![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtunQ-aA-AerlbsqhfgrjksiSuXiHEJqlyBbN6ljsdeE9xBnYk1ZwQbIMEa9jeAhl3w90FJoibkWVVwkkIzzQDXYfm5U-6Je9DYjanusFddLO15cYUWZFVkf07nahRqOELS5z5ycj0-ho5/s400/1031+rock+tumbler.jpg)
I went to Amazon and bought this three pound capacity rock tumbler by Thumlers. It came with polishing grits, but I judged them to be too fine for what I was wanting to accomplish. I just tossed in some sand and some rocks along with the buckles, added water, and tumbled it for 20 hours. It worked beautifully.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDS7uUwXgZ5ZC3gu-IHIEPNyZPoGHC6w8UZ5wjaP6iwem_rZSdtrAPDUvph06j7UuGBG7JvCgJXaGI54zqcDrTSQfUdzZKEOWxvc74e48uq0S957YoZhWVsLb1aHbdlRMJxFZYyPlfxGZ/s400/1031+ball+peen+hammer.jpg)
To make the buckles look a bit beat up, I took a ball peen hammer to them (on a steel plate), giving them flat spots and dents and dings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxi7PzpW8mVfhwOgj8twaunQd2GQqBMbhgj8oZJFYamuKJGqYv1bbRqgAETs0b-d8z4fUH7crECrnE1KgrQmvBQWqytwfGv5vE4W73i2zSaZ18vJ4RZKkpWaP6g6WMoCf0SIAJKQplIGTo/s400/1031+vinegar+bath.jpg)
Next, to darken the soft gold color, and to add a little green patina, I gave the buckles a vinegar bath which just speeds up their natural oxidation. I dunked them three times, allowing them to dry in between. Each time they developed more color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiHB_uZOybDj5ynYn3-zhfiGggexXoCtnL0w2eHzdMNwJ3T_-188pc7eGQb86t_ojc5J4EAwlJZmHN3xbY0M4s3kcQSiwkVh_mgO73BqfzVSgCZGcfC7DRSTdh1Grt4pwsozT-BPnetY8/s400/1031+four+buckles.jpg)
And here is the result. On the left is the original buckle as I bought it from Tandy's Leather. Next is after tumbling. The third one is after hammering. And on the right is the final look, after the vinegar bath.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yq26FWHqOfSZh0X-Jku73EHwR6aZAA11UlOP3aUQvE6Jj_HSbd0LzLsyudsaqLaAVA1Iss1XB5wfj4-81lugKJJVq254muFOU_aP9ZB705_-uPkF4LkehswwMyXwMk_VNEKQei3WMpou/s400/1031+two+buckles.jpg)
Here, side by side, I present the buckle transformation showing the before and after.