These solid brass, handmade figure-8 bell pins are used to fasten shank-style bells onto a leather strap. These pins are easier to install and are more historically accurate than machine-made bell pins available from other sources.
Small pins: I usually use these pins for tiny bells with short "U" shanks or drilled-hole shanks -- almost all bells 1 1/8" and smaller need a small bell pin. Some bells in the 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" size range will also require a small pin. These pins are made of lightweight wire.
If you put the shank of the bell through your leather strap and see at least 1/16" (2 mm) of the hole through the shank of the bell, a small bell pin will probably work.
If you put the shank of the bell through the strap and the leather covers almost all or all of the hole in the bell's shank, a small pin will most likely not work. You may need to use a thinner strap with these bells.
Medium pins: I use these pins with medium to medium-large bells -- bells from 1 1/4" across up to about 2" across. Medium pins are made of our standard bell-pin wire.
A strap less than 1 1/8" wide will look best if you use use medium or small bell pins. If the strap is 7/8 inch wide or narrower, be aware the ends of the bell pins may peek out 1/16" to 1/8" (1-3 mm) on both sides of the strap.
If you put the shank of the bell through your leather strap and can see at least 1/8 inch (3-4 mm) of the hole in the bell's shank, a medium bell pin will likely work well.
Large pins: I use these pins for medium to large bells -- bells 1 3/4 inch across and larger. These pins are made from the same wire as our medium pins, but the overall "figure 8" shape is longer and wider to better support larger, heavier bells.
Large bell pins will look best on straps that are 1 1/8" wide or wider.
If you put the shank of the bell through your leather strap and can see 1/8 to 1/4 inch (3-7 mm) of the hole in the bell's shank, a single large bell pin will fit.
Using bell pins with bells that have extra-large shanks: If you put the shank of the bell through your leather strap and can see 3/8 to 1/2 inch (9-12 mm) of the hole in the bell's shank, you may want to use two large bell pins per bell to hold the bell more snugly against the leather. Install the pins as shown in this video:
Part 2: Rivet style strap, except use two pins per bell rather than one.
Some very old bells have shanks so large that 1/2" (12 mm) or more of the hole in the bell's shank shows above the strap. If you have bells like this, watch this video: Display strap, sleigh bells 200+ years old to see an effective way to install these bells with bell pins.
How to install bell pins: Click "See more images" for a quick tutorial about using bell pins to fasten bells onto a leather strap.
Detailed printable tutorial with photos: Do‐it‐yourself Door Strap Kit.
YouTube video with added tips: Part 2: Rivet style strap. The good stuff about bell pins starts at 1 minute 30 seconds.
Please note that our handmade bell pins may require an extra day or two to ship, since we make them as needed. The size and shape of each pin will vary slightly due to its handmade nature.
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