Clasp Repair and Replication II
Clasp Replica II
Originally posted on bookclasp.com , 2006
Original clasp
The commission task was to replicate this clasp, shown left, making a new clasp which would echo the feeling of the existing one. The original was made of nickel silver and nickel plated copper.
For the new one I used solid nickel silver for all the parts. I did not replicate the stamped engraving. The style of hinge mechanism on this was a little unusual and quite a bit more complex to construct.
Rubbings of all of the parts of the clasp were made in order to get as accurate a pattern to work from as possible.
The hasp and clasp plate were sawed out with a jewelers saw and filed and the edges of the parts were beveled. Then the interior design was cut out and filed to bevel the edges slightly. The center knuckle for the hinge was an integral part of the hasp piece in this case and was rolled up to form the tube at the bottom of the hasp.
Shown below are some of the step by step photos of the process with a few words describing the jist of each step, as the photos themselves are fairly self explanatory. Clicking on the pics will open larger views.
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- 1) Filing interior pattern on hasp.
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- 2) Bending first angle on the hingeplate
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- 3) Parts ready for next step
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- 4) Making and dapping coverplate.
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- 5) Checking fit before soldering to plate.
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- 6) Completed hinge mechanism front view.
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- 7) Completed hinge mechanism inside back.
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- 8) Back view of original clasp and replica clasp, patinaed.
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- 9) Front view of original clasp and replica, patinated.
I repair Bibles. Sometimes the the whole clasp or half the clasp in missing. Do you replicate clasps for bookbinders and if so approximately how much do they cost? At present I have two pulpit bibles that each need a clast to match the original oneg.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks. Sylvia