How to close a necklace with a circle&bar toggle clasp

You finally decided to try making a necklace and you want something to look a bit better than a few beads strung on some yarn with a knot in the back. So you're wondering... "Now what do I do?"

Time to get a few things, either from an online source like Rio Grande or at a good local bead store:

  Supplies

Any of the following cording materials:

  • buna cord
    • buna (at some bead stores),
    • o-rings (buna which can be cut and glued together at the ends) at automotive supply stores,
  • duck decoy cord (at hunting and sporting supply stores)
  • leather cord (at many beads and arts and crafts supply stores)
  • 2 spring connectors with the last coil on one end bent up (make sure the connectors are of a size that the cord fits snugly inside the connector)
  • "Circle & Bar" clasp/closure (also known as "Toggle" or "Bar & Loop"
  • 2 jump rings
  • chain nose pliers (or flat nose)

  Steps
1.

String your bead(s) on the cord! OK, ready?


2.

 

In the above diagram:

  • black bars = the two ends of the cord your beads are strung on
  • yellow coils = the spring connectors, the spring connectors are shown strectched out strictly for visual clarity. Don't stretch out your connectors!
  • pink circles = the jump rings
  • blue parts are the two parts of the bar and circle clasp/closure.

3.

  Insert one cord end into a spring connector, as far as it will go. Use your pliers to firmly pinch the last coil tightly so the cord cannot slide out or be easily pulled out. If you're sure the length of the necklace is what you want, you can insert the other end of the cord into the second spring connector and pinch the last coil to secure that cord end in the connector.

4.

 

Now pick up a jump ring. The jump rings will link the spring connectors to the clasp. Slightly twist a jump ring to open it enough to hook in the ring end of the spring connector AND the ring end of the bar half of the clasp. Twist the jump ring to close it. Make sure the jump ring is closed as tight as it can be. Use your pliers to pinch close the ring end of the spring connector so it cannot unhook from the jump ring.

Using the second jump ring, hook in the ring end of the second spring connector AND the ring end of the circle half of the clasp. Twist the jump ring to close it. Use your pliers to pinch close the ring end of the second spring connector so it cannot unhook from its jump ring.

That's that! You're done! Congrats.


Have a great polymer clay time.. ;-)

Desiree

Last update to this page: 12 Aug 02. Send comments, questions or suggestions to Desiree McCrorey.