So, does anyone know what the official term is for the “keepers”? – those leather thingies that are narrow loops of leather that keep things like breastplate straps together? My Tucker breastplate’s “keeper-thingie” that used to keep the straps together on the piece that runs under the chest & attaches to the cinch has broken & dropped off; plus the similar “thingies” that hold the straps together on the pieces that attach to the saddle on either side are looking questionable. So, I’d like to get new ones – but what the heck are they called so I can find them to buy online?
They are still keepers here…maybe terms are different in different areas?
Thye are called keepers. After they break I just use electrical tape. If you want to be fancy use brown electrical tape.
all right, “keepers” they are. Anybody know of likely sources for such things?
If that gets me nowhere, thanks for the electrical tape idea. 
A leather repair person can make them for you to match. If you don’t have a saddler locally, a shoe repair shop should be able to make them as well.
I make my own, either out of a bit of latigo, stray leather bits or black tape.
sk_pacer, do you just knot the pieces or is there a better way to fasten the loop together?
Depends how wide the string is…if it is really narrow, yep, a knot will do, if it is wide enough to make slits, will do a mexican braid or even stitch it.
Velcro self-stick tie wraps (which can be purchased in the sewing section at Walmart) work well as temporary keepers:
http://www.velcro.com/en/Products/Ties-and-Straps/Ties/One-Wrap-Tie-Rolls.aspx
Cut them to the length you need with the “loop” side against the horse.
good ideas… thanks!!
I use black elastic hair ties, the kind that are 20 or so for a couple bucks at Walgreens 
The elastic works better than anything I’ve made or rigged up to keep straps in place.
if you go to your local western store they usually sell extra leather if they make anything there in the shop i know Western Rawhide sells long strips of it then just cut it and sew it together and if they ever break again you will have extra or if you ride western and have a leather cinch strap i cut a little bit off the sides of that also because it was for roping so it was super thick and to hard to cinch up me being only 13
