Collar Hardware: Buckles, D-Rings and Rivets

What a leather dog collar needs in hardware, what buckles, D-rings and rivets do, how brass and stainless steel differ, and how to match sizes.

Updated 5 November 2026

A basic buckle collar needs three kinds of hardware: a buckle, a D-ring and rivets. Each does one job. It's a short list.

A basic buckle collar, from one end to the other.

The buckle

A buckle has four main parts: the frame, the chape, the bar and the prong.¹ Choose a buckle whose frame matches the width of your strap. In one maker's project a ¾ inch collar buckle goes on a ¾ inch strap.²

The D-ring

A D-ring is a metal ring shaped like a capital D. It can be used at the end of a leather or fabric strap.³ On a collar it's where the lead clips on. Ideally a D-ring swings freely after it's fixed in place.³ In one maker's collar the rivets sit either side of the ring. They hold the buckle and the ring in place so a leash can be attached when needed.² D-rings come in different compositions, shapes, weights, finishes and rated load capacities.³ Check the maker's listing for what a ring is rated for.

Rivets

A rivet is a smooth shaft with a head on one end. You push the tail through a hole and flatten it with tools.⁴ For collars that tool is a rivet setter.² The same project notes that you may need longer rivets if the leather is thick.²

When you set them, face the posts to the outside of the project. That is the instruction in a Tandy pattern for a dog collar.⁵

Which metal?

Two common choices are brass and stainless steel. Both are metals you can buy as buckles and rings.

Metal	What the sources say
Brass	An alloy of copper and zinc.⁶
Stainless steel	Does rust, but only in the outer few layers of atoms.⁷

The sources used here don't compare the two for dog collars, so this page won't pick a winner. If your dog swims often, ask the seller how a part is made and check it after wet use.

Matching hardware to the dog

Sizes should follow the strap, and the strap should follow the dog. The supplier whose project is quoted above says bigger dogs may need thicker, stiffer leather.² The neck size is covered on the measuring page. The strap is covered under leather choice.

The clip on a lead

On a lead, the metal clip must fasten securely to a metal ring on the collar to keep good control of the dog.⁸ So the collar's ring and the lead's clip need to work as a pair. Try them together before you rely on them.

Test it yourself

Tandy's own pattern carries a notice that the maker is responsible for testing the hardware and the finished collar to make sure it's safe for pets.⁵ That applies to you if you make one. The collar project shows how the pieces go together.