Choosing rivets and Chicago screws for leathercrafting

You may be familiar with rivets, but have you used Chicago screws? Here we take a look at different kinds of rivets and Chicago screws and compare them.

Rivets are used in exposed areas such as the shoulder straps on backpacks and the buck tie attachment on a belt, where just sewing isn't enough. It's no wonder that Duluth pack uses them on their very tough backpacks.

Rivets

The basic principle of a rivet is that it consists of two parts, a post and a cap. The post is the long part which goes through the material. The cap is put on the post from the other side of the material. The ideal length of the post is less than 1/8" (3 mm) longer than the thickness of the material. Exactly how long depends on the type of rivet you are using. Usually you can find instructions on the product's page.
The diameter of the cap and the head on the post should be as small as possible without slipping through the hole in the leather. If it's too big it will cause too much leverage if the pull is coming from the wrong direction, and break.

To clinch the rivet you put it on a hard surface, such as metal or granite (wood is too soft). And hit it with a hammer. Some rivets ship with a special tool for that specific rivet to set it in a more controlled way.

Chicago screws

Chicago screws fills the same function as rivets. They also consists of two parts, a male and a female, but instead of clinching them together you screw them together using a normal screwdriver. They come in different lengths and from my experience you usually need shorter ones than you'd think. So if your material is 1/5" thick you should use a female part which is slightly shorter than that. The length given on the product is the length of the female part, the length of the male part is the same or shorter. When you screw them together they compress the material, which stops them from unscrewing. But be careful, it is possible to over-tighten and break them. Especially the kind which has a track for a screwdriver on both sides.

The same thing applies here for the head sizes, they should be as small as possible without risking that they slip through the material.

Tools for hole making and clinching shipped with the rivets. Works a few times then breaks.

Making the hole

To apply rivets or Chicago screws you need a hole through the material, this can be done in several ways, some rivets ship with a tool in the right size. But the best is to have a tool which can make several different sizes.

How to choose

So, rivets or Chicago screws? Rivets come in many different shapes and materials. There are also rivets made for metal and wood which you shouldn't get them mixed up with.

Most rivets sold are really weak, they have a hollow inside and very thin heads. The good thing about these are that they are light, so if you are concerned by the weight and they won't get heavily stressed this is a good option.

If you want strong rivets I recommend solid copper rivets. They have a simple construction where the post is just a straight cone and the cap is a metal ring. They take some practice to clinch but when you learn it it's well worth it.

Chicago screws are quite tough, very close to the copper rivets. And they are easier to attach for a beginner since all you need is a screwdriver. Nowadays I always bring a few with me on trips to be able to make quick repairs. If I don't have a screwdriver with me I can just use a coin or the back of my knife.

I would love to hear what you think down in the comments.

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