If you are making some jewelry for Valentine’s Day, or any other occasion, consider using a magnetic jewelry clasp. Magnetic jewelry clasps are easier for the wearer to secure and to remove. Since most magnetic clasp designs do not require any twisting or opening of small pieces and simply attract to their opposite counterpart, they are also an ideal solution for those that suffer from limited hand mobility. Attaching magnetic clasps can be tricky, especially if you aren’t sure what type of clasp to use for your jewelry pieces. If you are using beading wire to make a bracelet or necklace, a magnetic cylinder clasp is commonly used. Here is one way to attach a magnetic cylinder clasp using a crimp bead. [caption id="attachment_1208" align="alignnone" width="135"]magnet clasp Magnetic Cylinder Clasp[/caption]

Supplies

Steps

  1. On a magnetic cylinder, there are two holes on each side. On one side there is a small hole and the other is a bigger hole.
  2. Take your beading wire and place it through one of the cylinder clasps.
  3. On the side with the smaller opening, place the crimp bead, but do not press it down yet. If you aren’t familiar with a crimp bead, it is a piece commonly used to finish or tie off the ends of beaded jewelry.
  4. On the side with the larger opening, string a small bead onto the wire.
  5. Then loop the wire back through the cylinder, so that the bead is hidden in the opening and there are two piece of wire sticking out of the smaller opening.
  6. String the piece of wire that you ran through the clasp through the crimp.
  7. Tighten the wire, so that there is no wire showing on the larger side. Take the pliers and press down the crimp.
  8. Cut off any extra wire left over after crimping, but leave the remaining beading wire there to string the beads for your bracelet.
  9. Once you have strung all of your beads onto your bracelet, leave some extra wire on the end and follow the same steps to add the other magnetic clasp to the other end.
*Instead of a small bead, you can also tie a knot and pull it into the larger opening. Then secure the knot by adding a drop of jewelry glue. Are you using magnetic clasps in your jewelry designs? If so, we’d love to see your creations. Feel free to share DIY blogs or photos of your magnetic bracelets or necklaces. If you have other questions about what magnetic clasps to use for your jewelry projects, feel free to contact us for assistance.