Clasp - best practice

[Sheen]

Hi all, been playing today. Made this with 1.8mm soft copper wire. Wanted to know how to improve on my next go. The flattened loop is actually a little bit oval rather than circular, any tips?

[Dennis]

No, don't obsess about the correct way to make the fastener. This will be one of your signatures, so follow your instincts.

In general, if not textured, try to avoid plier marks, by bending around pliers without gripping, or putting a rod in a vice and bending around that.

If oval, or round, try to make the curves as smooth as possible. Perfectly round hooks tend to rotate and come undone if the tension in the chain slackens.

Here are a few to look at:https://www.google.com/search?q=imag...Aszva_4bblU9M:

There are some in my album too. Dennis.

[CJ57]

I like the shape Sheena, it has a good flow to it

[Sheen]

I like the shape Sheena, it has a good flow to it

Thanks caroline, i do like my curves, great sense of satisfaction when it's just right😊

[Sheen]

No, don't obsess about the correct way to make the fastener. This will be one of your signatures, so follow your instincts.

In general, if not textured, try to avoid plier marks, by bending around pliers without gripping, or putting a rod in a vice and bending around that.

If oval, or round, try to make the curves as smooth as possible. Perfectly round hooks tend to rotate and come undone if the tension in the chain slackens.

Here are a few to look at:https://www.google.com/search?q=imag...Aszva_4bblU9M:

There are some in my album too. Dennis.

Thanks dennis, had a look in your album and got distracted by your fabulous pangolin. If you are making the tiny loop from which your clasp hangs how do you cut the end (with a saw?) so that it's a close fit for soldering?

[Dennis]

As you say Sheena, the end can be cut to get a closer fit, but mostly it's not needed.

I do however use a cylinder burr to thin about 4mm of the wire for the small loop (near but not quite upto the end), to make it easier to bend. When almost closed I slip on the jump ring and press more to close.

Soldering would render it soft again, so I never do. It is much stronger than any chain and never comes undone. Dennis.

[Sheen]

Thanks dennis that's really useful information. I hadn't thought of making the end of the wire thinner so it's easier to bend. Will experiment