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Fixing A Instrument Carrying Case For My Musician With KAM Snaps April 21 2022
"Mom, all the zippers on my flute case are broken now." My musician held up his formerly zip-able case in one hand, his flute in his other.
KAM plastic snaps to the rescue. I went for the quick fix because there is only two months of school left. We will buy a replacement case next school year if he continued with band.
Supplies:
- Long Prong KAM Snaps (4 sets)
- KAM Pliers and Awl
- Marine Vinyl
- Standard Sewing Machine
I sewed two tabs out of double-sided marine vinyl and zigzag stitched them to the top of the soft case. Then, with Long Prong Size 20 KAM plastic snaps, I attached a tab to each side of the case, so that my musician can snap and unsnap the case easily.
Because my musician is an active kiddo, a track team member and an all-round busy boy, I wanted a second layer of defense for his flute.
With the same marine vinyl, I made 4x 1" double-layered bands and zigzag stitched them to the bottom inside of the case in sets to meet across the top of the flute's hard case. Finally, I attached a Long Prong Size 20 KAM plastic snap set to each side and SNAP, his flute is secure.
Tada! Problem solved!
How To Install KAM Plastic Snaps with KAM Hand Pliers @ ILikeBigButtons.com March 29 2022
K1 KAM Plastic Snap Pliers Versus K2 ILBB Plastic Snap Pliers January 08 2021
We get a lot of questions about the difference between K1 and K2 plastic snap pliers. Both K1 and K2 pliers work great for applying plastic snaps. They are lightweight, portable, and easy to use.
The K1 pliers are KAM® branded pliers, the same quality brand as the snaps we carry. They come with four (4) dies:
The K2 pliers are manufactured for our I Like Big Buttons!® brand. They are a more economical option for those who aren't looking to do all that many snaps. They come with three (3) dies:
K1 are sturdier and have more robust dies than K2. If you are just doing a few snaps, the K2 is not a bad choice, and some people like them better for Size 16 snaps. The K1 pliers do a nicer job on Size 20 snaps and work great on Size 16.
K1 pliers form the snaps creating a small rounded dome in the socket and stud center. K2 pliers form more of a flat pancake with a bullseye impression that some like for Size 16 snaps, as it can make them snap together a little easier.
If grip strength is an issue, K2 pliers require less force to sufficiently set snaps.
In general, we recommend K1 over K2, but both work great.