Old Buckle

[Jim P]

I have been going to post a picture of this old buckle and a short story about it for some time. Please excuse my poor photography. As you can tell its a quick snap shot with a cell phone. If you zoom in you can see some of the details. We have our catalogs to order anything under the sun including all types of power equipment to assist our engraving. The person that made this buckle didn't have these options. Many years ago I was an enterprising young bush pilot in Alaska. I hauled a guy out on his days off prospecting for gold. He had a Philippine wife so he returned there each year. On one of these trips he gave me this buckle as a gift. That's where this gets amazing. He had me take a picture of him next to my cub. This pic was the only thing the guy that made this had to go on. The man that made it lived in a tent in the poor part of town some where in the Philippines. He had no electricity or modern tooling. He managed to scrounge enough to make his own tooling out of left over WW2 stuff. The U.S. left a lot there scattered all over the Island. most of the equipment we left there was stainless due to the salt water environment. This buckle was made out of part of a jeep. It is 1/8 thick. The guy cuts them out with a hacksaw and with home made chisels and files and so forth he has scrounged up in his tent he makes these using a picture provided him. No photo shop. No air graver. no nice vise. No anything but just about a stick and a rock! The detail that he put in it is amazing. the small things like the small struts on the wing, the tail numbers and everything is proportional. I was amazed! As I said I have put this off for a long time so the poor thing looks worse for the wear. When I got it it was polished beautifully. I have added all the scratches over the last 25 years that I have worn it with pride. both as a bush pilot that will hopefully die of old age and not a plane wreck and as an engraver that understands how much workmanship and talent it took to make this thing with what he had to work with.
Oh yea and the price! $5.00 American!
No wonder I don't know any rich engravers! The guy had to be working for pennies an hour but he obviously took a great deal of pride in his work. Guess his overhead wasn't to much though. Sorry for the long winded story but I wanted to share it with people that would appreciate.
Jim P

 

[monk]

without the proper tools, sometimes inspiration and the will to persevere is all it takes. nice story. considering what was at hand to create this, i'd say it's a great piece of work. thanks for posting

 

[dlilazteca]

Great story, thanks for sharing

Carlos De La O III

 

[Peter_M]

Thank you for posting and the great story to with the buckle. Those are the best pieces one can have .

Peter

 

[RDP]

After reading the story, to me, it makes it priceless, thanks for sharing this Jim,

Richard.

 

[Texasgerd]

Jim
Very nice and a true gift from the gentleman. It really makes you think about what is possible w/ time and the right mental attitude. I can even see where he carved an outline of you into the cockpit.
Dan

 

[Big-Un]

Sometimes I think our tools interfere with creativity.

Bill