Have the KAM snaps been tested for harmful substances for CPSIA compliance?
Yes.  Click here to view the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.  The certification applies to the plastic snaps and other plastic KAM products only.

What do I need to start using snaps?
Aside from the snaps, you'll need a tool with which to apply them.  This can be in the form of either a press or pliers.

What are the components of a snap?
A complete snap has 4 components: 2 caps, 1 stud, and 1 socket. Each cap attaches to the stud or socket. When you fasten a snap, the stud (also known as the male) is inserted into the hole of the socket (also called female). When purchasing snaps, 1 snap comes with all 4 components, so a set of 100 snaps would have 200 caps, 100 studs, and 100 sockets, for a total of 400 pieces.

For a video intro to resin snaps, click here.

What are the differences between using a snap press and snap pliers?
Snap presses and pliers can both be used to attach resin (plastic) snaps. 

The benefits of the pliers are:
- More affordable.
- Can be used for multiple snap sizes and shapes without purchasing extra dies.
- Portable and convenient for travel.
- Do not take up a lot of space.

The benefits of a press are:
- With the appropriate dies, the press can also be used to attach metal snaps and grommets. At this time, there are no such corresponding dies for the pliers.
- The press results in a more uniform and professional appearance.
- With the pliers, you only have enough clearance to attach snaps to an area close to the edge of your fabric.  The press offers a greater amount of clearance for your fabric so that you can attach snaps farther away from the edge.  The pliers also only have a 1/4" clearance between the top and bottom dies so could not be used for very thick materials.
- If you are attaching a lot of snaps, the press will speed your work up a great deal.
- The press is built to last at least a lifetime. It is unknown how long the pliers will last, but they do go through wear and tear more quickly.

What do I need to start using a snap press?
You need the press machine, snaps, and dies which are connected to the press to hold the snaps in place.

What are dies?
Dies are removable place holders on the press machine or pliers which hold the snap components in place so you can work with them. There is always a bottom die and an upper die.  For pliers, the bottom die holds the cap and the upper die holds both the socket and stud.  For presses, the bottom die holds the cap, and there is one upper die for the socket and another upper die for the stud.  The upper dies need to be interchanged depending on whether you are attaching the stud or socket portion of the snap to your fabric.  Press dies are shown below.

For a video into to dies for presses, click here.

Can I use the same dies for the DK-93 and DK-98?
No. The dies for the DK-93 have screw shanks and are screwed into the press, whereas the dies for the DK-98 have smooth shanks and require the use of an allen wrench (included with the kit) to attach to the press. When purchasing dies, you must always specify which press model you have because the dies are different for either model.

Can I use the same dies for different snaps?
In general, if you have a snap press, you cannot use the same dies for different sizes or shapes of snaps.  If you have size 20 dies for plastic snaps, you can only attach size 20 plastic snaps and will need different dies to attach metal snaps or other sizes.  The exception is that sizes 14 and 16 plastic snaps have identical studs and identical sockets so you can use the same stud and socket dies for both sizes (but will need different cap dies).

Can I use the same snaps for the DK-93 and DK-98?
Yes. The dies are what determine which snaps you can use, not the presses themselves. For example, if you have size 20 dies, you can use size 20 snaps, regardless of which press you have (but note the dies will be different for each model). If you have size 16 dies, you can use size 16 snaps, and so forth.

Can I use non-KAM dies for the KAM snap presses, or vice versa?
We generally do not recommend you use non-KAM dies for the KAM presses (or vice versa) as compatibility is unknown.  If you have a Very Baby press, you may use the DK-98 KAM socket and stud dies but the KAM cap die will not fit.

Can I use non-KAM snaps for the snap presses?
The snaps must fit your existing dies.  If you have KAM dies, then there is a chance that they will not be compatible with non-KAM snaps.

What do the sizes of the dies and snaps mean?
In the snap world, particularly for resin snaps, the diameter of the snap corresponds to the size. Size 20 is most commonly used for baby diapers. If you have very thin layers, size 14 may be appropriate because of their shorter prongs.  Note that sizes 14 and 16 have identical studs and sockets--only the caps are different.

Plastic Snaps

Metal Snaps

Measurements are approximate.

Why do the size 14 and size 16 snaps and dies look the same?
The studs, sockets, and corresponding dies are identical for these 2 sizes. It is the cap diameter and prong length that are different. Size 16 snaps have a wider diameter and longer prong.

I received 2 bags of size 16 (or 14) studs but no sockets (or vice versa). What happened?
This is the most common question we get.  The size 16 studs and sockets are often confused for the same thing because they look almost identical. The same is true for size 14. If you look very closely, you will notice that the raised "o" on the size 16 sockets is wider than on the stud. To double-check, you can snap them together and they should attach.

Size 14/16 sockets and studs do not look the same as size 20 sockets and studs.

Why are the press and dies oily?
Presses and dies have remnant traces of oil, paint, grease, and other debris from the manufacturing process that may stain your project so be sure to clean and dry them thoroughly before use. Unless you are bolting the press to your work table, you may also want to place a piece of fabric under it to protect your table top.