A round rivet cap is the visible part of a fastening, but its width does not describe the whole component. Post length, post diameter and the material layers at the connection answer different questions. Keeping those dimensions separate makes a supplier enquiry or repair assessment more useful.
Read each dimension by its label
For double-cap rivets, Sailrite’s product description identifies two connecting pieces: a cap carrying a post and a second cap. Its listing offers separate choices for post length and cap size. Use the drawing for the actual product to confirm where each measurement begins and ends.
| Dimension | What it describes | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Cap diameter | Width across the visible cap. | The length of the hidden post. |
| Post length | Length of the projecting post, using the supplier’s measurement endpoints. | The assembled height after setting. |
| Post diameter | Width across the post, distinct from the cap. | The correct hole or installation method without the supplier’s instructions. |
| Material stack | Combined layers at the fastening position. | The thickness of every other part of the bag or belt. |
A listing headed only “9 mm rivet” leaves an important question unanswered. Ask whether the number refers to the cap, the post or another dimension. Preserve the original unit and label when copying a specification into your notes.
The same cap can come with a different post
Springfield Leather’s Double Capped Rivets listing provides a useful example. Its Medium option has a 9 mm cap and an 8 mm post; its Large option also has a 9 mm cap but a 9 mm post. Both list a 3 mm post diameter. These are dimensions of that supplier’s named options, not universal definitions of Medium and Large.
The example shows why matching the visible cap is insufficient when identifying a replacement. A photograph of the front of an assembled bag may help record the cap shape and finish, while leaving the post dimensions unknown. Write “not accessible” in those fields unless reliable documentation supplies them.
Check the layers at the fastening
A folded strap attachment can contain more than one leather layer. There may also be lining, reinforcement or other components at that location. Record the construction that the fastening actually passes through; do not substitute a thickness taken from an unrelated single panel.
Sailrite supplies a minimum-and-maximum material-thickness chart for its listed double-cap rivets. It also specifies an allowance between material thickness and post length. Consult those instructions for that product. A rule taken from one rivet system should not silently become the installation specification for another.
For an existing lined bag, the full stack may be concealed. Keep it unresolved in the initial record. Opening a lining or removing a rivet changes the item and belongs in an agreed repair assessment. The separate guide to leather thickness and the finished assembly explains why a material specification and a completed construction need separate descriptions.
Separate appearance from structural suitability
Sailrite expressly identifies the rivets in the cited listing as intended for crafting and not load-bearing. That restriction belongs to those products; it is not a statement about every rivet design. It also prevents their decorative appearance or dimensions from serving as evidence for an unsupported carrying-load claim.
On a bag, note whether the visible fastening sits on trim, a strap tab, a handle attachment or another part. Its location helps frame the repair question, but does not establish how much force it carries or whether hidden stitching and reinforcement share that role. Ask the maker or repairer to assess the complete connection.
Prepare a record before choosing parts
- Identify the accessory and photograph the fastening in context, including the reverse where it is already accessible.
- Record visible cap dimensions and condition. Keep measurements separate from values copied from a supplier’s listing.
- List the known layers at the attachment and mark hidden post or stack dimensions as unknown.
- Send the record with the proposed part number and ask about the full connection, suitable materials and installation requirements.
This guide reports no dismantling, replacement or load test, and the supplier examples do not identify original Möhel components. Sources were reviewed on 16 October 2026. For another fastening context, see bag feet and base-panel contact. Browse the bags and hardware guides for related construction notes.