Rattlesnake Redneck Style

Many years ago, when I was just a little guy, the coolest thing around was Dad's rattlesnake belt. I was recently reminded of it when I visited a belt factory in San Francisco, so I decided to get a picture of it and share with everybody. I can barely remember a time before the belt, so I must have been pretty young when Dad had it made. We often ate rattlesnake when I was young, so it was a natural extension to use the hides for something. I can remember seeing hides like this in the freezer for many years, waiting their turn to be turned into something similar. Every once in a while I got to wear this belt to school for show and tell. I had to be really careful with it, since it was easy to pop the scales off by pulling it through the belt loops. Oh, and you could change the buckle to any of a number of belt buckles that made a statement, from the ever-popular Ford through Massey-Ferguson tractors and Bush Hog mowers to rebel flags. It's a bit worse for wear now, after thirty years, but it's still a great symbol of my childhood.