For all the gator/canvas I work with, I always put it in a finished frame. 3/16 and 1/2 will easily fit in most frames.
It's easy to secure, just use standard framers points. Gives the piece a nice final look.
I don't like to have the piece showing the actual gator edges, even if if it's black gator. The white edges of the canvas
show when you cut, so if you don't use a frame, you will need to consider using a market on the edges.
Paul