Clasp Restoration for Family Bible
Documenting a commission for Bible clasp construction
Originally posted on bookclasp.com, 2004.
Original Clasp
This brass clasp on the left is a type commonly found on old Bibles and albums. They were machine made, stamped out by the hundreds, I imagine. It might be possible to make a reasonable facsimile of the original clasp through the process of photo-etching. But, unless done in a larger production run, it would not be cost effective. In this particular case, I proposed to create a clasp which was sympathetic with the original part. I replicated the basic shape, created a complimentary shape for the hasp, and patinated the new brass parts to match the color of the existing part, and attached the clasp to the boards.
Making the Clasp and Hasp:
The steps are outlined below in the photos.
-
-
1) Original Clasp
-
- 2) Making a rubbing of existing clasp to use as pattern.
-
- 3) Comparing clasp to brass stock to determine metal gauge for new part.
-
- 4)Comparing pattern to original, and making corrections.
-
- 5) Pattern is glued to the metal and cut out with a jewelers saw.
-
- 6) Clasp formed and tubes are soldered to the piece.
-
- 7) Fit over the fore edge of the book is tested and adjusted
-
- 8) Tube is soldered to the hasp. Rod for the rivet is fitted, and adjustments made before riveting the hasp and clasp together.
-
- 9) Clasp fitted together to check hinge action
-
- 10) Clasp tested to confirm fit
-
- 11) Completed, patinaed clasp.
-
- 13) Checking patina for color match.
-
- 13) Inside view of attachment
-
- 14) Clasp riveted onto book.
-
- 15) On book, (textblock is wrapped for protection.)
Attaching Clasp
After the clasp and hasp are riveted, cleaned and patinated, they are ready to be attached to the board.
The new clasp must be fastened to the board through a new hole, as the old hole is usually too large to re-use. The old hole was filled with a piece of a hardwood toothpick (…otherwise known as the conservation toothpick… ) and glued in with PVA.
The boards were very thick. Hammering a pin through the board without a guide hole would risk damaging the board, so a very small guide hole (much smaller than the pin) was drilled through to minimize the stress in order to make it easier to hammer the pin.
Since these boards were pasteboard, a little brass plate, a small circle of brass with a center hole, is used as an anchor for the rivet on the inside of the board. A recess was trimmed out for the plate and the pin was riveted. (photo 13) Paper was used to fill in any gaps, then sanded down flush with the board, so as to not interfere with the pastedown.
Only one rivet was used to secure the clasp to the board since there is a lip on the front of this clasp which secures it onto the fore edge.
As every clasp is different, one always has to start from the beginning each time, which tends to make this sort of prroject quite time consuming. It tends to be frustrating, but in the end is quite satisfying.
