Iron Buckles & Pouch Hardware

Drop forged iron buckles of 1/8" square stock were made in many sizes and used by the British and Americans on their cartridge boxes and pouches, waistbelts, kettle bags, harness, and other equipment. Photos of several originals can be found in Collector's Encyclopedia pg. 54 #18 and it seems that nearly every Revolutionary War historic site museum will have one or two on display as these buckles are found everywhere.

The buckles were not simply made by wrapping round or square iron stock around a form, which results in rounded corners, and then adding the tongue. The roughly formed buckle was then heated and placed into a die (a square cavity) which was then struck with a drop hammer, forging the iron into the shape of the die which gives the buckles the sharp inside and outside corners. We are having four common sizes made for us in this manner, most are for 1" wide straps, and all have a black jappaned surface.

The small, medium, and large buckles are available in bulk at a discount price. A bag of 25 buckles is $75. The buckles in the bag of 25 will be covered in machine oil to prevent rusting while in storage. Individual buckles are sold with the machine oil wiped away.

Small Iron Buckle is used on British 18-round cartridge boxes converted to shoulder belt use. See Collector's Encyclopedia pg. 69 #21. This buckle is for a 1" wide strap. Inside dimensions 1/2" x 1". $4.00 each.

Medium Iron Buckle is used on British cartridge pouches and Continental Army cartridge boxes. See Collector's Encyclopedia pg. 67 #12, pg. 76 #39, pg. 78 #45, pg. 79 #48. I have examined several cartridge pouches that have used the small and large buckles, but the majority of pouches I have seen used the medium size. This buckle is for a 1" wide strap. Inside dimensions 3/4" x 1". $4.00 each.

Large Iron Buckle is used on narrow British waistbelts with the 18-round cartridge (belly) boxes. See Don Troiani's Soldiers in America pg. 4 and another on display at Old Fort Niagara. This buckle is for a 1" wide strap. Inside dimensions 1" x 1". $4.00 each.

Extra Large Iron Buckle used on British knapsacks. (not pictured) This buckle is for a 1 1/4" " wide strap. Inside dimensions 1 1/4" x 1 1/4". $4.00 each

Turnable Stud & Catch - see Collector's Encyclopedia pg. 67 #12. Used on Continental Army New Construction cartridge boxes and several excavated in Morristown. The male and female parts are of iron. The set comes with four cut-down steel nails (not copper as photographed) to use as rivets. The female part was not always used, but when it was it was riveted to the leather strap sewn under the cartridge box flap. Unlike the brass hook and catch which was used by both British and Americans, this iron turnable stud has only been found on American cartridge boxes and their encampments. $10.00 set

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