Can I use KAM snaps w/o a press or pliers? (traditional hammer die method)

Yes, there are indeed ways to mess up a snap assembly.  Depending on where you live and all, I have the equipment to assemble the Fashion 20 snap.  Send me a PM and we can discuss if you wish.

The pliers smash the plastic pin like it does on a rivet.  I suppose it would work with a hammer type press.

I have put in a lot of these snaps over the years. My experience has been that you MUST keep the alignment when ‘making’ the rivet. The proper tool works fine, and doing it in a good (ie not sloppy) drill press with the right rivetting tools also works fine.

But trying to do it in a vice or with pliers fails every time. Very reliably.

Cheers

Thanks all for the replies!  It’s reminded me why I still love this place in spite of all the wonkiness with the interface.

Ask about some unpopular craft item and get 3 knowledgeable replies in an hour!  I love you guys!

some unpopular craft item
I would not describe those plastic snaps, which come in many brands, as being an UNpopular item! Far from it.

However, I would not try to use them on a single layer of silnylon. A little reinforcing for the area please.

Cheers

Unpopular as in there is not much deeper-than-surface blogging going on about them.  And certainly nobody talking about abusing them in the way I’d envisioned.  I’m going to bag the idea and proceed with just using the various attachment points of the MLD core.  It’ll be a little floppy but it won’t affect the core’s resale value and it’ll probably get resold once I get my Borah Gear daypack.

Thanks a bunch Roger!

For uses like that I attach the snaps to a piece of grosgrain and then sew the ribbon to the item.

Interestingly, you can buy tape or ribbon with snaps set into it at close intervals. I have some, and it does work.

Cheers

Thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I think I’m going to go ahead and invest in a KAM snap kit soon and rather than augment my MLD core, embark on making something similar from scratch that is designed to fit my needs.