Snaps

Any regular leather outlet (Tandy, Springfield Leather Company, Zack White, etc..) will have line 20 and line 24 button snaps. Line 24 are common size, line 20 are a bit smaller. They come in 4 pieces and you'll need the setter and anvil which usually cost just a few bucks.
 
^^^^
This.

Also, I have been struggling trying to decide to go to Durable Dot brand snaps. They come highly recommended by Sandy, a bit more expensive than the Tandy versions, but they are supposed to be much stronger.

A while back I got some stainless DOT's, outrageously expensive, but they're stainless! Haven't raised the guts to try them out yet, but I hope to soon.

Those stainless snaps came out to nearly half a buck a snap, whereas Line 24's are Twenty and change for a bag of 100. Makes it much easier to handle goobering one every know and then.
 
The snaps can be had with different length posts too. You want to make sure that your post just sticks through your leather and the other snap piece. Not enough and it won't peen well, if at all. Too much and it won't peen straight and you will say bad words and throw things around. End nippers will most of the time get em off clean. I've got a compartmentalized box with 2 different post lengths for line 24's and two different for line 20s. Not sure why I bought the 20s. Don't recall ever using one. Had em for years.
 
Horsewright said:
Not sure why I bought the 20s. Don't recall ever using one. Had em for years.
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Horse, Line 20 is about all I use. If you have enough of them to make it worth you while you can mail them to me.

Please use regular email for your response so it won't be construed as selling on this forum. Contact information is below in my sig line.

Paul
 
leatherman said:
^^^^
This.

Also, I have been struggling trying to decide to go to Durable Dot brand snaps. They come highly recommended by Sandy, a bit more expensive than the Tandy versions, but they are supposed to be much stronger.

A while back I got some stainless DOT's, outrageously expensive, but they're stainless! Haven't raised the guts to try them out yet, but I hope to soon.

Those stainless snaps came out to nearly half a buck a snap, whereas Line 24's are Twenty and change for a bag of 100. Makes it much easier to handle goobering one every know and then.
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DOT's are well worth it compared to Tandy's snaps. Tandy's hardware is just to "chincy" for me. If you go with the DOT(Scovill) snaps, I would recommend finding another supplier other than going straight to Scovill if you can help it. I've made 4 orders with them so far, and have had an issue with every single order. I would buy their snaps from someone else and pay their margin instead of going straight to Scovill if I had a choice. But no one stocks the post length and color that I need other than Scovill themselves. That being said, I generally have to place an order with them about a month in advance before I will actually need the hardware.

I understand that we are the "small guys" compared to the companies that order 50,000 pieces at a time, but it gets very frustrating not getting the same level of customer service. Every customer should receive the same treatment no matter what the total of their invoice is.
 
Goose_52 said:
DOT's are well worth it compared to Tandy's snaps. Tandy's hardware is just to "chincy" for me. If you go with the DOT(Scovill) snaps, I would recommend finding another supplier other than going straight to Scovill if you can help it. I've made 4 orders with them so far, and have had an issue with every single order. I would buy their snaps from someone else and pay their margin instead of going straight to Scovill if I had a choice. But no one stocks the post length and color that I need other than Scovill themselves. That being said, I generally have to place an order with them about a month in advance before I will actually need the hardware.

I understand that we are the "small guys" compared to the companies that order 50,000 pieces at a time, but it gets very frustrating not getting the same level of customer service. Every customer should receive the same treatment no matter what the total of their invoice is.
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Yep, been there, and its so frustrating at times I want to bite nails. Some leather providers have that same attitude "if its not several sides its not worth their time" and they are blunt about it. Though companies like Eagle found that being aloof sometimes can bite you in the butt.

If your going to offer quantities in the 100's why give a fella a hard time for ordering a 100?? Doesn't make sense. But it happens more often than not.
 
Thanks for all the info guys, I should have spelled it out in the question better,(sorry Strigamort) I've been using Tandy snaps for years and hate them!
 
Bgbdwolf said:
Thanks for all the info guys, I should have spelled it out in the question better,(sorry Strigamort) I've been using Tandy snaps for years and hate them!
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The biggest problem with Tandy Snaps is the post length is way too long. So what happens is when you set the snap, the bottom or top shifts to the side, because the post has nowhere else to compress. Then of course some expletives are involved and you sit there wondering what you did wrong.

Now you could trim the post shorter, and for a small hobbyist project than that would be fine. But if you are doing more than a few, its best to find the correct post length. Any reputable fastener supplier will give you all the specs you need. I used to order from Ohio Travel Bag, but have since went with Scovill(DOT), mainly because their 1,000 snap quantities are significantly cheaper, and you can order the sockets with a "Firm" action. The socket is the piece with the ring inside of it, and the "action" is the force required to unsnap the fastener. I've found the normal action sockets are too light for my tastes.

What works great to remove snaps is a "center drill". They are mainly used by machinists, come in all sorts of sizes, and can be had on Ebay or Harbor Freight for cheap. It has less of a tendency to grab and spin the backside than a regular drill bit due to the steeper angle of the cutting edges. Once you remove enough of the brass on the rolled rim of the post, just grab a pliers and pull the socket or stud off to break away any of the post remaining. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. :D
 
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I did see about those extra hard retention sockets and that is what sold me, the phosphor bronze seems to be the key. Even the stainless sockets are referred to as normal retention. Good to hear my direction is right. I may spend more, but I have a feeling I will be happier for the effort, and my customers get a much better product.

I've already used the "Pull The Dot" snaps with great success and that is what "pulled" me over to the dark side. :p
 
I haven't had any problems with the firmness of opening with the Tandy snaps, but I've, admittedly, only used a handful. I have a SOG multi-tool sheath that has a pathetic snap and I hate it for that reason. I should just replace the snap. The sheath itself is very sufficient otherwise.

Thanks for bringing it up. I'll see about finding snaps (I don't use many, so won't need a large supply) elsewhere.
 
Tandy snaps are a soft action snap. If you order from Scovill direct they will make whatever post lengths you require if their stock sizes don't work for you. Hard action is about the best all around snap. I tried the extra firm once, they weren't kidding about the 'extra' part. If your budgeting then order 4-6 weeks in advance, and follow up with them.
Scovill builds a million things and has about as many contracts, You can get lost in the shuffle. I'm amazed they even bother with individual direct sales. I started ordering things by the year quantity instead of the month, been working out a lot better around here.

Don't drop the snap box after you opened the UPS box. It takes several hours to pick all that crap up.
 
Thanks Skystorm, I hear you on that dropping the box business. Sounds like something I would do!
 
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