Common Clips & Adjustment Techniques

Whenever making adjustments to clips, do it gently and gradually.

Just a little change will make a big difference in comfort, while a big change may mean that earrings won't stay on.

The Paddle Back Clip

This is a paddle back clip - the one many people associate with clip earrings.  If your paddle back clip earrings are too tight, insert tweezers under the "tongue" (shown by the green pointer below) of the clip and gently raise it very slightly.  It only takes a small adjustment to make a big difference in comfort!  If your paddle back clip earrings are too loose, or the paddle clip came off, please see the following instructions.

To reattach a Paddle Clip:

1. Look carefully at how the paddle's "tongue" (shown by the green pointer) fits onto the back an earring on an attached working paddle.  Open and close the paddle, watching the tongues position, as it will need to be attached the same way.

·  If it is not even, use a pair of needle nose pliers to very gently bend the tongue back down even, or flat, with the sides (shown by the red arrows).

·  Hold the earring so that the front is facing out away from you.  Using the pliers (or your fingers), pinch the clip's sides and line up the "prongs" (shown by the blue arrows) to the holes in the holder on the earring's back.  Release the sides of the clip and it should pop back into place.

·  Try on the earring.

·  If the clip is now too tight, please see steps 5 and 6 below.  If the tension is fine, use your pliers to slightly and gently pinch in the sides of the earring back's holder to tighten the holes onto the clip's prongs.  This should help insure that the paddle stays on the earring. 

To Tighten a Paddle Clip:

1. Open the clip and look carefully at how the paddle's "tongue" (shown by the green pointer) fits onto the earring back:  It will need to be the same way when you are done.With a pair of needle nose pliers or your fingers, pinch the paddle's "sides" (shown by the red arrows) until their "prongs" (shown by the blue arrows) are out of their holders. 

2. With a pair of needle nose pliers, pinch the paddle's "sides" (shown by the red arrows) until their "prongs" (shown by the blue arrows) are out of their holders.

3. Using the pliers, very gently bend tongue back down even, or flat, with the sides.

4. Hold the earring so that the front is facing out away from you.  Using the pliers, pinch the clip's sides and line up the prongs with the holes in the holder on the earring back.  When the tongue is in the same position when you began, release the sides of the clip and it should pop back into place.

5. Try on the earring.  If the clip is too tight, see steps 6 and 7.
If the tongue is now too tight, using flat tweezers or perhaps a metal file's tip, very SLIGHTLY bend, or "raise", the tongue to loosen the paddle.  Do this very little each time, trying the earring on for comfort after each adjustment.

6. When the tension is right, use your pliers to slightly and gently pinch in the sides of the earring back's holder to tighten the holes onto the clip's prongs.  This should help insure that the paddle clip stays on the earring.

David's Simple Clip

David's Simple clip is designer David Sung's downsized paddle back clip that makes it possible for those who don't have pierced earlobes to wear a variety of fashionable hoops.  The way the hoop itself is balanced acting with the clip is what makes it work. The earrings should be comfortable without adjustment. If you do need to make one, please look at it first.

1. The red arrow points to its most vulnerable part. DO NOT put any pressure on this area.

2. The blue arrow points to the clip’s tongue which is very fragile so DO NOT adjust it.

3. The yellow arrow points to where the top of the hoop meets the clip and this is where you can make adjustments. Remembering that very small changes make a big difference, without holding any part of the clip, move the top slightly closer to or farther from the padded area of the clip.

The Simple Clip

This is a Simple Clip - one appropriate for lighter earrings. The back of the clip is hinged for easily taking it on and off.  To loosen this clip, use a pair of needle nose pliers and broaden, or bend out, the bottom of the "U".  An alternative way to loosen this clip is -  REMEMBERING that SMALL changes make a BIG difference - to pinch the the top of the clip's back, narrowing the space under the 'pad' (indicated by arrow in the image).  

Hinged Screwback Clip

This is a Hinged Screwback Clip.  These are used with weightier earrings. Adjust the screw until the earrings are secure and comfortable, then use the hinge to put it on and take it off without having to readjust the screw.

The Mini Clip

This is a Mini Clip, used most often on children's earrings and some of the newer Linear and Petite earrings. These very rarely need adjusting, but when they do a tiny bit of pressure on the "U" of the clip can be used to widen the clip a small amount, moving it away from the earring and loosening the grip a bit. To make it tighter, narrow the "U" by using a tiny bit of pressure to close the clip a small amount by moving it closer to the front of the earring.  A small correction can make a huge difference in feel, and the earrings these go on can be delicate so be careful!

Information provided by:

www.cliptomania.com, an Internet store exclusively devoted to quality non-pierced earrings. Choose from 500+ clip-on earring styles including Pearl, Hoop, Gold, Silver, Child, Crystal, Chandelier, Beaded, Designer and Nickel Free. We also offer Magnetic earrings like CZ studs.

and

www.earringinformation.com, a service of cliptomania.com, offering adjustment tips, earring recommendations based on face shape, tips to care for your earrings, and child & medical earring solutions.