HOW IT’S MADE – 59Belts

59 belts launched in August 2007. Since then, many of the game’s top players have enjoyed being part of the golf brands coined ‘#59Crew’. Players such as Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Mike Weir, Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam are just a few who have, or still do, proudly represent the brand and their commitment to doing things the 59 way.

Today we will take you on a tour of the 59 Custom Shop, their manufacturing facility in Southern California. From raw material to the fashion fairways of the PGA Tour, the magic really does happen somewhere in here. #CommittedtoBetter

Making 59 Buckles

Raw aluminum arrives to our shop in California in flat bar stock which will be cut down to blanks to be further shaped into what will become a 59 buckle.

After cutting material into workable sized blanks, the material goes into the machine to be precisely shaped and leveled on both sides in preparation for milling & engraving.

After being shaped to 59 buckle specs, a single post hole is drilled to prep the buckle to hang for hand powder coating.

Next ‘flapping’ the buckle to create an abraded surface to enhance adhesion of the powder coat. Coating professionals would say that this step is excessive but we go the extra mile to ensure a long lasting and durable finish.

Buckles are hung from racks and powder coated by hand with a powder gun and an electric charge. Black is the color of the day!

Buckle blanks are then placed in an oven to bake the powder coat for a minimum of 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Powder coating provides a very durable, yet aesthetically pleasing finish. A wide selection of powder colors provides a plethora of custom options for our customers.

Back into the mill to drill 3 more holes and add back engraving to further personalize your 59 buckle. Custom engraving is limited to 25 characters.

Finally we get to work on the actual buckle design. This buckle is pocketed to create an island in the shape of the “MyGolfSpy” shield. Next, smaller tools will be used to machine the finer details inside the shield.

The final steps involve hand assembling stainless steel parts to secure the belt strap. A delicate touch is needed to line up the post holes to accept our patent pending wire clip.

Last step in the process is pin assembly which is done on a hand press. A slip at this point in the process would be like dropping a baby – NOT good!

Finished 59 buckle! From raw bar to finished buckle takes 45 to 60 minutes to make an aluminum buckle. Creating the finished buckle involves TWELVE processes plus two cleanings along the way.

Our stainless buckles buckles travel a similar process, but require a hand polishing step in place of the powder coating. Stainless Steel also take considerably more time to prep and machine due to the added strength of the material.

Thanks for joining us in the 59 shop, we would be happy to answer any questions about the process or how to order a custom buckle. Visit us at 59belts.com or contact us directly at [email protected].

*This is actually the 2nd MyGolfSpy Buckle 59Belts has done for us. You can check out the original stainless steel buckle in the MyGolfSpy Forum.