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Hello all, Forgive me if this has been covered. I am sure it has been at some point. I am having some brass stamps made so I can do some hot stamping. I currently stamp my makers mark and some requested stamping patterns with a shop press. I am wanting to use an arbor press for accuracy in layout. I plan on buying something inexpensive and having a machine shop bore out the arbor for an insert. My question is does anyone known the thread size and pitch of the most commonly available dies for setting snaps/rivets etc. The insert I have made will be threaded as appropriate and I also want to advise my brass stamp maker on what size rod to make fit the brass stamps. If I am thinking right, the rod that the brass stamps thread onto could be the same size as the insert that will go into the bored hold and fasten with a set screw. The same bored hole will accept the insert that is tapped for the snap setting dies. Clear as mud? Any help you might offer is greatly appreciated as well as a source for good quality snap setter dies. I know Tandy sells them but non sure if they are worth buying or if there is a better option. Thanks in advance, Scott

Hi All, I am having a lot of recent issues setting some Line 20 Snaps with my hand held setters. I recently bought some Gun Metal Black snaps from Springfield Leather. I have had nothing but problems trying to set them by hand. All of my posts bend at sharp angles despite careful setting technique. The result is misaligned button snaps which do not function properly, look terrible, and have to be removed. This is marring up my projects and making me a crazy man. I compared these snaps against some nickel plated Tandy snaps I have. These Tandy snaps have been setting and functioning with zero issues. I believe I have found the problem: the Gun Metal Black snaps have 2 slits cut out of the base near the post. This means the post has different levels of support at different angles which is causing the post to bend to the side that is offering less support when setting pressure is applied. The results are these crooked snaps. See the side by side picture for comparison (slightly blurry sell phone picture, you;ve been warned ). The Gun Metal Snap is on the left, the Nickel Plated Tandy Snap is on the right: As much as I would like a snap setting press or tool, they are out of my price range. The alternative and easier option is to find some higher quality snaps. Can anyone recommend a source for or a specific brand of higher quality snaps in Gun Metal Gray or Black colorations? Specifically Line 20 and Line 24 varieties?