kent
I cut mine from sheet & formed it in a block(2 pieces) of wild cherry wood I gouged out with a #3 sweep and then pressed the whole mess together in a machinists vise. It was 16ga. so it took the set (curve) nicely.
hope this helps,
Kent
ken dixon
Elite Cafe Member
Hi,
I cut mine from 16ga sheet then overlay what you want, solder on your rope edge etc. Then I use a 20ton press and a 4 or 6" high pressure pipe cap ( from oilfield supply houses) to press the buckle into urethane which is available from the bonny doon company. You can cut out a sort of die from plexiglass to use with the urethane to press 3-d shapes such as the old ranger buckles. Let me know if you want more detailed info on that. Ken
I cut mine from 16ga sheet then overlay what you want, solder on your rope edge etc. Then I use a 20ton press and a 4 or 6" high pressure pipe cap ( from oilfield supply houses) to press the buckle into urethane which is available from the bonny doon company. You can cut out a sort of die from plexiglass to use with the urethane to press 3-d shapes such as the old ranger buckles. Let me know if you want more detailed info on that. Ken
hmw
Member
Brian, if you are looking for ranger type buckles and such, check out a company called Silverama. They sell pre formed blanks and backs, keepers and tips in precious & non precious metals in a lot of different styles and sizes. They have a web site, but I cant remember what it is.........silverama dot something?? Check em out. H.M. Wells
Brian.
Another good source for buckles, money clips and bracelet blanks in silver, nickle silver or brass is
C&D Silver Company in Phoenix, AZ. Phone (area code may be changed) 602-992-5440.
Good people, great prices.
John B.
Another good source for buckles, money clips and bracelet blanks in silver, nickle silver or brass is
C&D Silver Company in Phoenix, AZ. Phone (area code may be changed) 602-992-5440.
Good people, great prices.
John B.
ken dixon
Elite Cafe Member
Brian,
This is the way I make the old kind of ranger buckles, not the single curve type but the compound curve type. I have a piece of urethane 80 durometer hard 1/2" thick which I purchased from bonny doon mfg. place it on the bed of your press, then place your silver sheet on it. Then take a piece of 1/4 or 3/8" plexiglass and with a wax type jewelers saw blade cut out the shape you want your buckle to be. Put the plexi on the silver with about a 1/2" steel plate on top of the plexi then press it with your 20ton press. How much pressure is trial and error unless you have a pressure gauge on the jack. Press a little and check it and so on. The urethane will push the silver into the cutout area of the plexiglass. When it is domed enough to suit you take it out and saw off the flanges, then solder a back on to it for strength and a finished appearance. Hope this is of help. Ken
This is the way I make the old kind of ranger buckles, not the single curve type but the compound curve type. I have a piece of urethane 80 durometer hard 1/2" thick which I purchased from bonny doon mfg. place it on the bed of your press, then place your silver sheet on it. Then take a piece of 1/4 or 3/8" plexiglass and with a wax type jewelers saw blade cut out the shape you want your buckle to be. Put the plexi on the silver with about a 1/2" steel plate on top of the plexi then press it with your 20ton press. How much pressure is trial and error unless you have a pressure gauge on the jack. Press a little and check it and so on. The urethane will push the silver into the cutout area of the plexiglass. When it is domed enough to suit you take it out and saw off the flanges, then solder a back on to it for strength and a finished appearance. Hope this is of help. Ken
webad2006
Member
I cut my base piece from 3/16" sheet steel, file the edges, and then hammer to shape(dbl-compound) then place in vise and bend aft edge.. Decorations are hand drawn onto 1/16" silver/bronze then hand cut w/jewelers saw, and silver soldered on. Clean,Buff, Brown, and clean some more. Now add your detail w/hand graver. Email me for pics. They don't show great detail, but will give general idea. Last, and most important, have fun!...
Haraga.com
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
C&D Silver
I went by c,d silver. They sold all of their presses and dies to someone else. You may call Kathy or George to find out where the tooling went 602-867-4174.
I went by c,d silver. They sold all of their presses and dies to someone else. You may call Kathy or George to find out where the tooling went 602-867-4174.
Thanks for that information, Haraga.
Will change my records.
Sorry to hear the news, they are really nice people.
Best.
Powderhorn
Elite Cafe Member
Some place else, that you might want to try is Indian Jewelers Supply in Gallup, NM. They are on line and quick to ship.
http://www.ijsinc.com
http://www.ijsinc.com
Haraga.com
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
C&D Silver
I agree with you John. They are very nice people. It seems like they haven't aged a day since I last saw them. They still have quite a selection of stones and metals.
Thanks for that information, Haraga.
Will change my records.
Sorry to hear the news, they are really nice people.
Best.
I agree with you John. They are very nice people. It seems like they haven't aged a day since I last saw them. They still have quite a selection of stones and metals.
ken: is it possible to do the engraving in the flat before you press the buckle, or not ??
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
It is possible Monk, on one of the traditional oval or rectangular trophy style buckles.
On some of the higher domed buckles used in 3 piece sets, you should not do it. The forming process and the amount of stretch involved would either distort or damage any engraving done beforehand.
The main problem is controling the fire scale that forms when you heat the buckle up again to add the loop & catch...
Boric acid/alcohol is often not quite a sufficient barrier to the oxgen unless you really slather it on there.
You can also get around the fire scale problem by using Argentium. This is not my favorite metal to do this type of work on because the solders formulated to use with it still leave a lot to be desired - in my opinion. Most that I have tried tend to flow more like peanut butter...
And if you use ordinary silver solders with Argentium you will have tarnish in those areas - defeating the purpose of using the stuff in the first place.
But the slight dome on a trophy style buckle shouldn't be enough to bother you?
Did you have another reason why you'd prefer to do it that way?
Brian Marshall
SJAS
Stockton, CA USA 95209
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
On some of the higher domed buckles used in 3 piece sets, you should not do it. The forming process and the amount of stretch involved would either distort or damage any engraving done beforehand.
The main problem is controling the fire scale that forms when you heat the buckle up again to add the loop & catch...
Boric acid/alcohol is often not quite a sufficient barrier to the oxgen unless you really slather it on there.
You can also get around the fire scale problem by using Argentium. This is not my favorite metal to do this type of work on because the solders formulated to use with it still leave a lot to be desired - in my opinion. Most that I have tried tend to flow more like peanut butter...
And if you use ordinary silver solders with Argentium you will have tarnish in those areas - defeating the purpose of using the stuff in the first place.
But the slight dome on a trophy style buckle shouldn't be enough to bother you?
Did you have another reason why you'd prefer to do it that way?
Brian Marshall
SJAS
Stockton, CA USA 95209
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
BRIAN: thanks. no, i was just very curious about that. most all my buckles i form in single curves. and i usually do not make very large ones at that. although i've done engraving on buckles brought to me that i felt were darn near large enough to eat dinner off of ! ( well. almost ). i feel anyone courageous (Crazy) enough to climb on the back of a bull, well they deserve a 5 pound buckle !
circle4w
Member
Just in adding to everyone elses great feedback, if a press is not available and you're doing shallow dome trophy style, you can pick up a nylon faced dead blow hammer and a steel or lead shot bag to shape the sheet in as well. I rounded one off when I first started and still use it. Smaller investment when you just getting started.
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