Big Flower Lock Failure

I was shocked the other night to see that the tiny lobster claw end of my Big Flower lock no longer worked (the spring tension was gone and it wouldn't close). I bought it a year and a half ago.

I was changing out beads when I noticed it, so no bracelet loosening or bead loss. I always have a safety chain on my bracelets.

Has anyone else had this happen? If something like this happens on a retired/limited lock could a jeweler fix it?

My LD gave me a replacement lock, no questions asked.

I had it a few months ago with my safetychain. I think I had the same problem with the lobster clasp like with your lock. (Not very safety for a safety chain ) My jeweler fixed it with a new lobster clasp on the chain, it costs me 12 euros...

ivonne81 wrote:I had it a few months ago with my safetychain. I think I had the same problem with the lobster clasp like with your lock. (Not very safety for a safety chain ) My jeweler fixed it with a new lobster clasp on the chain, it costs me 12 euros...

Ouch, spending all that money on "safteychain" and finding it isn't safe is pretty sad! I guess the odds of the lock and the chain breaking at the same time are pretty rare, but still! I wear my beads and I would be really POed if I lost even one to faulty equiptment!

I had the same thing just happen with my big flower lock. My LD swapped it for me. I'd only had it for about 1.5 years. Thankfully, it fell open at home and my safety chain was in place, so nothing was damaged.

The Big Flower lock is probably the one I use most, and that's only because I can clasp it myself. I hate to hear this!!! So far so good, but I will be careful to watch, and will make sure to have a safety chain on when I use it. Thanks for the heads up!

Bsktbabe wrote:The Big Flower lock is probably the one I use most, and that's only because I can clasp it myself. I hate to hear this!!! So far so good, but I will be careful to watch, and will make sure to have a safety chain on when I use it. Thanks for the heads up!

Wouldn't the stopper work just as well?

A safety chain may keep the bracelet from falling off your wrist.
A stopper only helps keep the beads on the chain.

My LD switched my big flower lock out for me, but I would swear the one I received is a tad smaller (skinnier) and weighs less.

OH WOW! No, I hope not either.
Im going to be buying a couple of safety chains now, and a few more stoppers.

I would hate to lose any at the prices they are now, and some of the beads hold great sentiment and those just can't be replaced and feel the same.

Thanks for the heads up on this.

wow! Reading some old threads and this one has me convinced I need to use stoppers and a safety chain.....

Good! Go get them, ehansard.

Not that I'm a saint, I rarely use a safety chain. But I always have a stopper.


My Tree lock failed the same way, lost the snap-back tension on the small end. It was within a year of purchase, so my LD replaced it with another lock.

I know LindaJo...after reading this thread I'm realizing how foolish I have been. I remember having to bend back the small end silver to make the gap in closure tighter. I never thought they could outright fail. Which has me wondering what happens when a clasp fails and it has been retired...then how does an LD replace it? Like the chess lock.....should I ever get one.....

ehansard wrote:I know LindaJo...after reading this thread I'm realizing how foolish I have been. I remember having to bend back the small end silver to make the gap in closure tighter. I never thought they could outright fail. Which has me wondering what happens when a clasp fails and it has been retired...then how does an LD replace it? Like the chess lock.....should I ever get one.....

That's my worry also! Could a jeweler repair a retired lock if TB no longer has them in stock?