WWII Wehrmacht Heer Gürtelschnalle

[Dixon Cannon]

That's "belt buckle" yank!

I have an authentic Heer belt buckle and I have a non-authentic leather belt. What I can't figure out is how they got the buckle onto a belt. Were the buckles permanently fastened to a belt or were they separate items that could be attached to any new belt?

I just haven't been able to figure out how this "old fashioned" belt buckle actually works. Does anybody have some insight into the functioning of these 'Gott Mit Uns' German belt buckles?

-dixon cannon

 

[smokey]

here is my repop heer buckle and late war belt (the difference between the early and pre wwii belt is that there is a thin piece of leather in which the prongs poke through instead of the whole belt but still same concept as below.)

the hook for the buckle which should be on the other end of the belt

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Sehr gut, Smokey! The fault dear brutus lies not in our stars but in our belt!
It's the tip of the belt that I seem to be missing. I did not know that! So until
I have a "hooked tip" on the end of the belt, i'ts not going to hook into the buckle.

"Ich sehe, sagt der Blinden!"

-dixon cannon

 

[BellyTank]

Wow! that must have really been a mind-boggler.

I have a couple of Swedish belts that people can't figure out.
I like the concept of the belt using the prongs/tines for adjustment only
and the hook to actuallt connect the belt for wearing.
I have a belt which has what looks like a normal frame/prong buckle but actually
hooks together at the back of the buckle post(or a tab in the buckle)- *adjusts* with the buckle.


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

Are these belts quicker to use? Less fuss than normal ones, once you've got over the lateral-thinking puzzle?

 

[BellyTank]

YES- despite the length of this post but it should just about cover everything.

The German Army ones, as above and other armies (and mostly the Swedish ones I'm talking about) are meant to be used as a waist/equipment belt(with, or without shoulder straps, which connect with hooks under the belt, to carry the weight of the belt equipment and rucksack arrangement), over whatever clothing you're wearing, maybe even an overcoat, although they can be used as a trouser belt, if you have wide enough belt keepers(it's a fat, stiff belt and a really fat buckle to get through keepers),
or aren't using them. They make a nice, fat, workman-like belt.

And YES, once it is adjusted to the right size, you just "clip" it.

There's no puzzle, you just(as he figured out) need the complete belt and buckle.
The buckle is loose and has two prongs/tines, which insert into the leather tongue
(thinner leather, with the prong holes), which is sewn to the inside of the belt.
You slide the buckle onto the belt, insert the prongs at the appropriate holes.
Then to put the belt on, it's just a matter of clipping the clip/hook on the loose end of the belt,
into the tab(or post depending on the type of belt) in the back of the buckle.


B
T

 

[Dixon Cannon]

It just goes to prove, you learn something everyday! I couldn't for the life of my
figure this out until I saw Smokey's photo of the tip of the belt. Thank was the
missing link, as it were! That is the value of having such knowledgeable friends
in the Lounge! Thanks All!!

-dixon cannon