I’ve been told it’s not work if you love doing it.
Thank you Patina! That this old concho is no longer tucked in a forgotten corner is the real happy ending!
If he was too far removed from centers of commerce, I’d say probably not, Steve. I agree that early on, access to certain tools was much more limited and these items in particular would have been considered luxuries. I had collected them for their ties to relatively early silversmithing, and thought it would be neat to utilize them.
Thank you for sharing this with the community, Tom. I know it’s getting some honest wear under your care.
As we all know, finding the silver is the hard part, and you unearthed a real treasure, Tom. I was thankful you called and had the idea. All I could imagine is what may happen to that lone concho, and I’m humbled to have had a part in its reincarnation. Your exceptional leather work brought utility and beauty to it, and now it’s living its best life.
Thanks Steve. It’s hard to go wrong with Crazy Horse leather and vintage silver. I also wear this buckle with a tooled leather belt that I got in Santa Fe twenty-five years ago. For that belt, I made the leather backing out of vegetable-tanned leather to achieve the same color and finish.
Due to the forum’s restriction of 5 photos per post, this next project will be presented in 5 parts.
PART 1: The Hunt for Conchos
For a couple of years, I have been keeping an eye out for a set of small vintage conchos that could be attached to a 1 1/2” wide belt and paired with one of my belt buckles. Last month, I came across a small (child’s?) belt with eight conchos and a matching buckle listed as ca. 1930s. The conchos were the right size (1 1/4” x 1 1/8”) and they had a nice dark patina, so I went ahead and pursued it.
After considering a few different options, I decided the cleanest and most secure way to attach the conchos to the belt would be to use the existing copper loops, cut each one in the middle, bend the strips perpendicular, and trim the ends to a point.
Next would be to figure out the spacing, punch slots in the leather for the newly created copper fastening strips and recess the leather next to the slots so the copper strips would be flush on the inside of the belt when bent over into the leather.
My 1940s cast buckle was the most complementary to the conchos considering design elements, finish, proportion size, and vintage. I wanted the belt to be full width behind the buckle, not tapered on both ends for its 7/8” opening. To achieve this look, the buckle end has a small billet and the tail end is tapered.
If you made it this far, thanks for not dozing off. It was a fun holiday project that kept me busy instead of raiding the Christmas cookies my wife baked for the neighbors.
This belt made me say a big “woooooow” out loud. It came out to be such a stunner! You guys are so innovative, and creative! Let me know if you ever decide to sell it!
You performed flawlessly on this project, Tom. The conchos couldn’t be more perfect in size, execution, and patina. Coupled with your very talented leatherwork and one of a kind Trusdell buckle, this is a combination that has no equal. It’s all so thoughtfully put together and well done; your matching hatband really tops it off and makes for a beautiful, matching set.
Your photos are, as always, lovely, and a joy to admire.
Very cool project, Tom. The finished belt and hatband buckle with original patina on what looks like naturally aged leather are just outstanding! Fantastic creativity and workmanship. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thanks, Aaron, but your concho belt collection and the vintage belts you’ve paired with your buckles easily exceeds or matches my effort, as does the many buckles and belts others have shared. The combinations are endless and reflect individual personalities.
Thank you, Mike! The leather isn’t naturally aged. Both belt and hatband are made of distressed, oiled, Crazy Horse leather that does have an aged appearance.
Thanks Zia! That’s not a bad idea. Aaron could do all of the silver and leather work and I’ll supervise him.
Thank you, Chic! It’s easy to have a good outcome when you have great silver to work with. The Navajos that created the buckle and conchos deserve the credit. The belt is just the platform to present it all.
Wow, great idea and flawless execution @TAH. The finished result is perfection—You are definitely stepping up your already impressive belt game. I’m embarrassed to admit I can’t even get my horses nameplate attached to his halter. It’s been in a state of half completion for a few weeks now with the rivets through the leather but I’m afraid to mess it up from there and don’t know if I need to buy a rivet set. Can I send it to you?
You performed flawlessly on this project, Tom. The conchos couldn’t be more perfect in size, execution, and patina. Coupled with your very talented leatherwork and one of a kind Trusdell buckle, this is a combination that has no equal. It’s all so thoughtfully put together and well done; your matching hatband really tops it off and makes for a beautiful, matching set. 