Development of New Farrier Buckle Design

The Farrier series got its name because the original buckle was forged with a black smithing technique and took the shape of a horse shoe.  Originally i thought it would be the only one but since then i have added 2 other conventional style buckles and I'm now working on getting 2 new designs done for the website and Etsy store. These are also in the Farrier series. One for 1.25 inch belts (" The Quarter Horse") and one for 1.5. (the Work Horse"). I already have the Square Farrier  in those sizes but I'm ever expanding and these news ones are more "horseshoe " shaped.

This is the original design idea for the 1.5 farrier.  I'm now calling it the  "Workhorse"

These are the 2 sizes I made to use as the models for the process. These buckles will be hammer textured but they have to start out smooth and must be sanded and polished before texturing. 

The Quarter Horse being textured with a cross peen forming hammer

Preparing to make the tongue. This step is actually quite time consuming.  I make them from the raw bronze wire.

The Quarter Horse with the tongue installed. Testing for fit and function.

Quarter Horse patinated and waxed and ready for the web.

The Work horse installed on the 1.5 belt for fit and function.

The Work Horse buckle in bronze on a 1.5 inch belt

The inch and a half Work Horse and the inch and a quarter Quarter Horse for comparison

Suburban Tribal Revisited

Suburban Tribal is a line I started several years ago that I have been selling exclusively through art shows and galleries. I'm redesigning the line with some new twists and adding them to my website and Etsy store  The idea at that time was to make colorful, bold, big, but light weight and inexpensive earrings made with anodized aluminum, brass and sterling.  I still make some of the originals. They are all assembled with jump rings and ear wires for an articulated, fun and funky, action look. Everything moves and is loosely jointed. They are heavily textured with hammer and tool marks with some sanding away of color to reveal the aluminum. This gives them a "tribal" look.
  The new designs are more like a collage. Smaller, more refined designs smoother surfaces.  I'm adding some more sterling as well.  The new ones are more work as they are now being bolted together with tiny nuts and bolts or rivets. For the most part, they are more static, petite and elegant. But they still have the great saturated colors, interesting patterns, and light weight of anodized aluminum.   Maybe a bit more "suburban"  Hence, Suburban Tribal.

The original Suburban Tribal collection or anodized aluminum and with heavy texture, tool marks and sanded color. 

Here are some pictures of the new designs