MAKING A PMC TOGGLE CLASP

When I first took up PMC or Precious Metal Clay I was excited to be able to make my own original links and components for my beaded jewelry. Recently I went one step further and made my first toggle clasp. It was a little time consuming because I'd never done it before but hopefully if I can give you a few tips it will be much easier for you. I wish I had taken pictures of the steps but ,oh well, I didn't know I'd be writing about it. It is really quite easy and the photo of the finished result is probably better than words anyway!

I read a survey once where most people prefer a toggle on a bracelet because they are much easier to fasten. We've all been there I'm sure, wasting precious time trying to swing the bracelet around and magically catching the end ring in your lobster clasp!

A toggle clasp needs to have 2 sections - a ring on one end and a bar on the other that slides into it. I haven't always been a fan of toggles because a lot of them seem to just plain slide out and you run the risk of losing your favorite piece of jewelry! There is a technique to this to make sure this doesn't happen.

RING:

The ring side of the clasp was super easy. I just rolled out my PMC and made it a little thicker than normal, about 6 cards thick (yes, real playing cards) because I was texturing both sides. I cut it into a circle about 5/8' diameter with a center hole. I left a wider amount on the ring so it would be strong.

BAR:

The bar was also easy - just a rectangle rolled the same thickness (6 cards), textured and cut. I made sure that the bar was a little longer (at least 1/8") than the ring outside diameter. This is the secret to not having it slide out! The little circle on the bar was the tricky part but now that I know what I'm doing it should be very easy the next time. I love to learn by trial and error, don't you?

I tried to roll a rope to make the little ring first and it just kept cracking because it was so small. So instead, I rolled a little piece of clay about 4 cards thick, and cut a tiny, tiny circle about 3/16" diameter and put a little hole in the middle. After it dried, I filed down one side so it was flat to give more surface area for adhering to the bar. (You'll notice this on the picture) Using thick slip and brushing with water I attached the ring to the bar after both the bar and the tiny ring were completely dry.

I let both pieces of my clasp dry thoroughly on my little coffee cup warmer. After some more filing and finishing I fired both pieces with my torch. I make sure that I get a red glow for at least 2 minutes for extra strength for PMC3. And voila, here is my finished toggle. The final perfect touch for my bracelet! Click here to see it and the rest of my jewelry.