How to Hand Set Grommets

What we'll be showing you in this video is how to set a grommet.

To do so we'll need a few simple tools: First of all a grommet setter and a grommet anvil. The setter has to match, as does the anvil, the size of the grommet. We're using a zero size grommet so this is a zero size setter and a zero size anvil.

We'll also need our pounding board, our old reliable beat up one here. We'll need a hammer, I do use a steel hammer instead of a rawhide mallet for anything but my good cutting tools because it's a lot lighter and a lot easier to manage. The tools that we're using here are very inexpensive. I'd rather save my arm. We also need a bench anvil and we'll need a punch.

The first thing we need to do is decide what size punch we need to get. The way you determine that is you take your grommet and you slide the punch over it. It should bottom out correctly all the way down to the bottom. Try the next smaller size to make sure you've got just the right sizw. The next smaller size should not fit over, and then you've got the correct size.

Once we've done that, the first thing we're going to do is just punch a hole in the leather. I'll get this stuff out of the way this poundo board out of the way here. Now the good side of the grommet goes against the good side of the leather. That's the part with the stem.

We then set the anvil down on our bench anvil, slide it around it's recessed. Once it's properly in there it shouldn't be moving, and then you take your washer. Your washer has two different sides, one is a concave side and the other is the convex side. The concave side is the side that should face you when you set your work down. Take your tool and again that will set in. You notice now this whole thing moves as a unit because everything's in its proper place.

Slide your finger down to hold it in place. You're not going to be hitting your finger because the tool is set in the grommet itself. Then you strike gently at first because you're trying to roll the metal of the grommet over not smash it, and once it starts to set you can lift your finger up and continue. Move the setter just a little bit so it sets it completely and that's your finished product!

The back side and the finished front.