Setting these $#%#@%#%$!! Snaps!

[Scott1952]

Does anyone have a good trick to setting these miserable line 20/24 snaps? Now I know why people but them in bulk.

Thanks

Scott

[wildrose]

ROTFLMAO! I'm soooooo with you on this. I could go through about 5 of the female halves before one takes right.

I told my father-in-law about the problem, and how the setter just didn't seem to flare the metal enough before pressing it down. He sent me a set of these nail setters. I find they work really well in helping set snaps better. It takes a little practice, but it has helped me tremendously. I use it to splay the tips just a little, then I use the snap setter the rest of the way.

[ArtS]

Whats the problem that you're having? I've had the problem where they didn't hold because the leather was too thick and then I started thinning the leather by the snap. I've also had the problem of them bending. This was usually due to the leather being too thin. Now I grind them down before trying to set them.

Art

[Scott1952]

Whats the problem that you're having? I've had the problem where they didn't hold because the leather was too thick and then I started thinning the leather by the snap. I've also had the problem of them bending. This was usually due to the leather being too thin. Now I grind them down before trying to set them.

Art

Bending is the biggest problem. The shank of the female tends to bend over prior to swelling.

Scott

Wild Rose,

Thanks for the idea, I used a tapered center punch, and it helped some. There has to be a better way....I think I will go play around in the machine shop tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

Scott

Edited March 8, 2009 by Scott1952

[CitizenKate]

Scott,

I'm not sure what specific problem you're having with setting line 20 snaps, but here are some photos to show one way to do it that has been successful for me, along with some tips to avoid the problems I encountered when learning how to set them.

Starting with the male half of the snap, set the post face-up on something flat and hard, like an anvil.

The post goes through the hole in your leather, then the snap goes over that.

There are different types of snap setting tools; this is the one I use.

One of the problems I had getting snaps to set right happened when the leather was thicker, almost the thickness of the post. There needs to be a small amount of the post showing up through the working part of the snap when the post is struck by the tool. If there isn't enough, the working part of the snap comes off as the end of the post as the post is struck, and the set is unsuccessful.

Art made a good suggestion to thin the leather around the hole to make sure there is enough post to grab the working part of the snap. Another way to prevent this problem is to use your fingertips to press down on the working part of the snap down while you're holding the setting tool, as shown here:

Tap the setting tool lightly until you start to feel the post giving way. Make sure you are striking the post SQUARELY. If anything starts to feel crooked or lop-sided, then stop, adjust and resume. Once the post starts to split, then give it a couple of hard whacks to set it. When you're done, it should look like this:

You can usually see the post splitting, but for the most part, it is flat, and spread around the hole fairly evenly.

For the female half of the snap, I use the concave side of my button anvil, since the cap has a slight dome shape.

Again, use your fingers to press down on the working part of the snap as you strike the setter, to keep it from popping off the end of the post while you're striking.

A few light taps until you feel the post starting to spread and give way, then a couple of hard whacks to set the snap. When you're done, it should look like this, with the post mashed nice and flat inside the working part of the snap, and evenly distributed around the inside of the hole.

If the post on this part is not flat enough, it will be very difficult to snap and un-snap the pieces. If you do have difficulty with it, give it a few more whacks. Sometimes, I have also resorted to whacking the post with the flat end of my setting tool to make it nice and flat.

If this doesn't help with your specific problem, give us more info and we'll try to help.

Kate

[Bob]

I can totally relate too, they can be quite miserable to set properly.

Like Art said, it can be for several reasons.

the post is too long for the material, or too short.... they are the most likely reason...

but the other over looked is the tool should be held straight, not crooked, sometimes you can get away with a tool long post, if you just hold it straight up.

it maybe too the quality of material used in making the snaps... some are better than others, I try to avoid the junk sold from tandy, it mostly made in the orient.

[CitizenKate]

Bending is the biggest problem. The shank of the female tends to bend over prior to swelling.

You must have posted this while I was working on my demo. When striking with the setting tool, be conscious of whether the tool is striking squarely. It may take some practice to get the feel of that.

Kate

[Elliot]

The Tandy setters I have are ruff in the face where the snap post is to roll over.

Take the setter and chuck in the fastest drill motor you have and polish the rings out.

These rings catch the snap post and wreck it, crush or bend.

Good way to sell more snaps, sell bad tools???????????

[ArtS]

If it's bending it's probably because they are too long for what you're using them for. Try grinding them down.

Art

[Elliot]

If it's bending it's probably because they are too long for what you're using them for. Try grinding them down.

Art

Polishing will help if a little to long, but not if way to long.

Also if a little short.

It sure stops the mashing down and not flaring.

[cdthayer]

There are different types of snap setting tools; this is the one I use.

....use your fingertips to press down on the working part of the snap down while you're holding the setting tool, as shown here:

Kate

I use the same type of tool and anvil, and I believe it's most important to press down on the snap with your fingertips. Press as firmly as possible. It'll sort of pinch your fingers once in a while, but you'll have better luck getting a good set. I've had good luck setting line 24 Dritz (short shank for thin fabrics), and both Tandy and Leather Factory snaps (back when they were two companies) with the long shank by pressing hard with the fingertips. Even when the shank is a little too long for the application, this seems to help keep it from bending as much.

CD

[Spence]

I've found that when it comes time to "flair" the posts, I use an appropriately sized Phillips head screwdriver to get the post to split properly. Once the post starts to "flair," I then use the setting tool designed for the job. Works every time, for me. Patience and light tapping is the key.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Spence

[RustyMelton]

I had the same problem. I started doing as Wildrose said and use a punch. My problems may have been like Art said about the thickness of the leather. Also as a few people mentioned, be sure and press down firmly on the working part of the snap. I went through a bunch of snaps trying to figure out what the heck was wrong. Also the tool that came with mine really wasn't very good.

[tonyc1]

The idea of these is to Roll or Crimp these posts, not to split them! It is much stronger.

Tony.

[Scott1952]

Scott,

I'm not sure what specific problem you're having with setting line 20 snaps, but here are some photos to show one way to do it that has been successful for me, along with some tips to avoid the problems I encountered when learning how to set them.

Starting with the male half of the snap, set the post face-up on something flat and hard, like an anvil.

The post goes through the hole in your leather, then the snap goes over that.

There are different types of snap setting tools; this is the one I use.

One of the problems I had getting snaps to set right happened when the leather was thicker, almost the thickness of the post. There needs to be a small amount of the post showing up through the working part of the snap when the post is struck by the tool. If there isn't enough, the working part of the snap comes off as the end of the post as the post is struck, and the set is unsuccessful.

Art made a good suggestion to thin the leather around the hole to make sure there is enough post to grab the working part of the snap. Another way to prevent this problem is to use your fingertips to press down on the working part of the snap down while you're holding the setting tool, as shown here:

Tap the setting tool lightly until you start to feel the post giving way. Make sure you are striking the post SQUARELY. If anything starts to feel crooked or lop-sided, then stop, adjust and resume. Once the post starts to split, then give it a couple of hard whacks to set it. When you're done, it should look like this:

You can usually see the post splitting, but for the most part, it is flat, and spread around the hole fairly evenly.

For the female half of the snap, I use the concave side of my button anvil, since the cap has a slight dome shape.

Again, use your fingers to press down on the working part of the snap as you strike the setter, to keep it from popping off the end of the post while you're striking.

A few light taps until you feel the post starting to spread and give way, then a couple of hard whacks to set the snap. When you're done, it should look like this, with the post mashed nice and flat inside the working part of the snap, and evenly distributed around the inside of the hole.

If the post on this part is not flat enough, it will be very difficult to snap and un-snap the pieces. If you do have difficulty with it, give it a few more whacks. Sometimes, I have also resorted to whacking the post with the flat end of my setting tool to make it nice and flat.

If this doesn't help with your specific problem, give us more info and we'll try to help.

Kate

Kate,

Thanks for the great tutorial. This need to be posted for all to use.

Scott

[CitizenKate]

The idea of these is to Roll or Crimp these posts, not to split them! It is much stronger.

Point noted. The posts are no doubt stronger if they do not split. I used the word "split", when what I really had in mind to use the tool to flair the end of the post to get it to spread out and lay down evenly on the working part of the snap. I think, though, on the female half, it's pretty hard to get the post to lay that flat on the floor of the snap without at least some minor splitting.

On the other hand, I will also point out that, on snaps that I've had to try to remove, even if the post is severely split, I was unable to remove the snap without severely damaging the working part of the snap. That is far more of a load than the snap would be subject to ordinarily.

Kate

[Dwight]

Does anyone have a good trick to setting these miserable line 20/24 snaps? Now I know why people but them in bulk.

Thanks

Scott

Scott, . . . take those Tandy snap setters, . . . give them to your Uncle Bill to use for fishing weights, . . . go to Walmart and get one of their snap pliers. Mine have kinda dark blue handles, a red ring to hold the male part of the snaps in place while being set, . . . and I found them in the sewing section, . . . next to the needles, snaps, thread, etc.

When I bought mine, they came with a half dozen size 24 snaps that said .45 Colt on them, . . . and it is one super tool. It has a realy easy learning curve to it, . . . just remember that the flaring point needs to be in contact with the snap as you begin to squeeze the tool.

I think they cost about 8 bucks, . . . great investment, . . . I average ruining about one snap in 30 or 40 with them, . . . maybe 1 in 10 with the Tandy tools, . . . and the doing of the snaps is about 1/10th of the time.

Additionally, . . . they have a rounded smooth piece that protects the top of your snap. Sometimes my Tandy done snaps looked like I had beat them on both sides.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Scott1952]

Scott, . . . take those Tandy snap setters, . . . give them to your Uncle Bill to use for fishing weights, . . . go to Walmart and get one of their snap pliers. Mine have kinda dark blue handles, a red ring to hold the male part of the snaps in place while being set, . . . and I found them in the sewing section, . . . next to the needles, snaps, thread, etc.

When I bought mine, they came with a half dozen size 24 snaps that said .45 Colt on them, . . . and it is one super tool. It has a realy easy learning curve to it, . . . just remember that the flaring point needs to be in contact with the snap as you begin to squeeze the tool.

I think they cost about 8 bucks, . . . great investment, . . . I average ruining about one snap in 30 or 40 with them, . . . maybe 1 in 10 with the Tandy tools, . . . and the doing of the snaps is about 1/10th of the time.

Additionally, . . . they have a rounded smooth piece that protects the top of your snap. Sometimes my Tandy done snaps looked like I had beat them on both sides.

May God bless,

Dwight

Dwight,

Under the cover of darkness, and while my wife was out, I rummaged thru her sewing stuff and low and behold.....snap set plyers! Now if she doesn't miss them I'll be in fat city.

Scott

[CitizenKate]

Under the cover of darkness, and while my wife was out, I rummaged thru her sewing stuff and low and behold.....snap set plyers! Now if she doesn't miss them I'll be in fat city.

Heheh! Just tell her she can have a brand-new one. I've used this tool, also, and it works pretty well. I went back to the drive punches years ago for some reason I can no longer remember, but I did use snap pliers for a long time.

Kate

[CaptQuirk]

This is one of many posts that should be a "sticky post", one that stays at the top of the all the other posts in the section. I went through 6-8 snaps the other morning, just trying to get a Line 20 snap to set. That was just the female half, I now have 6-8 male halves left over.

[JLSleather]

Few years ago, I couldnt' get many to set right either... the 20's OR the 16's.  So I complained at the tandy where I got them and the setter... STANDARD response... it's "operator error".  But I'm quite tired of people selling me CRAP and then trying to tell me it doesn't work cuz I'm doing it wrong.  Simple fix, while I was standing there, I walked over to shelf, picked up a pack of snaps and a brand new setter, threw 'em on teh bench they have right there (I think for 'classes') and said ."show me".

'Course, two tandy people couldn't get them to work, either.  Turns out, tandy had changed the snap, but not the setter.  Genius.

 

[Studio-N]

when I was showing people I always started with "the main problem is that men get their balls in the way".  what did I mean? Most people having a problem would approach it as if they were driving a nail. SLAM! tube splits and bends. (and yes, the wives always nodded to my comment).

I would take it, and go tap tap tap - ensuring the tool was perpendicular to the snap (another usual problem),  and it would be perfectly rounded over. same crappy snaps. same crappy setter. So yes, I would be inclined to say operator error.  Stay Calm - and tap tap tap.

 

PS. Same comment for Tubular rivets. It's not a nail.

Edited August 21, 2016 by Studio-N

[glockanator]

 

when I was showing people I always started with "the main problem is that men get their balls in the way".  what did I mean? Most people having a problem would approach it as if they were driving a nail. SLAM! tube splits and bends. (and yes, the wives always nodded to my comment).

I would take it, and go tap tap tap - ensuring the tool was perpendicular to the snap (another usual problem),  and it would be perfectly rounded over. same crappy snaps. same crappy setter. So yes, I would be inclined to say operator error.  Stay Calm - and tap tap tap.

 

PS. Same comment for Tubular rivets. It's not a nail.

I was going to say the same thing. I have found that if you give taps and a  ir ular motion they seat fine. It's a lot like peeing over a rivet. If you just hit it with a big hammer it will cause problems.

[Sonydaze]

Tandy snaps are poor quality which is a good part of the problem. Both Weaver Leather and Ohio Travelbag have decent snaps (as well as many other suppliers).  I think Ohio Travelbag offers more than one length of posts on their snaps.

Using a press with dies will consistently give you better results, especially if the leather is a bit thick for the post height.  If you are setting snaps frequently, a press is a good investment to consider.   If you are using hand tools, I agree with the previous posts about hitting with several taps are the way to get better results.

[Handstitched]

G'Day, now its my turn. 

I too have had problems. Mainly with the  post being too short. I have found, from my own experience ,  its depending on which supplier I get mine from . ( I'm in  Western Australia)  Some are the 'Tandy ' sort, and some are from Birdsall Leather NSW, and some are even some 'non-descript' brand off ebay. 

I prefer the long durables, 8mm  ( line 24's ) from Birdsall Leather. They are also cheaper, but sometimes not always in stock.

Before setting, I have a tool that is used for another type of snap. It  has a hole in the centre that accomodates the length & diameter of the posts . I place that over the top of the post first on both the eyelet & cap, and give it a few firm taps. That pushes the leather around it downwards  exposing a bit more of the post . I guess the same could be achieved using a small socket from a socket set.

It makes it so much easier when it comes to setting the stud . Depending on the brand , the hole is either set high or low( if that makes any sense ? )  . This is where the Birdsall brand are good, the hole in the stud  is low. 

My old setters are so  'rounded' & worn now, but they set just perfectly . 

 

All the best

HS