I'm jealous because I've been doing this for 11 years and have never been given ANYTHING. I am helping a kid get started and have given him some tools and maybe he can do the same for someone in the future.
you definitely don't want metal to metal contact whether it is the triangle itself closed or hanging from a metal hook. I hang mine from a piece of leather cord that I treat with linseed oil so it lasts longer. I used to make mine out of 3/8" and thought it sounded pretty good until I tried 1/2"...HUGE difference in volume and tone.