Buckle and Belt

[Tobus]

Now that is an interesting bit of history to add to the discussion!

It might also be worth pondering whether more modern (especially American/western) style belts got reversed with the extra length to the left, in order to draw one's pistol from a holster which is typically worn on the strong-hand side (except for cross-draw, of course). And I don't really want this discussion to get de-railed or shut down due to weapons discussions, but I think it's pertinent to the topic. So enough said on that aspect.

At any rate, it's interesting food for thought. It could be that belt direction has gotten mixed up between different cultures, as it were, due to different functional needs, and by this point there is no firm standard. But as it relates to the kilt belt that doesn't really have extra length exposed outside the belt, it may be a bit moot. The functionality is not affected by which side it buckles from; it's purely a matter of making sure the belt and buckle work together. Do we know if there was a traditional/historical direction that these were typically built to follow?

[Ian_G]

Buckles that attach from the left vs attaching from the right - bottom buckle is a family crest buckle and to attach it to my belt, the thistle knotwork must be upside down

Looking at the lower buckle it appears that the crest may be removable; as there is a pin and safety closure exposed on the back. If this is the case can you turn the crest up the other way and solve the problem?

Ian

[davidg]

Looking at the lower buckle it appears that the crest may be removable; as there is a pin and safety closure exposed on the back. If this is the case can you turn the crest up the other way and solve the problem?

Ian

This crest has been put in upside down according to convention. Whilst it may be possible to simply turn the crest around it may also prove difficult because holes have already been made. It looks to be the Gaelic Themes buckle and it is notoriously difficult to change the direction of these crests once the holes have been punched although it may be possible to remove the circular black plastic insert and turn it 180 degrees then glue it back down

[artificer]

The question is whether the buckle is upside down or whether you have just been wearing your belt incorrectly

The traditional way for a man to do up his belt is for the buckle to be on the RIGHT side of the waist and the non buckle end of the belt to be on the left. That way any leather "overhang" would appear on the right hand side of the waist where it would not interfere with the drawing of a sword which might get tangled up if the belt were worn the other way around. This applies, of course, to those who are right handed with left handed users reversing that

These days many men have become accustomed to wearing their trouser belts the wrong way round. It is fairly universal fashion and does not matter in the slightest because we no longer carry or rely on swords. But where we have a problem is with something like a kilt belt. If it is designed to do up the traditional way then whenever we attach a buckle that is not a mirror design (i.e. can only be correct one way up) we THINK it is upside down

I hope that makes some sense

It's quite odd that garrison (Sam Browne) belts have their extra material off to the left as well. They were designed to support both holster (traditionally on the right) as well as sword (on the left).

I wonder when the tradition flipped? Certainly by 1852 when Browne first developed his belt, unless he was wildly eccentric, which seems unlikely given the belts later adoption by the British Army, colonial armies, and later services and police forces.

I'd love more info on this odd flip of orientation if anyone has it.

ith:

[longhuntr74]

I don't see the transition as odd at all. In my mind, there was no transition, actually. As I see it, all the belts (beltplate style with the buckle on the right and open face style with the buckle on the left) are all "right handed" configurations.

With the beltplate style, you hold the buckle in your right hand, pull it across your body and hook it on the tab end held in your left hand. The right hand does the finer muscle skill task of getting the tab into the slot whereas your left hand just holds the slot end still. In the open face design, your left hand again holds the left side in place...in this case an open buckle loop with one or two prongs... while the right hand feeds the leather end through, pulls it back to the right to cinch it tight, and then feeds the end back under the other half of the buckle or through the leather keeper...or whatever keeps the belt end from flopping around. Again...all the finer motor skills are accomplished with the right hand. It's really quite simple and logical in my mind.

If you look at military beltplate style belts, you will find almost all of them (I'm sure somebody will find an exception...which is why I threw the "almost" part in there) have the buckle on the right and the tab on the left. US swordbelts, British swordbelts, etc.