Chicago Screws Instead Of Rivets?

[mlapaglia]

yes I understand the use of rivets/chicago screws instead of stitching but why have both?

In my case they serve different purposes. I stitch the belt along the edge, 1/8" in from the edge, and use the chicago screws to hold the chape closed. I use screws so I can change buckles. If I stitched it closed I could not change buckles.

[VanHornSaddlery]

Hello,

I do alot of repair work and also custom saddles and chaps and other good. I use jiffy rivets, tubular rivets and copper rivets all the time and also take all three out routinely. If set properly any one of the three will hold well, trust me as I go through a lot of drill bits, the key is the length, with the jiffey and tubular rivets anyway, the copper can be cut to any length. If the proper length jiffy rivet is set it will hold like iron. When setting jiffy rivets you must use a domer on top and have a 1/16 or so of the male end of the rivet sticking up through the leather.as that allows the stud to properly mushroom out in the female head part. For reinforcing at the end of a stictch line I will use #14 copper rivets, small, cheap and cost effective by the pound, for a little more hold step up to a # 12 copper rivet. I also use chicago screws on belt ends, bit ends on headstalls, occasionally, and anywhere you want something to come apart with a little ease. When using chicago screws a bit of blue loctite or fingernail polish will hold fairly well but still allow them to come apart if needed such as on conchos for chaps legs. Everythhing has there specific use you just need to decide what is right at any given point to use. One point to consider is that most rivets use a smaller hole in the leather than chicago screws, thereby weakening the leather less. Just my $.02. Happy riveting.