Which snap buttons?

[Mocivnik]

Are there any snap buttons, that are prefered for leatherworK? I've came across for only these two (different pictures), where one has the "male" part with the hole (second picture), for which I think, that they are meant for thicker leather, while the top picture one's are meant for thinner leather.
Am I right or is this user's preference only?

 

[Alisdair]

Typically, the first type is used for thinner and more flexible leathers. It has a less firm hold. The second type is used for thicker and stiffer leathers and has a very firm hold. If you use the second type with thinner leathers, you're probably going to distort the leather when opening whatever's being held together by the button, because it has such a firm hold. Conversely, if you use the first type with thicker and stiffer leathers,  the two halves will often pop open by themselves when any movement or bending is involved.

[Mocivnik]

@alisdair: thanks! That's just the information I was searching for! Really appriciate the reply!

[Northmount]

3 hours ago, Mocivnik said:

@alisdair: thanks! That's just the information I was searching for! Really appriciate the reply!

Longer studs are of course meant for thicker leather.  Too short, will fall apart.  Too long and they will often bend to the side, making a mess of the snap.

Tom

[AlexFJ]

Also 1st type snap buttons should be 12.5 mm diam. or more (last four on the photo from a glance). Less ones are more suitable for cloth or very thin and soft leather (gloves e.g.) 

Edited June 22, 2018 by AlexFJ

[DrmCa]

Depends on the leather weight. Of course in general you use larger snaps on leather, than on textiles. and you want about 2-3 mm of the stud above the floor of the snap body when pressing to make a nice symmetrical round crimp. There are snaps with gigantic studs for golf bags and similar applications where multiple layers of leather and plastic have to be pierced. So it all depends on your application.

[Mocivnik]

@Northmount: Yeah, I've noticed that. Always, when I use new batch of leather, I "sacrifice" a rivet/snap/whatever and try it, how it will hold.

@drmca: Yup. But I've managed to use the first ones on 7/8 oz. veg tan..but I will most likely change them.

[DrmCa]

Just curious what kind of press do you have? I found that lever style presses are Okay when foot-operated but not so good for hand operation, and ended up buying a twist style press. They are much cheaper in the EU than in North America. Italy, Greece and Turkey make them. I envied the EU prices when I shopped for the press!

And I bought my dies directly from a factory in Eastern Europe, they were a fraction of the cost over here. No wonder our economy is in decline while the rest of the world is booming.

Edited June 24, 2018 by DrmCa

[Mocivnik]

@DrmCa:

Ofcourse. I'm more than satisfied with it. At first, I had a regular arbor press, just like this one, got it for 69€ new one.

Then I saw, that I cannot do anything with it, because it's too light and has too short lever, so I proceeded to next press, for which I don't even know, what's it's name. I got used one (but in good condition) for 100€, but it ranges about 160-180€ regulary.

 

 

Why is this one better? It has better transfer of power. It  reaches max. power just 1mm before finish. In calculations, you have infinity power :D

The way it works, will be better seen on pictures from this link:

http://www.universalgripco.com/arbor-press

 

It has adjustable for 180mm height + it has somewhere about 60mm of pressing.

 

PS: I've been punching out holes with this press only 2 days ago. I could punch out a round hole of 36mm in diameter with only 2 fingers! It was super easy and I highly reccomend it to any leatherworker.

[DrmCa]

This is what I meant by twisty type. I use this press for buttons and snaps and it does just that but excels at that. Keeping it on a piece of 2x4 allows to move it to a machine which is being used at the moment as well.

 

[thefanninator]

17 minutes ago, DrmCa said:

This is what I meant by twisty type. I use this press for buttons and snaps and it does just that but excels at that. Keeping it on a piece of 2x4 allows to move it to a machine which is being used at the moment as well.

 

I have this hand press too. Do you know if there are dies for the press snaps (Made by Prym) in the top picture?

[DrmCa]

Short answer:

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20180701112042&SearchText=snap+press+dies

Long answer:

I have several sets of dies together with a 1000 bag of of snaps in several sizes that I bought from a factory on the Old Continent through a friend. They do not sell to the public, but I bought their overstock when he was cleaning his working area for a new product. I could have bought them from Ali express as well, but I was already getting a shipment from that factory, so things were not adding any shipping cost. Also getting correct dies from China takes a lot of patient back and forth to make sure dimensions are correct, their communication skills are not top notch, even if their product may be.

[thefanninator]

On 7/1/2018 at 2:25 PM, DrmCa said:

Short answer:

https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20180701112042&SearchText=snap+press+dies

Long answer:

I have several sets of dies together with a 1000 bag of of snaps in several sizes that I bought from a factory on the Old Continent through a friend. They do not sell to the public, but I bought their overstock when he was cleaning his working area for a new product. I could have bought them from Ali express as well, but I was already getting a shipment from that factory, so things were not adding any shipping cost. Also getting correct dies from China takes a lot of patient back and forth to make sure dimensions are correct, their communication skills are not top notch, even if their product may be.

Thanks, I'll check it out.