How to Make a Clasp — Clasp Ideas You Can Make Yourself

Examples of Clasps

How to make a clasp…is it difficult?  No, it’s not, as long as you have some wire and feel like playing!  Making your own clasps gives you the opportunity to customize your jewelry even further.  It also helps when you realize you don’t have a clasp the right size, LOL.  You can make one just as large or as small as you need!

Clasp Wire – What Gauges to Use?

Ideally, you would use 18 gauge or 16 gauge for any clasp design that is made from a single wire (as opposed to some clasps which have a doubled wire).  Most often, I use 18 gauge wire, and I will work-harden it afterwards with a rubber mallet or a chasing hammer.  However, I don’t always need to do the work-hardening for 18 gauge, especially if my jewelry project is lightweight.

If I have a design that uses doubled wire, I tend to use either 20 gauge or even 22 gauge.

If I have a design that uses any wire weaving techniques, 20 gauge is my favorite, as the wire weaving stabilizes the wire.

Now most jewelry wire is sold as “dead soft”, which is ideal for shaping.  However, if you don’t want to fiddle around with work hardening your 18 gauge wire, you can try using half-hard wire.  It’s more difficult to shape, but it holds that shape well.

Keep in mind that when I talk about gauges, I am referring to the “AWG” gauge, which is the traditional measuring system for jewelry wire.  If you pick up some wire listed as “SWG”, keep in mind that anything under 20 gauge has a different wire diameter — it’s generally one size larger than AWG.  It makes a difference as to how easily the wire bends.

Time to Make Some Clasps!

Here’s a video on making clasps — just a few ideas.  These are fairly simple, and meanwhile, I am thinking up some other designs that are a bit more elaborate, for when you want that extra-special touch!