How do I reuse these end cup/caps?

[A Breaker]

I want to restring these...but have no idea how I would reuse the end cup/caps? Anyone seen these before and how do you fit the knot end so it stays? Sorry it is so blurry!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You'd have to make a knot that is large enough that it would not slip out of the hole, and then apply glue to it. Try a jeweler's knot (in which you pass the thread through the loop twice before you tighten the knot. Ot 2 knots, one on top of the other.

 

[A Breaker]

Hmmm.....that doesn't seem very secure. It looks like a rivet tube is pressure fit (or glued) after you knot it. I am trying to figure out how either way works

 

[Pearl Dreams]

No, I've seen these. The end bead is open on one side (which is why you can see the fuzzy knot in the end bead in the front of the photo) and is solid on the other side (you see the closed, solid side of the end bead in the back, in the photo.)

The idea is that when worn, the solid side is upward so you don't see the knot. In reality it would be more likely the bead would flip over and the thread knot would be visible.

Are they the nicest looking or most secure way to finish a necklace? No. I would use gimp and back-knot through the 3-4 end pearls, as I described in my tutorial.

 

[A Breaker]

Thanks. I was probably going to to gimp anyway. I don't like this look.

 

[jeg]

I was going to ask if you really wanted to use those? They were used a lot in the 70’s to finish pearl strands. You could just disregard them and finish the strand with gimp and back-knotting.

 

[A Breaker]

I think they would be very useful on a vintage bead necklace that lost it's clasp. I play around with it. I also might use them with huge flame balls, where the clasp isn't quite big enough for my chunky fingers.

 

[A Breaker]

In case any one finds this later..... The cup seems to be filled with some sort of "putty" on one side, keeping the thread in. Depending on how easy it is to remove the "putty" I'll see how easy it is to reuse.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

It's probably glue. Dissolve with acetone.

 

[A Breaker]

Thx I'll try that!