NAILS & WASHERS- to install with nails, put plate where you want it to go.  Then mark through the hole on the plate onto the leather with a pen. If you have a hole punch, punch the holes out with very small hole through the leather. Then take a small hammer and put the nail through the plate and the leather. You might need a hard piece of wood or some thing that you can hammer on without damaging the surface. When you hammer the nail in, hit very lightly, tapping with little taps, until nail goes through the plate and leather.

The nail will come out the back of the leather very sharp, keep hard wood under the leather so the nail will end up going slightly through the wood as well.  Next you will turn the leather and the plate over so that the plates is on the wood. PLEASE PUT PAPER OR A SMALL RAG BETWEEN THE PLATE AND THE WOOD SO IT WILL NOT GET DAMAGED. Then place the washer onto the point of the nail. Note, since the washer is a tight fit, you need to hit the sides of the washer to push it down to the bottom of the leather.

Cut the nail off about 90%, leave a little stub above the washer. Hit the little brass stub with a hammer lightly until smooth. This technique is more difficult but the plate will stay on tight.

 

Method #2 (Pop Rivets)