A leather keychain is one of the quickest projects to finish. It gives you practice with cutting, punching and setting hardware, and it uses small offcuts, so it is a good way to use up scraps.
Pick a Simple Design
- Folded loop: a strip folded around a split ring, with hardware through the layers.
- Flat tag: a single piece of leather, often with stamped initials.
- Wristlet strap: a strap with a loop for the wrist.
- Key holder: a strap with a snap that holds keys.
The folded loop is the simplest to build, so the steps below use that design.
Choosing Leather Weight
- Stiffer fob: 5-8 oz vegetable-tanned leather. It holds its shape and takes stamping well.
- Lighter fob: 3-4 oz, doubled and stitched.
Chrome-tanned leather does not take stamped letters well, so use vegetable-tanned leather for initials.
Materials
- A split ring, about 25-30 mm (roughly 1 in).
- Double-cap rivets, line 20 or 24 snaps, or a Chicago screw.
- A sharp knife and a steel rule, or a strap cutter.
- A corner punch or template for rounded corners.
- A punch sized to the rivet post, and a rubber mallet or hammer.
- A rivet setter and an anvil matched to the rivet cap size, if you use rivets.
Cutting the Strip
Cut a strip about 1/2-3/4 in wide and 6-8 in long before folding. Some popular guides use a wider strip, about 1 in, for a chunkier fob. Use a sharp knife against a steel rule for straight edges, then round the corners with a corner punch or template.
Folding Around the Ring
Slide the split ring onto the center of the strip. Bring both ends together so the ring sits in the fold at the top, and line up the ends at the bottom.
Punching and Setting the Hardware
Punch one hole straight through all of the stacked layers, near the bottom end. Size the punch to the rivet post or screw.
For a double-cap rivet, choose a post length that matches the combined thickness of the layers, then set it with the anvil and setter. For a Chicago screw, insert it and tighten it.
Glue alone will not hold a folded fob. Rivets or stitches carry the load.
Stamping Initials
Dampen the leather and wait until the surface is nearly dry. Then strike the stamp once, firmly, as you would with a maker’s mark. Stamping dry leather, or soaking wet leather, gives poor results.
Dye the leather before you assemble the fob, and let the dye dry fully before you seal it.
Edges and Finish
Bevel the edges, sand them, dampen them and burnish until smooth. Finish with a sealer or wax to resist wear from a pocket.
Common Mistakes
- Using thin, single-layer leather. It tears at the hardware hole, so use the folded design or doubled layers.
- Using chrome-tanned leather for stamping. It does not take letters well.
- Relying on glue to hold the fob together.
Use Your Scraps
Several keychains fit into a small offcut, so this is a good project for practicing on leftover pieces. Once you are comfortable with the steps, a bifold wallet is a natural next project. For more ideas, see the DIY leather projects overview.