Our History

Today we get asked how we got into the obscure business of hardware manufacturing. And to be honest we don’t have much of an answer. The only reasonable explanation we seem to have is, “It’s a family business.” Four generations in the industry that has evolved over the past 70 years from market changes and customer needs. But it was not always hardware. My name is Hugh Harriss, and I am the 4^th generation here at IAS, Ltd and Buckleguy, and I would like to give you a synopsis of the evolution of IAS since 1945.

1939

As they could not choose a better time, my Great Grandfather and Grandmother decided to move the family of 7 to England in June of 1939, right before the start of WWII. My Great-grandfather John Harriss was hired as a consultant by “Name of Business” to advise on shoe leathers and tanning processes and how the tanneries could improve at X, so that the customer could have Y. During his tenure he travelled extensively around England visiting all of the leather tanneries from “Name of tannery” to “Name of Tannery” in Sutton. During that time my Grandfather Robert Harriss and uncle Jack and Harriss enlisted in the Marines and Air Force.

1945

Upon returning to Lynnfield, MA in 1945 my Great-grandfather uncovered his Rolodex in which he had amassed a plethora of contacts at both England Tanneries and US shoe manufacturers. Thus was born International Advisory Service (IAS, Ltd.). An advisory and consultancy business between England Tanneries and US shoe manufacturers, which were starting to boom at the wars end. Over the next 20 years IAS grew to be the major importer and consultancy of shoe leather to many of the largest shoe brands in the country. The picture below shows my Great-grandfather and “Sergio Diggio” reviewing shoe leather kips for shoe uppers.

In 1945 as it is today, IAS is a business based on relationships, making contacts across the industry with other manufacturers and helping to make connections and solve sourcing and quality concerns for customers. We are a customer service business at heart, with a side business in manufacturing.

1955

In 1955 when my Grandfather Robert Harriss entered the business IAS was transitioning into the importation of tanning machinery from Czechoslovakia to many of the USA leather tanneries. The machine below was the “Lisa”, a staking machine used to soften leathers after tanning. 2 tons and built to last, we still see some of these machines at tanneries still being used.

1970

In 1970 as tanneries began leaving the US we slowly transitioned away from the Lisa machines and back into leather, representing foreign tanneries focused on shoe and bag leathers. This is around the time my father; Peter Harriss entered the business along with his sister, Sue. A team of three focused on representing tanneries and selling leather. Towards 1985 business was drying up and tanneries continued to close across the country. The future of the business was in question. During a visit to a rising client in leather bags we showed a new lines of brass swivel snaps we had just received. Mentioning a lack of quality hardware components in the market the client proceeded to ask if we could bring in bulk quantities on a monthly basis. Needless to say, an opportunity was discovered.

Looking back now it seems as though it was an overnight transition to hardware. A hole in the market that was not being filled with the level of quality that so many up and coming makers were seeking. On multiple trips back and forth to Taiwan we begun a relationship with a family equally ingrained in our market that we would partner with. A partnership that has continued on for 40 years. From 1980 until 2000 we became a distributor of hardware throughout the US, serving high end brands and manufacturers, constantly adapting to the growing quality standards of our customers.

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2000

In 2000 we built our own factory where production could be in house with full control of all manufacturing and distribution. This is where we continue to produce today. Our focus at the time was purely on custom development for large brands and manufacturers. No inventory, no real warehouse, simply bulk production distributed around the world.

2010

By 2010 our Massachusetts warehouse had slowly accrued a substantial assortment of hardware over the past 30 years. With no real outlet we decided to put it up for sale by the piece on a website. As kids my brother, sister and I had always called my father, “The Buckle Guy”. And so came the name – Buckleguy.com. My mother Jackie was put in charge of Buckleguy, taking all product photos, configuring the website, and shipping the orders, while my grandfather was in charge of shipping. The early days had around 40 to 50 products on the site.

Little did we know where Buckleguy would be 10 years later. The resurgence of leather craft and leather goods manufacturers heeding the movement of ‘Quality Made’, or ‘Made in America’ has become the driving force of Buckleguy. Makers that care about quality materials and supplies that go into their products has driven our pursuit to continue to grow our product line and grow not only in hardware but in leather, tools, zippers, paints, thread, and more. We believe we can continue to push our level of quality to give those interested something that can help make their product stand out amongst larger global brands that sacrifice quality in exchange for cost in what becomes a race to the bottom. With this interest we are going to continue to push development and push partnerships across the industry to supply our customers with quality focused supplies at wholesale prices to allow all to compete. We thank you all for your continued support and feedback. We are a small team, so every suggestion, comment, grumble, and question is heard, and we love it! 

Thank you all! ❤️