I've been looking at everything I can in order to recreate a period collar for my dog (a smallish brindle spanish greyhound). I've seen some replica belt buckles and ends that look the part. Am I right in assuming that bronze or brass will be strong enough (should she suddenly pull at any time) but pewter won't?
Any other considerations?

Are there any guides to riveting belt parts "for dummies" or somesuch?

Thanks!

Brass or bronze should be adequate for a good sized sight hound. Most of the hardware on my modern dog collars is brass or steel. The older style collars that our Salukis used to wear were brass as well and would hold quite nicely even when game (a small fast moving pom-pom) was present.

Definitely avoid pewter. It just doesn't have the staying power when it's pulled and a sight hound can employ a lot of pull when something has captured their attention.

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I'm making slow progress on this... Other than fancy buckles... I'm examining what choices there are. But the lack of detail in illuminations photos is frustrating.

I have seen what looks swivels, and the Strong collection has one... However, how would they be attached? Would they have been welded in place? Did they have snap closings? In some it just doesn't look like there' anything but metal links (e.g. the hunting cards in the Cloisters).

For the record, a swivel: http://talbotsfineaccessories.com/cgi-bin/Strong_Collection.cgi?maincat=0&subcat=0&keyword=dog&method=Any&pricesearch=&catone=99-0&cattwo=99-0&object=303&cartID=

By snap I mean something like this: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.co.uk/pc-70124-225-halter-snap-solid-brass.aspx

Any ideas will be much appreciated!

Thanks!

quote:

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Originally posted by chef de chambre:
We'll take a look.

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I ended up making one with tabbed ends, as I already had the right buckles for that. Otherwise it's nice leather with letters embossed on it, as a sort of motto, and my arms painted on the side.

Oddly enough since then I've found a hunting book (15th c. Spanish, so appropriate for me) that reccommends thin collars for sighthounds, as it makes their necks look long and elegant. Go figure! I'll just have to make another one some other time...

Cheers!