Three Clasps

I've been meaning to do this for the longest time.
I wanted to make some special toggle clasps out of the pewter.

Some that were different, very visual and useful for necklaces or bracelets.

But I kept delaying. Do you ever spend time telling yourself how difficult something will be, and talk yourself right out of it? It was kind of like that.

 Tuesday, I just sat down and started working on these.

I started playing with the prototypes in polymer clay first. To get the sizes, textures and the locations for the holes and opening for the toggle.

Then I just started working on them.

These are the first three that I got finished.

I'm going to put them in the Etsy shop, but I can't wait to make a bracelet with one of them. To try them out. I haven't made any finished jewelry since before the move started, I need to get some beads out and wrap some wire.

They are very rustic and have a lot of texture to them.

If you're like me, with the prices of precious metals, you're using more copper wire in your designs right now.

So I gave these first three a deep copper-bronze patina. To coordinate well with copper, but they would look great with patinaed brass wire too.

They're good sized, not too large for a bracelet, but showy enough for a focal in a necklace, if you wanted the clasp down in front instead of in the back.

This one has a single hole for a strand or wire wrap to attach, and the other two have double holes. They could be connected to a single strand with jump rings, I suppose.

They all have a nice weight to them, not too hefty, but solid.

And the little toggle bars work well, I think. I don't know why I put this off for so long.

What do you think?

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Maybe the subject of the GIVEAWAY in the last post should be a toggle like one of these? Will that inspire you to give me some ideas for the button cast replicas?