Attaching headcollar name plates, best way to drill holes?

[Tiddlypom]

I’ve had some very nice brass headcollar name plates made up. I just need to neatly attach them to the leather headcollars now . I’m getting a bit boggled at the methods suggested via Google. Would a simple revolving hole punch be up to the job, do you think? I’d have to buy a new one as my ancient one is bust.The leather is trebled up at the point that I need to attach the plates, so it’s pretty thick. Or else drill out the holes with an electric drill, or get a leather punch set and tap the holes in with a hammer?

Help!

Plates are like these.

 

[Roxylola]

You'd have to punch a hole somehow - I'd try the smallest on a revolving one for size. You cant drill leather as it sort of expands to fill the hole, I know this from the time my friends stirrup leather fell apart as she was cleaning it ready for an event the next day - she borrowed my leathers but they didn't go short enough to jump and we had no hole punch to hand, we had an immense amount of panic and trouble trying to drill holes in my leathers that night

 

[LegOn]

I did mine with a hole punch - it was triple layered leather aswell, its was a pretty new hole punch in fairness!

 

[Keith_Beef]

You can drill out a hole, I do this quite often; I use lip and spur wood drills.

Through three thicknesses of leather, I find that the rotating-head plier-type punches take too much effort (admittedly mine is about 30 years old and neither I nor its previous owner has ever sharpened it), so I'd use a struck punch with the piece of leather on a polypropylene chopping board that I keep just for this purpose.

The fixing hardware in the picture looks like tubular rivets. You should have been supplied a small steel disc with a dished face to keep the shape of the dome of the outside rivet head.

 

[phizz4]

I would take them to a local saddler or shoe repairer to make the holes. i would also use Chicago Screws to attach them rather than rivets. That way you can take them off to clean the head collar.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I would take them to a local saddler or shoe repairer to make the holes. i would also use Chicago Screws to attach them rather than rivets. That way you can take them off to clean the head collar.

Chicago screws are a good idea, but their heads are usually quite a bit thicker than the flat head of a tubular rivet. So while a Chicago screw would have the advantage of being able to remove the plate for cleaning, it might not lay flush with the leather...

Counter-sinking the screw head by drilling a bigger diameter hole on the inside and then gluing a piece of chamois over the it would stop rubbing, but then that means having to peel away that chamois before removing the plate and then gluing a new piece of chamois over it afterwards would be a bit of a faff, but it's doable.

Lastly, I'd always use a dab of thread locking compound on any screw or bolt that was going to be subject to vibration.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I did mine with a hole punch - it was triple layered leather aswell, its was a pretty new hole punch in fairness!

This is what I’m hoping to be able to do, too, though the ‘high quality’ revolving punch that I looked at on Amazon is only claimed to cope with leather up to 4mm thick, and mine is 9mm...

Thanks all for your suggestions and advice. I know that the finished result will be good if only I can do it correctly, as I’ve bought leather headcollars with nameplates attached from the same outfit before, and they look really good and have lasted well. They say that their nameplates are easy for diy fixing! I have dropped them a line to ask how they do it.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I put these on when making the headcollars so the back of the rivet is covered by hide. If I have to add them after then a revolving hole punch should be man enough IF you have a good strong grip or a no 2 round punch and rawhide mallet punched on to a lead block , I use this traditional saddler's method on really tough hide. When you rivet it together, hit the inside that doesn't show (on the cap not the stem) as sometimes the hammer doesn't strike it squarely and leaves a dent, you don't want that showing on the outside. If you were nearer I would do it for you, Oz

 

[Gloi]

I usually make holes in leather with a skewer or nail of suitable thickness held in a flame and then burn it through. No strength required.

 

[Leo Walker]

Lastly, I'd always use a dab of thread locking compound on any screw or bolt that was going to be subject to vibration.

I did not know this was a thing! My wheelbarrow bolts keep slowing coming apart and its driving me mad. I was going to do a bit of a bodge job with the angle grinder but thread locking compound sounds like it might be easier and less destructive!

 

[Tiddlypom]

If you were nearer I would do it for you, Oz

That’s a really kind offer, Oz,thanks for that, much appreciated. And thanks again to all others for your help

I heard back from the guys who did me the nameplates, and they referred me on to a You Tube video that they’ve made, which I didn’t know about, doh. They use a good quality hole punch, so I’ve just ordered one (I need a new one anyway), and will follow their method. They also offered to do them for the cost of the postage, which was decent of them.

This is one of the headcollars that I bought from them a couple of years ago complete with nameplates attached, I think they look quite smart, though Oz’s method of making the headcollar up so the rear plates don’t show would be better. I’m keeping these headcollars for best, the new ones are cheaper Shires Blenheim ones for everyday use.





I like the sound of Chicago screws instead of rivets, but not if they’d protrude. These rivets are flush.

 

[sport horse]

I have drilled many with an electric drill. Start with small hole then go bigger. Never had a problem.

 

[Cahill]

I did not know this was a thing! My wheelbarrow bolts keep slowing coming apart and its driving me mad. I was going to do a bit of a bodge job with the angle grinder but thread locking compound sounds like it might be easier and less destructive!

two nuts will do it.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I did not know this was a thing! My wheelbarrow bolts keep slowing coming apart and its driving me mad. I was going to do a bit of a bodge job with the angle grinder but thread locking compound sounds like it might be easier and less destructive!

Locktite (medium compound) is your friend for jobs like that x