What you're seeing here is:
• the new "Harper" bit (I was mistaken, we DID get some made this time!)
• Bit Clip test
• Keeper Test
• Rope-Edge Heel-Bar Buckle test (3/32")
• Strap Tip Test
This was SO sweet and satisfying to put together! While there's some minor things that need adjustment before we go to final production on most of what is shown here, as far as how things will look when they're done... this is it.
Except for the strap tip, because I didn't make any 3/32" and had to swap in a 1/8" (and dome it a little so it would fit).
Bit Clips:
I just went with the proportions of the full sized ones, so they do seem "long". I'll be doing a shorter version, and we might try one that's a round "concho" as well. This one is for 3/32" but I believe we can make 1/16" also. (If you do need these in 1/8", you'll have to let me know).
The "tabs" were folded around to meet on the back side, and I used a little bit of skived-off lace to cover the metal on the underside.
Strap Tip:
Besides having to use the wrong size for this, these work really nice. Final production will have some adjustments. Notably, to allow a strap tip to fit through the buckle and keeper, they need to be no wider than the lace. So to add these, you'll need to taper the lace on the end before adding them. I skived the end, cut it into a long taper. I got the tabs bent a little more than 90 degrees under on each side, so it was ready for crimping. Using a little glue to hold it in place and letting it set a few moments, I then carefully (and partially) crimped the tabs down a little. Checked on the front side to make sure it was still aligned, then crimped the tabs down fully. I then trimmed the excess lace extending from the bottom and you see the result!
Keeper
The tabs on the keeper need a wee bit of adjustment, and some slight adjustments on the deco part's size (so you'll be able to fit a strap tip through it). The depth is ample... if you've skived the buckle strap, a full-thickness regular strap slides right in, with some room to spare. I think I ruined about 2 of these before I got one right (figuring out what order to make the bends in) but after that, it was easy.
Buckle
What can I say? This deco buckle is based on the same frame as our other heel-bar buckles and everything worked as expected.
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