Glass Toggle Clasps

[Heather Behrendt]

I'd like to try making one for fun. Any tutorials or pictures to share? I'd love to see yours.

Does the bar need to be a certain length compared to the ring size?

[2xMI]

The bar should be a little longer than the inner diameter of the ring. And when you attach the bar to whatever you're making, leave enough play to pull the bar up through the ring, and "fold" and go from parallel to perpendicular to the ring. That makes it easier to get on and off. Hope that makes sense.

Mimi

[FosterFire]

Please post pictures when you have some! Love to see.

[steiconi]

I tried some a while ago. I formed the rings around round and square(!) brass tubes. The bars were really hard for me; if I tried them now, I would cut a piece of stringer, fuse it to a small bead, then heat round the ends.

sorry, no pix
Lee

[FosterFire]

I was thinking the bars could be made from boro to be tougher.

[bluhealer]

Originally Posted by FosterFire

I was thinking the bars could be made from boro to be tougher.

That's a good idea, I used to make the bars as built up dots on a small bead, but I always worried about them getting banged around and breaking right there.

[essiemessy]

I'd had a bit of a play with making my own toggles a while back, but gave up because I'm crap at making the rings to go with them

But I'd also been playing around with making buttons for my necklaces as well, with some success, and then, because I do a lot of cord jewellery, I tried a toggle-style button that also works quite well. Maybe an elongated version of these?

Made on the end of a rod, with a gather, let that gather set, then grab it with tweezers, and start a little ways up the rod, using the unmelted piece of rod as the centre, building a gather there once it's separated from the rod.
Easy

[PaulaP]

Di what a clever idea.

[AvenueBeads]

I use to make glass toggles years ago. I'll have to see if I can't find the photos of them.

[essiemessy]

Thanks, Paula
Necessity is the mother of invention

[knittyditty]

Sure wish you had picture or video of this technique..... being a newbie I'm having a hard time visualizing this. I love the little "barbell" toggles but can't seem to "get it".

[artsyuno]

I tried it a while back, too, but couldn't make a decent toggle to save my life. I make big hole beads and silver toggles.

[essiemessy]

Yeah, I have the most trouble with heat control. That's what makes that job hard.
I have plenty of wonkies