The Don Applegate story is as follows:

I made my first buckle in 1976 for a pipe fitter that I worked with in Longview, WA. It turned out so nice, with a piece of birds eye walnut wood, that I kept it and made him another. I sold it to him for $35.00 and today that would be equal to counting inflation $350.00.
I got hooked on making buckles and made about 100 that year. None were engraved on the back and most were one of a kind. I quit making buckles until 1998.
In 1988 I started keeping a record of each day of my life. What I did, where I go, & etc.... When I started making Stainless Steel buckles again. I recorded each day, what kind and how many. In 2003 on March 22, I was in "Ripley's Believe it or Not" for contributing the most unusual stainless steel buckles in the world. By March 2006 I had made over 9,200 buckles and put into my collection close to 400 different models.
In February 2006, I got a pace maker at age 74 and had to quit welding. So now the business has expanded to a family adventure.
 

A  Note From Bill

Folks, its EXOTIC!!!!! Not erotic….look it up…….striking, exciting, different and unusual
As many of our customers know, I started making the “custom order” buckles early in 2007. We set up the website, and went on from there. We had a few problems with quality control, and by November, 2007  I began making all of the buckles. I’ve had  30 years of welding, fabricating, and metal craft experience, this is another accomplishment to add to my repertoire
We have promoted the internet sales, and with the help of my good friend and sales rep, Larry Haworth, of Driggs, Idaho,( that’s in Gods country, near Jackson Hole, WY) have presented our buckles to retail outlets all over the U.S. Check out Larry and Mary Haworth on their web, www.lmventures.us. You can find our buckles in western clothing stores, gift shops, leather shops, clubs, foundations, museums, and more. We could not do it without Larry.
We are growing………
With new technology available in the laser engraving area, we can now offer three different colors (black, white, and copper) This gives us a fantastic looking buckle, in great detail. The ideas and designs are limited only by your imagination. New designs are also being cut, as we strive to meet the demand of our customers.
In June of this year, 2009, my wife April and I decided to make the business a full time endeavor for me. I gave up my other job to devote all of my time to making buckles. April uses her knowledge of women’s fashion to promote the “bling” buckles, and her amateur photography skills, to enhance our website. Dad still does the gun shows, and festivals, and helps in the shop when he is here. He still makes two trips a year up to Alaska, spring and fall. He keeps track of all our retailers there, and enjoys the time he gets to spend up there.
I am committed to working with our customers, to provide them with a buckle they will be proud to wear. We now have buckles in Australia, New Zealand, Japan (they love us there), England, Canada, Holland, France, Italy, Norway, Denmark, and working on Sweden.