One reason why so many of these belts have survived almost 100 years is because of their steel buckles. Codina Leather has now reproduced the first of many of these 1930's western buckles starting with the most sought after, iconic, and important one. This is a buckle that will last lifetimes because in reality, these buckles do and have.
 
Most buckles you'll find now, especially reproduction western buckles, are made from cheap metals cast quite poorly because its cheap and quick. You'll get massive loss in the details of the design and they will and do often break. In the quest for reproducing these belts to exactness, it couldnt be done, and maybe shouldnt, without the proper steel pressed buckle where not even rust doth corrupt. If you've seen enough of these belts, you've seen the buckles completely covered in rust, but clean that right off, and you've got a sometimes still new looking buckle. 
 
It's been reproduced to exactness from the dimensions to the finish and even down to the proportions of the artwork and the depth they're stamped at. Vintage buckles were scrutinized, artwork redone, dies expensively remade a couple times all to attain the most precise steel reproduction of this buckle ever produced.