Leathersmith​/Archer

Fastners

 

Rivets are a very common way to keep two or more pieces of leather together. As you would expect, though, there are more than one type of rivet, there are single capped, double capped, and copper rivets common on armor. Let’s start with copper rivets.

 

Copper rivets have the advantage of not rusting out like most other rivets can. They are also very sturdy and are best suited for armor and armor straps. However they are generally not very pretty so not used on items where appearance counts. (That’s not to say armor beauty does not count.) Copper rivets come in a variety of lengths. You want a length long enough to pass through the project and leave at least 1/8 to 3/16 inch protruding from the other side. Pass the rivet through a hole punched in the project. Put the head of the rivet on a very hard surface. Now place the copper washer that came with the rivet on the end of the rivet. If you have not had to cut the rivet length down the end will have a slight taper on it allowing the washer to just sit on the rivet shaft. Using a special rivet tool available where you bought the rivets put the hole in the end of the tool over the rivet shaft just above the washer. Give it a couple of smacks with a hammer to set the washer down against the project. Now using the dished impression on the same end of the rivet tool that had the hole in it, smack a few times to round over the end of the rivet. It has been my experience that while this works it results in a sharp, rough edge on the flared end of the rivet. I like to take a ball peen hammer and peen over the end of the rivet shaft, as a follow up to the dished end of the rivet tool. This way I can get a nice clean peened over end to the rivet that won’t catch or snag on things. You can also use a rivet with a longer shaft, then after driving the washer onto the shaft, snip the excess off with heavy duty snipers before rounding over the end.

 

For more decorative yet functional items single or double capped rivets are typically used. Theses rivets come in nickel, brass or antique, your choice. Single capped rivets are designed for the backside of the rivet to be hidden from view. There is a hole down the middle of the rivet shaft visible from the back of the rivet. Double capped rivets have a nice, clean rounded end to them that hides this hole. These rivets are designed so both sides can show and look good.

 

Pick a rivet long enough so the shaft of the rivet just peeks out of the top layer of the project. When you set the cap on the rivet, it will compress the leather a little forming a nice tight set on the rivet. Plus the cap has a short “neck” to it that fits over the shaft of the rivet. If you are using single cap rivets, place the backside of the rivet on a hard surface. Place the cap on the other end and using a rivet setting tool that has a depression in one end smack the cap down. It’s not like driving nails into oak but give it a couple of good smacks to set the cap on the rivet. If you do not have the cap and rivet shaft lined up, the cap will be loose. I like to tug on the project or cap after I set it to make sure I’ve got a good set.

 

If you are using double capped rivets there is another tool to use. Set the rivet through the project then place the head of the rivet in the depression of the riveting plate. This is little more than a small plate of metal that has a hole in it for setting snaps and a dished depression in it for setting double capped rivets. Put the cap on the other end and using the same tool for the single capped rivets, set the cap on. Again, give it a tug to make sure you got a good set. If you don’t use the depression tool that came in your rivet setting tool set, the rivet cap will be smashed flat. Not a big deal, it just doesn’t look good and indicates the work of an amateur or sloppy leather smith, which I see a lot of!

 

One thing to think about when you are buying materials for your project, if you are going to use brass buckles, use brass rivets. Silver for silver. Some of the bag clasps come in a nice antique brass. You can get rivets that match. This is a little thing but it indicates a professional job.

 

Now a comment about buckles for armor. Make life easy on yourself, get strap buckles. These buckles are “bent” in the middle better accommodating two layers of leather through the middle. There are also roller buckles that are best for kidney belts and the like. Some roller buckles have one tang some two. It depends on the width of the belt/strap they are used on. Worth the extra money.

 

When you are setting buckles on straps or belts you will need to punch a slot for the tang of the buckle to pass through. There are special tools that you use to punch these out with. Buy one and use it. This slot must have round ends or it will continue to rip the leather and ultimately cause the strap to fail. After you punch the slot for the tang, fold the leather around the center post of the buckle with the tang sticking out the slot (be sure the tang is pointing in the direction of stress on the buckle when used) and use a rivet or two to set the leather back on itself.

 

One final comment about strap and belt ends. There is another tool used to cut the ends of straps so that they are either bullet shaped, round or a squared off taper. Buy a cutter for a 2 inch belt/strap and it will work for all straps of that size or smaller. If you don’t want to go the extra money for this cutter at least snip off the corners of the strap end. This provides a somewhat finished look and makes the strap/belt easier to feed into the buckle.