7 Ways To Fasten A Necklace or Bracelet

Whilst it is not the most exciting part of jewellery design, fastenings are really important! They need to be secure, easy to navigate and blend in with the rest of the design.

There are many things that depend on the way you fasten your necklace or bracelet design such as the size of cord, thread, wire or chain that you are using as well as the look and style of the design itself.

In this blog post we've put together 7 different ways you can fasten both bracelets and necklaces so that next time it comes to choosing which method will work best for your design, you will have plenty of options.

This page features the following:

• Finished chain, loose chain, jump rings & clasps
• Cord ends & end caps
• Crimps
• Knots
• Toggle clasps
• Magnetic clasps
• Screw fasteners

Shop Finished Necklet & Bracelet Chain

Shop Pendants

Shop Loose Chain

At Kernowcraft, we stock a wide selection of loose chain in a range of styles to suit your design and style

Shop Jump Rings

Jump rings are essential for joining your jewellery findings and components together. Shop our wide selection of metals and sizes available. 

Shop Clasps

A clasp is an essential component to fasten your bracelet and necklace designs, there are many styles to choose from and it's important to that this into consideration for your overall design.

Glue-On End Caps

Our sterling silver end caps or silver plated cord ends work well with cotton cord and leather thonging, providing a really nice professional finish.

We recommend scoring the inside of the end cap and applying Devcon 5 minute epoxy glue, then insert the cleanly cut end of the cord or leather as deep as possible and leave to set.

TIP: We found that placing a piece of wire through the eye in the cap can help prevent the cord from being glued in too deep and blocking the hole - just be careful not to glue the wire in place!

Pinch Cord Ends

Alternatively, there are pinch style cord ends that are perfect for a more flat material such as our micro fibre flat suede or leather thonging. They come with a loop ready to add your jump ring and clasp. Simply place your cord inside the cord end and squeeze with pliers to close – the small raised 'bumps' will help to securely grip the cord.

We also recommend checking out our classic box style cord ends, similar to pinch style where you fold the sides over thong or cord with pliers to secure in place and then add jump rings and a clasp to complete your necklace or bracelet design.

3. Crimps

Crimps are an easy and sleek way to secure a design using thread, flex-rite or cords (depending on your crimp size).

Simply thread the material through the crimp, loop it back around on itself and squeeze the crimp together using snipe nose pliers. This will create a secure loop for you to attach a clasp or other finding.

Crimps are not ideal for very fine thread or silk as it is possible that it could slip out - however you could try creating a knot within the thread to give the crimp more to hold onto.

You can close crimps with snipe nose pliers, or for small, neat crimps try our magical crimping pliers or for mini crimps our micro crimping pliers.

Crimps With Loop

Crimps with loops are beginner-friendly, providing a neat finish for necklaces and bracelets without the need for seperate crimps, jump rings and wire guardians. All you need to do is insert your thread into the crimp and squeeze the central band of the tube with snipe nose pliers to grip it firmly. The crimp holds its shape as it is only the centre of the tube that is flattened and your clasp can be attached directly to the loop.

Wire Guardians

Wire guardians (also known as thread protectors) are a really clever alternative to using gimp wire, preventing your stringing material from wearing against your findings. To finish your necklace; thread a crimp on after your last bead and simply feed your thread or wire through the protector. Slip your clasp, necklet-end or jump ring over the protector and the thread together, pass the thread back down through your crimp and fasten as you would normally.

Watch us create a necklace using gemstone beads, beading chain, a clasp and crimps with loops.

Watch us make a minimal briolette necklace using Flex-rite jewellery wire, a clasp and crimps with loops.

How To Make A Sliding Knot

One popular method is using a sliding knot which works well with cotton, silk and leather cords and allows you to create a fastening that you can adjust accordingly.

Follow our step by step tutorial with photos, plus explore our selection of threads and cords on our website to have a go for yourself. Don't forget to also check out our range of large-holed beads and charm beads to add to your designs.

Necklet Ends, Knot Covers & Bead Tips

These types of findings are perfect for beaded bracelets and necklets that need to be finished with a knot. A knot cover has a clam-like cup that holds and hides the knot in your thread, simply use a pair of pliers to close the cover over the knot.

A necklet end works the same way however it is a little more sturdy for heavier necklace designs. Bead tips also give a neat, professional finish by providing a loop for attaching to clasps or jump rings at the same time as concealing the knot.