Skip to Content

To attach medieval fittings and rivets

Materials:

  • Leather (e.g., for a belt or leather armor)
  • Fittings with rivet pins
  • Hammer
  • Base (e.g., a piece of hardwood or a metal plate)
  • Rivet pliers or ball-peen hammer
  • Hole punch
  • Measuring tape or ruler
  • Chalk or a piece of soap for marking

Steps:

Preparation of the leather:

  1. Decide where on the piece of leather (e.g., belt or armor) you want to attach the fitting.
  2. Mark the spot with chalk or a piece of soap by placing light dots.

Create a hole for the rivet pin:

  1. Use a hole punch to punch a hole at the marked spot. The hole should be large enough to accommodate the rivet pin but not too large to ensure a snug fit for the fitting.

Attaching the fitting:

  1. Insert the rivet pin of the fitting through the previously punched hole in the leather.
  2. Place the leather with the fitting on your base.

Secure the rivet pin:

  1. If the rivet pin is too long, you can shorten it slightly with pliers. However, leave enough length to bend or rivet it securely.
  2. Now use the hammer (or ball-peen hammer) to rivet the rivet pin. Gently strike until the pin flattens out and securely holds the fitting to the leather.

Final check:

  1. Check if the fitting is firm and secure, and there is no wobbling. If necessary, you can carefully work with the hammer again.

Repeat:

  1. Repeat the above steps for each additional fitting you want to attach to your medieval leather piece.

Tips:

  • Always work with caution and wear protective goggles to avoid injury.
  • For larger leatherworks like armor, it's advisable to first create a sketch to plan the positions of the fittings.
  • For thicker leather pieces, it can be helpful to prepare the hole with an awl or a thicker needle before using the hole punch.