The piece in your hands was made in my studio in Seattle, Washington. I'm Erica Gordon, and I've been forging belt buckles and jewelry at Steel Toe Studios since 2003. Every piece starts as raw metal; iron, bronze, stainless steel, or copper, then goes through many steps (so many steps) to be transformed into the jewelry or belt buckle in your hand.
Caring for Your Steel Toe Studios Jewelry
Iron, bronze, and stainless steel each have their own personality, but the care basics are the same across all of them. Your piece shipped after various forms of tumbling, polishing and patina, and each item is hand waxed then buffed back.
Here's the good news for jewelry wearers: your skin actually helps. The natural oils from daily wear protect the metal surface, so the more you wear it, the more stable the finish tends to stay. These pieces are made to be worn.
A few things to avoid: don't spray perfume or hairspray directly onto the piece, skip wearing it in the pool or ocean, and store it somewhere dry; a small zip bag or a box works perfectly. The bathroom cabinet is a surprisingly bad spot, even when it doesn't feel humid in there.
If the finish ever starts to look dull or develops tarnish, buff it with a plain scouring pad or fine steel wool, then rub in a small amount of paste wax like jewelry wax, beeswax, or honestly even a beeswax lip balm can work just fine. Let it cure for a few minutes, buff it smooth with a cloth, and you're done. Think of it like seasoning a cast iron pan: a little attention every now and then, and it'll last for years. For a deeper dive, check out our full iron jewelry care guide.
Caring for Your Belt Buckle and Leather Belt
Buckles live a harder life than jewelry, under shirts, through physical days, up against sweat and weather. The finish may shift more noticeably over time, and that's completely normal. A buckle worn on a bike commute or through a long workday is going to look a little different after a year than it did on day one. The natural change in appearance is the metal recording how it's been used.
If you'd prefer to keep the finish closer to its original look, the same process applies: buff off any tarnish with steel wool or a scouring pad, apply a thin coat of paste wax, let it cure, and buff smooth, and only as needed. Same avoidances apply: chlorine and salt water aren't great for the metal, and a dry storage spot is always better than a damp one.
If the leather belt doesn't fit, no stress, we're happy to exchange it for a different size, as long as it hasn't been worn. Just hold it around your waist without hooking the buckle to check the fit, then reach out and we'll send a new size with a return label. Full details on our FAQ page.
Questions? Contact Us.
Reach me and the team directly at erica@steeltoestudios.com — we're always happy to help.
Add to your collection: Steel Toe Studios Handmade Jewelry and Belt Buckles
A lot of people discover us exactly this way, through a gift, and come back for themselves or for someone else they love. We make jewelry and buckles in iron, bronze, stainless steel, and copper, plus leather belts to pair with them, right here in our Seattle studio.
Shop handmade jewelry and belt buckles → steeltoestudios.com/collections/anniversary
A gift to mark the moment.