We all have measuring cups and spoons or other items on those little plastic snap rings. The rings are handy for hanging on hooks, keeping things together in drawers, etc... The problem is, over time they wear out and won't snap any longer. You can replace them with chains or other substitutes, or, with a little tubing, you can not only provide a long lasting fix for very little money, but also use this solution on new rings to keep them from opening accidentally.

Gear:

Sharp Scissors
Tygon Tubing

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Step 1: Measure and Cut

To be sure to use the right size tubing, measure the snap clip. Most are 5mm wide. That means the proper size tubing is:

Tygon TET-250A-10 E-3603 Laboratory Tubing, 1/4" ID, 5/16" OD, 10'

Tygon tubing is food safe lab tubing that can be washed and sterilized. It runs about a dollar a foot, and since you only need a piece less than an inch, one ten-foot length can serve up 120 fixes. Tygon tubing is also used frequently in molecular gastronomy, so there are 101 uses for it in the kitchen.

Once you have the right size tubing in hand, cut a piece just under an inch long, and slide it onto the snap ring. When you want it closed, just put the ends back together and slide the tubing over it. The inside diameter of the tubing is just under the width of the snap, so it should hold firmly in place, but not too firmly so that it is easy to slide back when you want to remove an item from the ring.

Happy Cooking!