Basic Toggle Ring and Bar Clasp

For wire workers, toggles are basic staples. After you’ve mastered the basic toggle clasp using wire, try embellishing with beads or wrapping with thinner wire.

Level: Easy

Materials:
16-20g wire (sterling, gold filled, copper, etc.,) Wire gauge will depend on the weight of your bracelet/necklace — for lighter weight jewelry, use the smaller (20g) wire.
3-step pliers, round nosed pliers, dowels or mandrels
Flush cutter

Ring

For the ring end of the toggle, I work my wire directly off the spool to eliminate waste. Practice using craft-quality or copper wire until you are comfortable with the technique.

Use the small end of a 3-step pliers, or a small round object (round nosed pliers nose, dowel, mandrel) to make a round closed loop. Continue past this loop and make another closed loop, using the large section of the 3-step pliers, or a medium round object (1.5-3 times the diameter of your small loop). Clip wire using flush cut pliers close to the close of the loop.

Work one end back and forth using a small twisting motion to harden and bring it close to the inside of the ring. Repeat for the other end. If the ends are flush with the ring, you run very little risk of the beading wire slipping out of the toggle. If desired, hammer to harden further and create a flatter surface.

Bar

The key to a toggle bar that won’t slip out of the ring is the length of the cross bar (think of it as the top of a capital letter T). It MUST be at least 1cm longer than your toggle ring is across. I prefer a “bowed” toggle, which forms the bar in a slight M shape…almost impossible to lose. Try the straight bar first, then a bowed bar.

For straight bar:

Determine the overall length needed for your bar (ring diameter + 2cm for loops). Add 2cm MORE for the connector. Cut wire using flush cutters. (Ex: Ring diameter = 2cm, add 2cm for loops, 2cm for connector. Total wire length = 6cm)

Make a tiny loop at one end of your wire using a round-nosed pliers. Repeat at other end, making loop toward the same side as the first one.

Measure wire, and determine center point. Mark wire using Sharpie, and grasp at the center point using a round-nosed pliers. Pull both ends away from the pliers, toward each other. Make a crossed loop (it may be elongated) and bend ends sideways to form a T shape.

For bowed bar:

Determine the overall length needed for your bar (ring diameter + 4cm for loops). Add 2cm MORE for the connector. Cut wire using flush cutters. (Ex: Ring diameter = 2cm. Add 4cm for loops, 2cm for connector. Total wire length = 8cm)

Make a tiny loop at one end of your wire using a round-nosed pliers. Repeat at other end, making loop toward the same side as the first one.

Measure wire, and determine center point. Mark wire using Sharpie, and grasp at the center point using a round-nosed pliers. Pull both ends away from the pliers, toward each other. Make a crossed loop (it may be elongated) and bend ends back to form a T shape. Use a medium dowel or the middle section of a 3-step pliers to gently bend the bar into a flattened M shape.

For either bar:

Hammer bar and connector loop slightly to strengthen and flatten. DO NOT hammer where wires cross, this will weaken your wire.

– L. Kvigne