Beer bottles are not going to open themselves, and the nearest bartender with an official bottle opener may be several yards away. For some bottled beer enthusiasts, however, this is no longer a consideration. A useful novelty item called a bottle opener belt allows consumers the opportunity to snap the cap off a bottle of beer using only a specially designed belt buckle. The bottle is inserted into an opening in the buckle, then cap and bottle are soon parted.
A bottle opener belt may appear to be a novelty item right up until the moment a bottled beverage needs to be opened. Some people may carry around an official church key or bottle opener for just such occasions, but those people are often few and far between whenever an unopened beverage appears. There may be a bottle opener mounted on a wall somewhere, but finding a single bottle opener in a room full of walls isn't always an option.
The buckle on a bottle opener belt can be very plain and functional, or it may be a very elaborate piece of pewter, brass or other sturdy metal. The opening for the bottle opener is often incorporated into the overall design, such as an open mouth or bull's nose. The buckle may also have humorous slogans, some of which could be adult-oriented, or elaborate designs suggesting cowboy, biker or sports themes. A bottle opener belt made from thick leather and a bold metal buckle is a popular accessory for bikers, which is why the buckles can often be found in leather shops and motorcycle supply stores.
If the wearer does not want to open a bottled beer from the front buckle, there are also versions of the bottle opener belt with openers placed on the outer hip. A small slide can be placed anywhere along the belt, although the hip area seems to be the most practical. There is also a version of the bottle opener belt which features a clip-on church key or bottle opener.
Bottle opener belts can be purchased at online novelty websites, many leather shops and stores which specialize in Western or biker wear.
