Should I stick pads to the jaws of a saddler's clam?

[Gonnate]

Hi. I have an old-ish Saddler's Clam... thanks ebay!... [and it's The Official British Ministry of Defence Standardizations Committee model from 1969 too, complete with a lovely wax seal, so it should be ok!! ...]

Anyway, I've just begun using it to make a padded accordion strap & it's marking the leather where it compresses it. Other than that it's really useful, I like it!

The obvious answer is to stick pads of leather to the inside of the jaws so they don't mark the leather. Would this be an act of gross vandalism and the wrong thing to do for reasons I don't yet know, or would it be as useful as I think?

Thanks,

Richard.

(P.S. in case you're interested in the amazing label:

"Name of item: Clam Saddler's for collar making

Stores reference No. 6120-99-910-4392

Approved by Chairman, Panel 'A' J.E.S.C. Sub-Committe on Hand Tools

This master Pattern is NOT to be issued."

and so on. Most impressive, and I feel I ought to salute each time I read it! )

[Luke Hatley]

i have lined the jaws of mine.

when you get time we would like to see a photo of yours....

[Rawhide]

I contact cemented some garment leather to the jaws of my sitching horse to prevent the marking. Works pretty good for me.

[celticleather]

Lining the jaws with leather is a good idea. I use a sueded split leather, about 1mm thick, glued on with the sueded side outermost. I find that this prevents the leather in the clam from slipping.

[Gonnate]

Thanks for the advice.

In response to the request for pics - I've just posted some in the Leather History forum, titled "Her Majesty's Official Defensive Clam"

I hope they're interesting enough - it's just this clam really!

Best wishes,

Richard.

[HarrAwl]

Hello!

I have two leather 'socks' that slip over either jaw. Then, you don't need to staple, glue, nail anything to it and they can be replaced easily, should you need a different gripping surface.

[UKRay]

As a consenting adult, you are entitled to stick whatever you like in the jaws of your clam, fellah!

Just be careful 'cos they can give you a very nasty nip...

[Gonnate]

As a consenting adult, you are entitled to stick whatever you like in the jaws of your clam, fellah!

Just be careful 'cos they can give you a very nasty nip...

But are you sure it's a consenting clam????

[UKRay]

But are you sure it's a consenting clam????

If you get nipped I guess you have your answer!

[Gonnate]

If you get nipped I guess you have your answer!

... but seriously, who took the p out of clams? I mean, it ought to be clamp in modern English, so is it an older version of the word, or just plain odd?

R.

[UKRay]

... but seriously, who took the p out of clams? I mean, it ought to be clamp in modern English, so is it an older version of the word, or just plain odd?

R.

I wonder if it has anything to do with clam shells? - just a thought...

[celticleather]

... but seriously, who took the p out of clams? I mean, it ought to be clamp in modern English, so is it an older version of the word, or just plain odd?

R.

From the purveyor of useless information:

Clams, clems and clamps are all from the same root - the Anglo-Saxon clæmman, meaning 'press'. Its first recorded use in the sense of saddlery tools was in 1399.

There's a similar word - clæmnes - which means 'torture' . . . hmmm