Thank you gents.
Greg, here's how you make the buckle. You take a piece of thick brass and a file. You drill and file for days, heading for a buckle that looks like James Rogers did it. You make a total mess, then throw it all in the trash. You next contact Richard Lanni on Facebook and ask for a selection of nice buckles of a certain width. You send Richard money, wait a while, and voila! Nice buckles arrive in the mail. :-D
Richard sends them highly polished. I soak them in Easy-Off to remove any coating. After washing and wiping with alcohol, I cold blue the brass which darkens it. I buff off the high surfaces, and use a clear dull-coat on the top. I make a tongue out of heavy wire, cold blued.
Best wishes, and God Bless, Marc