Bay Supply Blog - Rivets, Fasteners, and Tools | Rivets (6)

With their impressive formability, strength, and durability, steel rivets are one of the most common—and long-lasting—fastening materials on the market. According to Assembly magazine, they’re also one of the oldest blind rivets: “The first steel blind rivets were developed for use in the auto industry during the Great Depression.”

Although fasteners might seem like nothing more than a small piece to a much larger project, they’re actually an incredibly critical part of any machine or structure. These pieces of hardware usually join two or more materials together, either permanently or temporarily, so start by asking yourself some basic questions:

Industrial customers use a wide range of fasteners. From Closed-End rivets to Tri-Fold (T) rivets and from general-purpose to high-clamp assemblies, there is a rivet for your job. Whether you’re manufacturing appliances, building recreational vehicles, or assembling computers, there is a rivet that is right for you.

Blind rivets are the most popular fasteners for a wide range of applications—from the tiniest electronic printed circuit boards to the largest high-rise. With new rivet designs and tool-setting technology, blind rivets are the easiest, fastest method for joining an assembly.

Breakstem rivets have become the mainstay of the fastener industry. Commonly referred to as blind rivets or pop rivets, breakstem rivets are used for everything from patio furniture to construction.

Breakstem rivetsare so popular because of how versatile they are. They come in different sizes and materials and can handle multiple grip ranges. They are also easy to install using either manual or power tools.