How it works
A belt is a strap and a buckle. The strap carries the holes, the edge stitching and the tip; the buckle is a frame with a bar across it and a prong that swings from the bar into a hole.
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Doing up a belt
Feed the tip through the buckle's frame, push the prong through the hole that fits, and tuck the spare length under the keeper, the small loop beside the buckle, so it lies flat.
Parts of a belt buckle
The frame is the outer rim. The bar runs across it; the strap folds round the bar, and the prong, also called the tongue, hinges on it and rests on the far side of the frame.
- The stitching runs along both edges of the strap: it strengthens the leather and gives the edges a finished look.
Questions and answers
What is the pin on a belt buckle called?
The prong, or tongue. It hinges on the buckle's bar and goes through one of the holes in the strap.
What is the loop on a belt called?
The keeper, or keeper loop. It sits just past the buckle and holds the spare end of the strap flat against the belt.
What is the end of a belt called?
The tip, or end tip: the end you feed through the buckle first. The holes sit a short way back from it.