Tightening And Loosing Chicago Screws

[Wicked Welts]

Has anyone tried contact cement on the barrel of the female part to give it a better hold on the leather? I thought of this the other day but haven't tried it yet.

Also thanks to this thread, I just thought that a generic deep well socket (maybe 3/8" drive x 1/2" deep well) could be used on top of a plain washer to push down on the male side of the leather with the eraser trick holding the female barrel side underneath. This would put a lot of extra pressure on the female barrel without having to push so hard on the screwdriver as you drive it through the hollow of the deep well socket. In other words, the socket acts as a pusher-handle-doohickey and the screwdriver doesn't slip and it might give you a little more squish on stuff that's too thick. Or just buy the tool!

Edited April 27, 2015 by Wicked Welts

[Otto6294]

You can put a tiny star washer under the female side that get pulled into the leather. I have cut some tiny ridged into them with a dremel also. I have also had to cut a screwdriver slot into the back to remove old ones and replace them.

[Wicked Welts]

I like the star washer idea. What's the preferred material - brass, stainless?

[Otto6294]

I use whatever I can find. If you are in a humid environment, I would use brass or stainless. I used the nickel plated steel ones I believe. I rummaged through the hardware store and found them.

[bullmoosepaddles]

For the male side. I once worked for a tool company that made screwdrivers. While there I bought one of every size we made. I use a large old number 12 screwdriver. It fills most of the slot and makes cam out much less likely. I use a good number of the cheap aluminum ones in a wooden handle I make for a wholesale account. It has cut down on the problems associated with scarring or deforming the screwdriver slot. Ditto on the rubber underneath the female side. I do see a set of those pliers in my future though.

Be well

[TomG]

Like chrstn53 said, they make a plastic tool for holding pressure on the smooth side. I think it's actually made from Delryn, but could be wrong.

OTB carries them pretty cheaply. It's better than no tool at all and I do use blue Loctite.. Sometimes the red if I don't ever want them coming out...

Here's a picture. Not as rugged as the Weaver version for sure.

[paprhangr]

weaver tool works great

[Busterradar]

If you weld or know someone that can take a pair of vice grips and on one side weld a circle piece of metal and glue down a piece of rubber. On the other side weld a washer with a rubber o-ring. It allows you to tighten the chicago screw without I spinning. I would not use contact cement because you only want to stop them from coming loose by accident but you or your customer may need to take them off in the future. Just my 2 cents.

[VYO]

On 4/26/2015 at 11:37 AM, Itch said:

Weaver makes a tool called the malan chicago screw tool which is a modified vice grip that does wonders. http://www.weaverleathersupply.com/Catalog/ItemContent.aspx?ItemNumber=27271

Thank you! Was going nuts trying to figure out how to tighten Chicago screws without cementing them in. Ordered a Malan from Weaver today.

[Smartee]

I use flat nosed pliers to hold the one side or a piece of non slip cabinet liner.  I also Loctite to hold once set.