Blogs

  • Marine grade stainless steel stockist in the UK

    So why J Clarke Marine? We established in 2011 from a spare room and rapidly grew to become one the UK's most competitive and reputable supplier of boat canopy fasteners, stainless steel fittings, including eye bolts, shackles, carabiners, turnbuckles, tube fittings and wire ropes accessories.  Quickly we realised that our initial targeted market being boating and sailing soon expanding to all marine sectors, garden, DIY, construction, engineering, fabrication, landscaping, pet supplies and more.  We have been sourcing stainless steel products for over 10 years now and quickly built up a relationship with one key manufacturer. The quality of their 316 A4...

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  • YKK Snad self adhesive snap fasteners with 3m tape

    YKK Snad fasteners are a relatively new fastener to the market. Made by YKK they have been trailed and tested under various conditions. There was a gap in the market for a self adhesive snap fastener and SNAD fits the bill. People will say it looks good, ticks all the boxes but are they strong enough.... well flip me they are strong. If you stick by the rules then they should last a very long time.  Unlike traditional metal trims, SNAD® is a plastic adhesive snap component. This product will not snag clothing or deteriorate from exposure to sunlight, sand,...

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  • Stainless steel lacing buttons and mushrooms

    New in stock , we have a lovely range of Stainless steel lacing buttons made from marine grade 316 A4 stainless steel. We have a number of different styles to suit all canopy and sprayhood needs. The main usage for these lacing buttons are to hold down shockcord and bungee cord to keep the bimini or boat canopy nice and tight but yet with the use of bungee cord there will be a little room for movement when the wind picks up which will help the canopy prolong its life rather than being fixed to the deck with a fastener.  All...

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  • What are Tenax fasteners and how to fit Tenax fasteners

    Tenax fasteners have been established for well over 70 years now. Originally used on military vehicles and garments they can now be found on fire and rescue equipment, caravans, luxury boats and more commonly the classic car market (Morgan, Triumphs, Mg Midgets, Ac Cobra, Austin Healey to name a few. With a full patent Tenax snap locking fasteners have enjoyed a world wide reputation wherever a compact and secure fitting when a quick release facility is required. The fastener is self locking and remain engaged to its peg until the release is required which is achieved simply by a pinch...

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  • How to fit turnbutton fasteners

      After reading section 1 of my Turnbuttons guide you will have seen all the different fasteners and know about their different functions.  Here I am going to explain how to fit the turnbutton eyelet and washer, then the turnbutton 2 prong stud and washer.  Tools, required for the job. Turnbutton hole cutter, hammer and wooden base. (preferably not your dining table) So taking our turnbutton eyelet and washer first, position your canvas over the turnbutton base and mark where you want the eyelet to be fixed.Normally you would have all your bases fitted to your boat first and work...

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  • What are turnbuttons and how to fit turnbutton fasteners

        Also known as Common Sense fasteners outside Europe, again another fastener that was first invented to hold curtains back on horse driving carriages, but once the first group of automobiles came along the turnbutton was used in open air cars to secure curtains. Turnbuttons are probably the most common fasteners used on boat canopies as they can not be opened by accident. They require force to twist the button on the stud which allows the release of the socket. The prongs on the socket come in two lengths to accommodate different thickness of material. There are many types...

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  • How to fit snap fasteners and the different types

    Snap fasteners are used all over the world in a multitude of industries, but we are going to talk about the boating end of the market where the Durable DOT brand is a world leader. With the right tools the durable DOT snap fastener is self piercing and can penetrate through tough materials without the need of a hole pre cut. They have consistent snap action time after time.  There are many different types of snap fasteners so below I will briefly try and describe each one.  First up we have the snap fastener cap. The cap comes in various lengths....

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  • How to fit a lift the dot fastener

    If you have read the different types of lift the dot fasteners in part 1 you will be aware of their many functions and sizes.  Here I am going to describe how the socket and plate are fitted to a section of canvas.    I am just using a few pieces of canvas cuttings for these fitting guides. Makes it easier to see each process.              So here we have the lift the dot socket and plate. Also our lift the dot hole punch which will come in very handy.The first thing to point out is the...

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  • What are Lift the Dot fasteners and how to fit

    Lift the Dot Intro Lift the dot fasteners were first invented to hold curtains back on horse drawn carriages. They then moved into the military industry used for keeping satchels bags closed and also gun holsters shut. Due to their strength and durability they elevated onto the marine and automotive market. Lift the dots are unique as they are locked on three sides and can only be opened by "lifting the dot" on one side. This is always marked with a dot on the socket. The prongs on the socket come in two lengths to accommodate different thickness of material. There are...

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  • How to fit snap fasteners

    In this blog I will talk about the various different types of snap fasteners and how to fit each one. First of all we will familiarise ourselves with the correct terminology.      So the main types of snap fasteners are the cap, the socket, the post and the stud. The stud can often come with a screw already attached like in the first picture. Like many canopy manufacturers we tend to sell and recommend the DOT brand fastener. Scovill in the US have been around for years and the most common material is brass nickel plated snaps. They are...

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