also have more information about the piece on a discussion about flaking enamel.

Hello Karen, what size is your buckle?

I am the originator of the "Saw and Solder Champleve" technique, which I developed after I returned to the USA from a year and a half of working in an enameling factory in Norway in 1968.

The base layer of Sterling Silver should be at least 18 gauge.  The top layer - with the design cut out - should be 22 gauge.  If you have used 20 gauge, you can grind away a good deal, especially if the enamel is opaque - as it seems to be in the photo.

Giving the piece a slight dome facilitates grinding - much easier than a flat piece.  The findings on the back do not cause flaking. 

When refilling flakes, grind away a bit of the entire surface.  Fill a bit and fire.  Grind again a little.  Fill, fire, and grind again, until you are satisfied.  Judicious firing - never over-fire - is critical to a smooth surface.

Hope this helps.

Best Greetings, Kristin  www.kristinworks.com, kristinworks.com

One more thing:  Using Rio Grande's Hard Solder - 1365 to 1450 degrees Farenheit - has been satisfactory for me.  I have never found IT to be necessary.

Kristin, I'm honored to get instructions from the originator of this technique!  Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I started the grinding process today and was getting ready to refresh my Klyr Fire when I noticed it had all sorts of little opaque flakes in it.  It's got to be about 5 years old.  Don't know if Klyr Fire has a shelf life or not.  I kept the large bottle separate from my day to day stuff I used to avoid contamination so I wondered if something was settling out or growing in it...it's an organic binder?  

Yes, all binders for the use in enamelling are organic origin. Otherwise it would not burn away during firing the enamel. Overaged glue does not glue, but I do not think it can destroy the enamel. I use since more than 50 years wall paper glue as a binder. One knife-tip wall paper glue to about 100 ml destilled water works well. Because it is very cheap, you can allways mix it fresh. A fresh mix is usable for 2-3 weeks.
If you access to the enamel-books of Margarete Seeler or Polly Rothenberger have, you find a description of the "Soldered Champlevé Technique". The books were published in 1969.
A more detailed description initiated by Kristin Anderson, you can find in the Linda Darty book. " The Art of Enameling" Lark books, published in 2004, on pages 120 and 163-166.

Thank you again Edmund.  I do have Linda's book and will review Champlevé technique again.   I think my main problem was the chipping and I was hoping it wasn't due to the large areas of enamel in my design.

I don't believe that the sizes of the enamelled areas are the problem. I made domed and flat champlevé enamels which have larger enamelled areas without any problem. I use allways finesilver or for wallpieces copper. The ground plate and the on-soldered metal-design is each 0,7 - 0,8 mm thick. All my work, whether it is jewellery or wall pieces, is about 1 mm thick conter-enamelled. The enamel brands are Thompson- or Schauer enamels.
My last question is: did the enamel chiped off direct after enamelling, or during wearing the belt buckle? In the first fall I have no more explanation, in the second fall, I suppose, that the belt buckle get bent or stretched a bit. Only some few 1/10 mm suffice to stress the enamel so intense, that parts of it can chip off.
We have in the forum so many experts, so it may be, that some of them have better ideas. It would be nice, if they would share unreservedly their knowledge.!

Has anybody made a champleve/inlay belt buckle?  I'm curious if there is a ratio of metal to enamel that contributes to the stability of the enamel.  I'm using sterling silver.  

Also if a slight curved form would make the buckle less stable.  I have used 18 gauge with a 20 gauge overlay. I was curious what anybody thought about the stresses on the metal from the findings...the hook and the chape that holds the belt.  It's a Western style buckle.

I have repaired it 2 times.  One area chipped fairly deep.  When repairing, must one repair in small layers as well?  I'm worried because the cloissone is drifting as I repair it and the more times I have to fire it, the more I worry about the findings on the back falling off!  I don't have a digital pyrometer.