LeatherLvr Report post Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) Hi all! I have loved custom leather for years and find myself purchasing custom leather items...possibly even from members here! However I am very crafty myself....and have has a box of leather scraps I had gotten on Ebay a few years ago for some reason. I have decided I would like to dabble in it and plan to start light, using my scraps. I just today ordered a well recommended book on hand stitching leather and braiding it, as I would like my first projects to be some bracelets and necklaces. My dad is a mineral collector and said he would send me some nice polished agate to experiment with as well. My first question is, how do I securely attach the clasps? I'm seeing the clamp ones....are they secure? I have a leather bracelet from Oberon Design and can't figure out how they put the nice clasps on the ends so securely...it has to be more than glue. Any advice is welcome, as I haven't yet found the exact info I'm looking for online.... Thanks! Eventually I'm interested in hand tooling as well....will probably stick with repurposed leather as I do not think I am interested in actually treating and dyeing leather. At least not until I master some of the basics. May like to get into making handbags and wallets. I like rustic things and one of a kind things very much. Edited May 1, 2014 by LeatherLvr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeSnuffie Report post Posted May 2, 2014 I use crazy glue to secure clasps like these. I scuff up the inside and cut the leather so it's a tight fit. I've never had one come loose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted May 2, 2014 I use crazy glue to secure clasps like these. I scuff up the inside and cut the leather so it's a tight fit. I've never had one come loose. very cool bracelet joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeatherLvr Report post Posted May 2, 2014 Oh wow, okay....thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeatherLvr Report post Posted May 2, 2014 Another question.....what is the best way to treat my strips I cut before braiding? Just ordered a cheap edge slicker, but I think I might need to glue strips together, suede to suede, first....or at least seal the suede side so it's not so fuzzy. Tried to research....Google is not very helpful! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeSnuffie Report post Posted May 2, 2014 I've never braided leather but if it's chrome tanned you might not need to do anything at all to it. If veg tanned, someone else will have to answer as to best process of cutting, dying finishing and braiding. With the bracelet shown, I stamped, dyed, finished, oiled, etc. and then I cut the ends to fit the clasp and glued them in. I've worn it a few years with no problems and I haven't had a customer tell me of a problem either. Another note on the clasps, there are clasps similar to the one I showed that have a set screw in the back. I have a couple of those as well and it's a tiny screw with a point on it that digs into the leather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeatherLvr Report post Posted May 2, 2014 My leather is large-ish scraps of repurposed.....it is already finished on the smooth side with a very soft suede on the other. Various weights/thicknesses. When I cut some strips, the edges got fuzzy because of the soft suede side....on some, the fibers are actually fairly fuzzy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
