How to finish 5mm leather cord??

[Luann Udell]

I've searched all my go-to sources (including R&T), Googled til the cows came home, and I still can't find end caps with a inner diameter large enough to use with 5mm leather cord.  In a perfect world, something like this:  http://shop.rings-things.com/cart/pc/Center-Crimp-Tube-with-Loop-3-8mm-I-D-Silver-Plated-1067p13223.htm  but I am not wild about plating.

When I first started using leather cord and had end caps that were too small, the advice was to shave down the leather.  (This was hard to gauge right.  And often the leather was weakened right where it entered the cap/crimp and would wear through.)  A leather worker said to wet the ends of the cord and roll until it thinned out enough to fit.  This is tedious, hurts my fingers, and takes a long long long LONG time to do with really thick cord.  (Did I say it took a long time?)  And often I still couldn't get the end small enough to get into the cap....

Not to mention the cost of of these in sterling silver gets to be a pricey venture....  I found one slick "modern-looking" Italian version I didn't like, that is probably too tight a fit anyway, almost $5 each (and that was with quantity pricing.)

I'm almost ready to accept a lead-free pewter version (if I could find those!), or a quality-sterling plate item, or explore some other way of finishing the ends.  (Wire wrapping??)

Suggestions? Thoughts? Ideas? SOLUTIONS?  

[Russ Nobbs]

Hi Luann,
We think we may have something for you. A cap similar to the one you pointed to. I'm trying to get  someone here to track down pictures, estimate some prices in both sterling and plated basemetal and e-mail them to you.

Sorry this question sat unanswered so long. We were busy getting ready for the Anniversary Event on the 13th & 14th and it fell thru the cracks.