Clicker dies, no clicker press?

[MarlinDave]

Harbor Freight has some small hydraulic presses. Find them a lot used in yard sales and Facebook Marketplace. I have been known to weld one up. 

[BenOrsonLeather]

I have both a Vevor hand press and a 25 ton clicker press in my shop.  I love the hand press for the one-off (or few-off) pieces with smaller dies.  Small footprint, easy to use and, in my opinion and situation, well worth the $200 spend even with a more than capable 25 ton close by.

[fredk]

On 8/19/2025 at 12:34 AM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

Luckily, it’s really only for small pieces, keychains/coasters/bracelets and the like, but anything that will help my efficiency. 

Don't use any mallet directly on the die. Thats  a sure way of ruining the mallet and possibly damaging the die. 

I lay the die on a hard surface with the blade upwards. Find my leather and press it into place with my thumbs. That sort of 'locks' it in place then I use piece of off-cut wood or a piece of round nylon I have and hit that with my mallet. About a minute later I have the cut out. Pop it out of the die are start again. In about 10 minutes I have a dozen or so pieces to make key fobs

If you cut 2 key fob pieces, glue a magnet on each end and sew the leather fob pieces together you have made a magnetic book mark!

Two of these sewn together with a magnet at each end

Make one book mark

They are mildly popular at the moment

Edited Wednesday at 02:08 AM by fredk

[Northmount]

Split off posts about Making Your Own Dies to https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/131702-making-your-own-dies/

 

 

[dikman]

Thanks Northmount, I tend to get sidetracked sometimes - I'm also very good at hi-jacking threads.

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

On 8/19/2025 at 7:06 PM, fredk said:

Don't use any mallet directly on the die. Thats  a sure way of ruining the mallet and possibly damaging the die. 

I lay the die on a hard surface with the blade upwards. Find my leather and press it into place with my thumbs. That sort of 'locks' it in place then I use piece of off-cut wood or a piece of round nylon I have and hit that with my mallet. About a minute later I have the cut out. Pop it out of the die are start again. In about 10 minutes I have a dozen or so pieces to make key fobs

If you cut 2 key fob pieces, glue a magnet on each end and sew the leather fob pieces together you have made a magnetic book mark!

Two of these sewn together with a magnet at each end

Make one book mark

They are mildly popular at the moment

I do believe that you have given me the courage to attempt such shenanigans. And thanks for the bookmark suggestion, definitely works for my primary market here in town!

[fredk]

btw, the magnet is glued on the inside of the leather 'key fob' pieces