Collar Parts - up close
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
A non-stacked keeper is separated from the D-ring. This provides a bit of space between the two components.
A stacked keeper is placed right beside the D-ring. This allows for a little more design, which is especially nice for tiny collars and may prevent the tail of a collar from flipping over the D-ring.
A stacked keeper may make it a little harder to access the D-ring when you want to clip on your leash, and you may find the leash clip wears down a leather keeper faster than if they were not stacked.
rivets vs. chicago screws
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
Rivets (left) are lighter weight connecters. The post is squished into the cap end, using a special squishing machine. This type of connector is used to attach the panel to the base.
Chicago Screws (right) are a threaded nut/bolt type connector. They are glued together using a special glue that shouldn't come loose with regular wear. This is a very sturdy piece of hardware.
keeper and d-ring
stacked vs. not stacked keepers
examples of a taper
The D-ring (left piece of hardware) is where you leash attaches. The keeper (right) is where your tags can attach, and what helps keep your tail end from flapping around.
examples of a taper
examples of a taper
examples of a taper
Shown are two collars, both with a taper. You can see the angled bit, where the width is reduced.
example of no taper
examples of a taper
example of no taper
This collar does not have a taper. It is the same width from tail to buckle.
Parts of a Collar
Here is a badly labeled diagram to help clear some things up about what is where.
A: this is the tail of the collar, where your sizing holes go. The neck measurement you give will be the middle hole of five, so you have a little size wiggle room in either direction. Some people prefer to have the holes every 1/2 inch, some people prefer them every 3/4 inch. If you have a tiny dog, you want 1/2 inch spacing. If you have a big dog, or a dog who can pull, you might want 3/4 inch spacing. The wider spacing helps prevent the holes from stretching or pulling. I leave 2 inches from the last hole to the end of the tail. This is enough to safely secure the buckle, but might not be enough to lie nicely in the keeper. I do this so you don't have a long, flappy tail when the collar is buckled on the middle or second-from-smallest hole. If this is a big concern, ask for a longer tail.
B: This angled part is the taper. This reduces the width of the bottom strip (or base) down to allow for a smaller buckle size. If collar strength is a concern, leave this as wide as possible.
C: These are rivets. I use rivets to attach the panel to the base because it doesn't need to be strong - nothing should be trying to pull the panel off the base. Using rivets also helps decrease the overall weight.
D: This large circled area is the border. It is on the other side too, you just can't see it in the picture.
**ADDING A BORDER WILL INCREASE YOUR COLLAR'S TOTAL WIDTH BY 1/2 INCH.
i.e.: if you order a 1.25" panel and want to add a border to it, this will increase your collar width to 1.75" wide. This might be confusing, and I'm sorry. Please ask if it is unclear. :)
E: This gorgeous thing is the design panel. It will slightly bow out when a collar is laid flat (as shown). This is because it is cut slightly longer than the base to create a comfortable, round shape when it is buckled together. If it is cut too short and attached on too tightly, the collar will curve into an football shape and the base may want to curve backwards to relieve some of the tension.
F: This piece of hardware, a D-Ring, is where you attach your leash to. Every collar will have one of these by default.
G: This is the keeper. It is a rectangular piece of hardware or loop of leather that helps keep the tail of the collar in place. This is an optional component that has a couple of construction options: leather or metal, stacked or not stacked.
H: This is the buckle. It is made of solid brass. It buckles. I don't know what else to say about it.