Bracelet clasps

tcwhit wrote

on Dec 30, 2012 11:44 AM

Opinions on most secure bracelets clasps, please? I don't like the spring or lobster claws. I just have too hard a time with one hand, and sometimes can't do them at all. Toggles look nice, but in my experience, they come loose too often. Boxes look so great I think, and the single press of them makes it easy to take off, but same as toggle, they can open too easily on their own. I'm thinking switching to those tube-slide things. What kind of experiences have you guys had with them? Are they easy to work one handed for the wearer? Do you find them to stay secured?

I swear I'm not taking a poll here, but I AM about to place a very large order and the clasps are almost half of it.

Thanks for any and all input.

TC

D.M.Z wrote

on Dec 30, 2012 1:22 PM

TC, part of what you are unsatisfied with is a quality issue. I have never had a toggle open on me. I think it is a matter of how the toggle is made, in the correct length (just long enough to go through the loop) it would have a hard time accidently getting to exactly that position. And box clasps have been around for ages without coming open. That said, today's box clasps may be entirely too cheap to stay shut, that would be my guess.

Tube slides are very good about staying closed because they are crossways to the way they would like to come apart. They come in many nice sizes too.

Another one I like are the ball and socket ones, I dont' have a particularly hard time with them as you just press the socket end over the ball and they are good to go. It takes a pretty violent tug to get them to open, same as the tubes because they close crossways. I made a bracelet for a pal, what I didn't know is that she wore it every day for over a year and finally the jump rings gave up. She had those replaced and finally the ball started wearing down from going on and off and I replaced that for her and changed out the jump rings for split rings. She is still wearing it much to my amazement, I'd have thought the thread would have gone by now, but it is a flat woven piece so maybe not as much abrasion as I anticipated.

My all time (currenlty) fave is the fold over magnetic clasp. They look like the old box clasp and are totally cool, but the magnet has the fold over to "back it up" so they don't come undone. Donna

Beadiecat wrote

on Jan 2, 2013 3:36 AM

I love the tube slide clasps!  They are easy to do and undo with one hand, and do not come undone while you are wearing them.

I haven't had trouble with box clasps, and I like them because they look "classy".  If you make sure they click closed, they should not open while wearing them.  They are also easy to work with one hand.

I have  not tried the fold-over magnetic clasps yet, but am eager to give them a try.

Cat

Creative Eclectica wrote

on Jan 2, 2013 2:11 PM

Donna-I'm very interested in the foldover magnetic clasps. Could you share where you buy yours from? My MIL is buying 2 bracelets from me but she only has partial use of one of her hands due to a stroke and can't manipulate the clasps that are currently on them.

She can do toggles but one of the bracelets is very narrow and I haven't been able to find a toggle clasp that goes witht he design AND is proportionately sized.

shellie :)

Beadiecat wrote

on Jan 3, 2013 3:51 PM

Shellie,

I found one on Etsy, but it's sterling silver, so pricey.

Cat

mosshollow1 wrote

on Jan 5, 2013 7:07 AM

I'm a fan of both toggles and box clasps and the first responder to this thread hit the nail on the head: it's a quality issue.  Toggles that are designed properly stay put.  As for box clasps, since I've started using the ones made in Germany, I have no problems with them.

Anne

CryssT wrote

on Jan 5, 2013 6:50 PM

Another option is to add a short bit of chain (I do it at the wire guards) so while a toggle or magnet might open, the bracelet won't fall off. 

The6ofcupsandme wrote

on Jan 8, 2013 10:15 PM

I had the same question about 6 months ago! I don't like a clasp I can't manage on my own, (for some reason lobster claws fight me!) and simple ones like "fat ladies" and toggles let me down repeatedly. I bought a small assortment of different claspsand I like the slide ones for wide bracelets, and I've had good luck with "bullet" types for tennis-width bracelets. 

I haven't tried the magnetic clasps or the ball ones yet, but when I do I will use them with a safety chain.

Gyspy Mary wrote

on Jan 9, 2013 10:13 PM

My all time (currenlty) fave is the fold over magnetic clasp

DMZ  where do you find a "fold over magnetic clasp? I love the little ball manetic clasp.(they always require a safety chain)

Where do you buy them?

Thanks, in advance for your reply

Handcrafted wrote

on Jan 10, 2013 12:37 PM

I would go with the toggle clasp every time. I find that these are the most popular and most secure. You just have to make sure that the toggle is long enough. 

I think that if you take a look at the bracelets that are out there the majority have a toggle clasp so that must say something I even use small plain ones for my necklaces and with other pieces of handmade jewellery 

Julie 

CryssT wrote

on Jan 19, 2013 12:06 AM

I've gotten some off of eBay - magnetic fold over clasp

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=magnetic+fold+over+clasp&_sacat=0&_odkw=swarovski+magnetic+clasp&_osacat=0&_from=R40

and Swarovski makes them. also on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=swarovski+magnetic+clasp&_sacat=0&_odkw=fold+over+magnetic+clasp&_osacat=0&_from=R40

Gyspy Mary wrote

on Jan 19, 2013 11:50 PM

Big thanks for the information! I will check these out.

D.M.Z wrote

on Jan 20, 2013 12:54 AM

Re: foldover magnetic clasps................. I have found them at my local bead shop and Fire Mountain carries a few designs in them also. The ones at the local shop (Sweetcreek/Bead Warehouse in Florence Oregon and they are online) were really super and have excellent heft to them and a cab mounted. So they weighed a good bit and were just lovely. The FMG ones were slimmer and thinner and I've worn bracelets with both of those and no problems with either the heavy one lighter one. The magnets in both are superior as far as holding quality. And yes, they are excellent for anyone needing an easy clasp to operate, the magnet catches and then the foldover is the backup to secure it. I do believe in safety chains and save many pieces of chain to combine with split rings to make safety chains especially if the bracelet is heavy. Sorry I didn't get back to this sooner, I've been doing the eye doctor thing all January (or so it feels) and I now have two eyes with no cataracts and I am seeing colors so clear and bright now..............wowser. No more dingy vistas for me. Donna

jyceL wrote

on Apr 23, 2013 8:25 AM

What size clasp do you buy?

thanks

D.M.Z wrote

on Apr 23, 2013 12:53 PM

jyceL, I personally buy clasps that strike my eye......large and small and then match them to my finished bracelets.........wide ones for my loomed or square stitched items, toggles and mag foldovers for narrower off loom items. I have a tendency to like bracelets the most and go overboard with embellishments (grin) so my tendency is for heavier clasps that will hold onto a ton of glass beads. Donna