The Sewing Place

Tools of the Trade => The Haberdashery => Topic started by: justpottering on January 05, 2018, 16:19:30 PM

Title: Clappers
Post by: justpottering on January 05, 2018, 16:19:30 PM
useful or not?
I've had one on my list for a while, and I do have some birthday money to spend from parents-in-law............
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: LeilaMay on January 05, 2018, 16:25:46 PM
???

:)
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Tamnymore on January 05, 2018, 16:42:48 PM
Yes!! Useful! A big clap for clappers from me.  :D

For those not acquainted with said clapper it is a wooden thingy with a handle (hope I'm not being too technical). You can really get your seams open and smooth while ironing -it's also good for pounding down bulky fabric e.g. a few layers of tweed - the most useful aspect. Usually comes with a point presser (though have not used).

They can be quite pricey but I found mine quite reasonably on eBay.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Iminei on January 05, 2018, 16:44:41 PM
????!!!   :S   Pics please!
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: justpottering on January 05, 2018, 16:54:58 PM
https://englishcouture.co.uk/product/point-presser-clapper/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4nKm8umLA

two versions
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Holly Berry on January 05, 2018, 16:57:12 PM
The first is a clapper

The second is a tailors board, which you can use as a clapper and also has edges for collars and seams.

I don’t have a clapper but the tailors board is really useful. My vote would go for one of these. You can use a block of pine as a clapper.

Posted same time as JP
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: maliw on January 05, 2018, 17:08:20 PM
A friend made me three - different sizes, after I asked if he had any spare bits of wood. He asked what I wanted them for, I showed him a picture like this -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/282747984709?chn=ps&adgroupid=48716125379&rlsatarget=pla-381910297821&abcId=1129946&adtype=pla&merchantid=6995734&poi=&googleloc=20342&device=c&campaignid=974960635&crdt=0
and when I got back there was a bag hanging on the door knob. It was the clappers. They are very useful especially for woollen fabrics. No you don't need three
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: toileandtrouble on January 05, 2018, 20:43:47 PM
A major aspect is that the wood absorbs the heat from the pressing quickly, so that the fabric cools in the way you have pressed it.  The cold fabric has 'memory' whereas warm ones tend to bounce back up.  Hold the clapper down   on the seam for a little while. Any smooth block of hardwood would do the  trick, I used a wooden chopping board edge before I got mine.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Bowerbird on January 05, 2018, 20:54:35 PM
The University of Kentucky has a pdf with instructions for pressing tools-clapper, seam board, ham, seam roll & a mit.
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/FACTSHTS/CT-MMB-214.pdf (http://www2.ca.uky.edu/hes/fcs/FACTSHTS/CT-MMB-214.pdf)
Every so often I commission Himself to make something for the sewing room, he's made quite a few things for me over the years.

alternatively do you know a someone who may have an offcut piece of balustrade?
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Greybird on January 05, 2018, 22:27:23 PM
The pointer bit and the narrow surface is especially useful for pressing open inaccessible seams like on a cushion. You use it like a tiny ironing board with the point right in the corner, so that you can press open the whole length of the seam.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Iminei on January 06, 2018, 07:22:03 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4nKm8umLA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4nKm8umLA)

Very impressed with her Iron, its got a life of its own, it seems!  :P

So its a piece of clean wood! Any type of wood??

I have a piece of ironwood (yes really!) sat by the wood burner that I refuse to let Imself burn as its so unusual that I could use ... after cleaning it up of course.

(http://brisa.fi/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x480/a5429e5720e268ed65e9c0affa3fdec8/6/4/6405_-_desert_ironwood.jpg)

Mine (not the one in the pic) measures 3 1/2" wide by 8 1/4" long and 1 1/4" deep and weighs 641 grams ... but would it being ironwood ie. extremely dense stop the absorption of the heat/damp/steam thing??

Come to think of it .... I don't use steam; I sometimes use Spray starch but always with a dry iron.

Why all the questions I hear you ask, considering I don't sew useful things like clothes???
Because sometimes where a lot of seams intersect ... I'm thinking pinwheels, stars etc its really difficult to get them to lie down nicely.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: justpottering on January 06, 2018, 08:05:35 AM
As far as I can tell from research any wood is OK but needs to be untreated so that its absorbent
And it is a very useful tool for Q&P

Loving the piece of wood, I wouldn't let my own himself burn it either x

That iron was a bit scary I'm not sure I'd like one that did things on its own, apart from when I'm pressing seams during construction both my irons sit on the shelf like bookends I don't want them to start making demands that they be used for.....gulp.....ironing
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: sewingj on January 06, 2018, 11:02:42 AM
Dammit - why do I always read posts like this just after having a clear out?  (I had inherited lots of pieces of wood from Father`s woodturning stash - all gone now!)
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Vezelay on January 06, 2018, 12:42:09 PM
Have you looked on Etsy? I see a good few there of both kinds, very reasonably priced imo.

I bought mine from Barnyarns (who don't seem to have any now) 2 years ago for £22.95 - the flat kind which I decided was what I wanted. I use it quite often, mainly for steam pressing fabrics that don't like heat or which can't be ironed, and hammering bulky seams. We have a garage full of "useful" lumps of wood but the smooth, quality, beautifully shaped item I bought would take a lot of time and effort to replicate.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: justpottering on January 06, 2018, 15:38:12 PM
Dammit - why do I always read posts like this just after having a clear out?  (I had inherited lots of pieces of wood from Father`s woodturning stash - all gone now!)

Ain't it always the way!
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: SkoutSews on January 06, 2018, 15:48:21 PM
What is it about this forum? Yesterday morning I was happily ignorant about clappers. After following this thread I feel that I need one and found myself browsing etsy, "Ooh, look at the nice softwood clapper, look how smooth....."

It's like passing through the Valley of Temptation.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Tamnymore on January 06, 2018, 16:29:37 PM
Yes indeed. Welcome to the valley of temptation. Resistance is futile.....  :D
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: SkoutSews on January 06, 2018, 16:36:12 PM
Get thee behind me  :devil:
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: maliw on January 06, 2018, 17:50:22 PM
We are great enablers ;)
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Vegegrow on January 06, 2018, 19:45:25 PM
 we are just very helpful  :angel: :angel: :angel: :angel:
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Roger on January 30, 2018, 08:56:29 AM
What is it about this forum? Yesterday morning I was happily ignorant about clappers. After following this thread I feel that I need one and found myself browsing etsy, "Ooh, look at the nice softwood clapper, look how smooth....."

It's like passing through the Valley of Temptation.

I was just thinking the same!
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Manuela on January 30, 2018, 15:22:25 PM
To add to the enablers: I love my clapper, it make such a difference to how a collar turnes out - not only in wool. We're having a bit of a cold spell here and Mr Manuela wore Sherlock coat No 2 (a classic Ulster coat with capelet) I made for him 2 years ago. I couldn't help but stroking collar and lapel - all done using the clapper.  :loveit:

Feel free to rummage around in my Flickr Albums for pictures of him wearing it.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Tamnymore on January 30, 2018, 17:55:26 PM
Wow yes. Sharp collar. Indeed sharp coat.  I love that style and you have done a fabulous job on this one @Manuela. And I see that you used proper Donegal tweed too. I agee that clappers are definitely  a good idea.
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: sewingj on January 30, 2018, 18:25:28 PM
We are great enablers ;)

It`s not restricted to sewing stuff - I`ve just been reading about Vege`s gadget for picking things up off the floor and now I`m convinced that I need one!
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: Bowerbird on January 30, 2018, 21:36:44 PM
It's like passing through the Valley of Temptation.

Not so much as passing through as bouncing from one thing to the next, so more like being stuck in the pin ball machine of temptation. Is there even a way out?
Title: Re: Clappers
Post by: justpottering on February 01, 2018, 08:50:23 AM
I forgot to let you know I now am the proud owner of a clapper, I have been using it and I am pleased I got it, in fact I am wondering how I ever lived without it
This is the one I got its lovely
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/112779285688?chn=ps&adgroupid=48716125379&rlsatarget=pla-381910292781&abcId=1129946&adtype=pla&merchantid=119169459&poi=&googleloc=1006645&device=t&campaignid=974960635&crdt=0&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-134428-41853-0%252F2%253Fmpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252Fi%25252F112779285688%25253Fchn%25253Dps%2526itemid%253D112779285688%2526targetid%253D381910292781%2526device%253Dt%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D1006645%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D974960635%2526adgroupid%253D48716125379%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-381910292781%2526abcId%253D1129946%2526merchantid%253D119169459%2526gclid%253DEAIaIQobChMIlNzpnaqE2QIVhLDtCh2j3w3fEAQYASABEgJCZ_D_BwE%2526srcrot%253D710-134428-41853-0%2526rvr_id%253D1429768365825