Steve, I actually use a Mills bird belt occasionally, normally let it hang loose by the suspenders, unbuckled. They are not of much use if the suspenders are removed. In the sixties, when the Austrian engraver Franz Marktl first came to this country, I visited him in his shop. I brought him a worn Mills buckle with all detail on the dog missing. I asked if he would be interested in engraving my buckle and bringing the dog back to full detail, with hair. A while later, I dropped in on him and he said my buckle was ready. He had done a great job on the dog, bringing great detail back, lots of hair and shadowing. I was very pleased. I asked him what he needed to be paid. He told me ten dollars would be about right. He explained that he had been diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, been hospitalized for a couple of days, and, as an afterthought, brought the buckle and a couple of tools with him. He engraved the buckle free hand without a vise in bed and said he didn't feel comfortable charging his regular prices! No fuss, no muss. Bill Murphy
