Actual Balteus Buckle and Apron Terminus Construction

[Matt Lukes]

I think the bottom part is actually supposed to be one piece as seen on this web site.

Yeah, I got that impression from the tiny projection on the 'inner' edge of the loop part- it extends past the centerline and therefore had to have once been physically connected to the 'other side'. I just figured since the connection is only pretty minor, I'd make it in two parts and just solder the connection- my little cheat so I could at least get one side in place today

Thanks for posting the link too Dean- I've been there before, but hadn't remembered that there was an almost identical buckle there- now I know what the 'spike' should look like.

I used a 0.064" thick piece of sheet brass and just 'turned-up' the inner edge and the scrolled parts- which actually proved fairly effective- and hammered the rest out to eventually about 1mm thick at the outer edge. I did however start with an already luniform cutout- so turning up the inner edge wasn't as easy as it would have been had I begun with a rectangular piece and curved it as you've suggested. I'd planned to try that method next- nice to know that it works :lol: I'm sure it'll be MUCH easier and quicker.

I still can't quite get why the base with the hinge loops is a separate piece, soldered to the buckle body- it seems a rather weak attachment for an area that could at times be under a lot of stress. Then again, the scrollwork couldn't have easily been done this way were the buckle a single piece. I wonder if the broken left portion is why my buckle ended-up in the ground...