Bolos & Conchos for Western Leather Craft

Start with the mount type. Screw-back conchos thread onto a Chicago screw and sit flat against belts, tack, or hatbands; rivet-back and post-back versions are set permanently. Match the back to your leather thickness so the screw seats fully. For ties, bolo slide blanks run about 5/8" wide and take a 2-5mm cord — pick a slide with a bezel or flat pad if you plan to set a turquoise cabochon or rosette. Watch the metal: solid brass and German/nickel silver wear hard and patina warmly, silver-plate looks bright but thin, and sterling is the heirloom choice. Common concho diameters span 3/8" to over 3"; rope, floral, star, and engraved edges are the classics. Budget roughly $3-$8 per plated concho, $4-$10 for a brass bolo blank, and $20-$80+ for sterling. Many makers ship stock parts in 3-7 business days; hand-stamped or stone-set pieces run 1-3 weeks.

Use the filters for metal, edge style, size, and back type, and check related searches to jump to matching slides, cabochons, or Chicago-screw sets.