I’ve been buying neoprene rubber neck cords with sterling silver
clasps from Rio Grande, and I keep getting returns from customers
because the rubber slips out of the clasp. I’ve tried crimping
them, but that’s a mistake. The silver is thin and deforms very
easily.
I make certain that the pendants are not too heavy for the cord by
making sure that the necklace remains round when the pendant is
attached, so I don’t think that weight is the issue.
Is this just a problem inherent with using neoprene rubber cords?
Is the problem with Rio Grande’s manufacturer? Is there a better
solution or a better supplier?
I really like this look, so I’m hoping to be able to continue using
neoprene cords.
Linda, I haven’t had this problem with the cords I’ve purchased from
Rio, so perhaps you received a defective batch. What diameter cord
are you using? Maybe this is the problem? I’ve been ordering the 3mm
size.
Linda, I think that a phone call to Rio Grande would be a good idea.
I’m sure that they would want to know that there is a problem with
one of their products. Joel Schwalb @Joel_Schwalb www.schwalbstudio.com
Very gently drill through both the silver and the rubber. Fit a
slightly overlong piece of wire that fits snugly into the hole and
either river it in place or turn the ends over.
Get a glue called Lighting Bond it works with rubber to metal will
not dry out like superglue comes in three grades, Thin, Medium, and
Thick also comes with an accelerant to speed bonding and a powder
material to use as a filler really good for anything to almost
anything.
I get it from a man in San Antonio, Texas Jerry Adams he is just a
vender 210-863-2380
I have been having the same problem, though I get mine from Stuller.
I also have noticed that the rubber itself loses its flexibility
fairly quickly. As they stiffen, they can break fairly easily right
at the end of the cap. For the ones that come loose, I have just been
redoing them with epoxy. I have had to replace a couple at N/C,
though, so I would love to see a response from a customer service or
techy person along the way. Jim
Hi Alana - Up until my most recent order, I had only been ordering
the 2.5 mm cord. This has been a problem on previous orders, too,
so it’s not just this batch.
Linda, I have discontinued my use of Rio Grande’s small-gauge rubber
cords. They have little beads spaced along them, and a foldover
clasp termination. The fold-overs were often put on sloppily, and
when I would try to correct that, they would often cut themselves
off. The customers loved the look, but then returned them to me when
they pulled out of the terminal, or broke off. It was not at all the
quality that I have to have for my work. There is a heavier cord at
Rio, around 2.5 or 3mm, that has ends glued into a tube, that is of
better quality. Too bad about the little ones…they are just junk!
– M’lou Brubaker, Jeweler Goodland, MN www.craftswomen.com