Trouble with KAM snap pliers and snaps

[DomerJen]

I ordered a KAM snap pliers and snaps, and I have been having a devil of a time with them.  The inside "ball" is crooked on them and then they won't snap, or if I take that rubber part off It'll push the dot in too far and they fall apart.  I'm trying to convert my BG 3.0's so snaps.

Anyone have tips?  Is there some adjustment to the pliers I should be making?  I'm using size 20 snaps.  Is there a better quality snap I can buy that might help?

[Stitches]

I just converted my bg with the kam snaps pliers.  I had some similar issues because of the way you have to sandwich the fabric instead of the snap touching the plier directly (I hope that makes sense), and the extra thickness and seam just where you want to put the snaps makes it go a little crooked and therefore the tip doesn't get totally squished.  It took some practice to position the snaps just right, and I'd give it a press from two directions to even it out to get the best squeeze, and if I had plastic poking over so it interfered with snapping I trimmed it off with my sharp, small garden clippers and the re-pressed to make it good and flat.  It was a bit hard on the hands after doing 20 of them, but I did get them all done and all the snaps work.  It was harder than I'd expected.  FWIW, when using the pliers for other applications without having the fabric sandwich , it works great.

[DomerJen]

thanks, maybe I just need more practice!

[cristeen]

It definitely takes some practice.  If the center post is not smashed enough, they won't snap properly.  If it's too far to one side, they won't snap properly.  I've actually purchased commercial dipes that I had to "repair" the snaps because of this problem, so it's not just you.  You just need to work on getting the snap pieces as centered as possible before you press, and make sure you press enough.  Like the pp said too - you can always rotate the pliers and press from a different angle once the pieces are in place.