Hand press

The manual lever press makes hardware installation easier whenever a traditional hand setter and hammer are no longer enough. Striking with a hammer always carries the risk of the tool slipping and permanently scratching the grain side of the leather. The press drives the upper die straight down onto the lower die, so the pressure stays vertical. This greatly reduces the chance of human error – rivets, snaps and eyelets are set straight, while the leather around the hardware remains undeformed. It also operates much more quietly, which is especially appreciated in home workshops.

Press Capacity and Mechanical Limits

• Hardware capacity: The press is designed for setting saddlery rivets, snap fasteners and eyelets with head diameters up to 15 mm. Its stroke height accommodates leather layers with a combined thickness of up to 8 mm.
• Fabric and webbing: Besides leather, the press also handles fabric, for example waterproof webbing or double-layer cloth. It is not suitable for very thin, delicate fabrics, which may distort. Reinforce the area under the hardware and test on an offcut first.
• Dies required: The press itself is only the driving mechanism. For punching holes or setting hardware, you must always install the appropriate interchangeable dies that match the exact type and size of your hardware, and secure them with the screw on the side. These dies are sold separately. Interchangeable punches are not fitted into the press directly; to clamp them you also need the adapter with anvil #3993-Cu. Use our dies: those from other manufacturers may not fit.
• Construction and stability: The press body is made from cast iron, while the lever and internal mechanism are manufactured from steel. The total weight is 6 kg. Because the press can tip over when force is applied to the lever, the base must be securely bolted to a workbench (mounting bolts are not included).

The press is designed for custom leathercraft production of belts, collars, wallets and bags. For industrial production runs in the thousands, however, a manually operated press is no longer an efficient solution.

Less Fatigue During Extended Work

If you regularly set long series of hardware, repeatedly pulling the lever can quickly tire your arm. In this case, we recommend adding the optional foot pedal linkage (part no. #3990-TAH). Converting the press to foot operation reduces repetitive strain on your wrist while keeping both hands free to position and guide the leather accurately beneath the press.