Button Holing PC Coat

**cavscout** · 19th January 06, 02:29 PM

I've looked and looked but cannot seem to find what I'm looking for on the internet.

While in the Marine Corps I "button-holed" my blues blouse to accomodate anodized buttons which would need to be removed whenever I sent it to the cleaners. This was done by stitching a small round button hole (about 1/16" ) and pushing the button "eye" thru the hole and slipping a "Split ring" thru the eye to hold the button. The weight of the split ring held the button fairly vertical (Eagles flying).

I purchased an Eton Tux jacket and have purchased some pewter buttons from Three-Feathers which I want to use on the jacket. I would like to button hole this as well. The catch is...the hole for the thread to pass thru on the button is horizontal to the emblem on the front. I'm afraid using the spit ring method here will cause the eagles to rotate under the weight of the ring.

I saw somewhere what appeared to be a plastic washer which slips over the eye of the button and then is secured with a clip or screw or something. I've also seen "Button Pins" which are simply safety pins with a bulge bent into them to accomodate a button.

Am I over thinking this? Has anyone seen anything like I'm describing? Also, does anyone know the angle and spacing of the buttons on a PC coat or Brian Baru. Does Pewter react negatively to steel if I use "split-rings"? A lot of questions but I'm sure someone here has tried this before

**Pleater** · 19th January 06, 04:51 PM

That system is called 'batchelor's buttons' with the split rings - I am not sure if the other fixings come under the same term.

I'm not sure if the shank is horizontal or vertical in it's correct orientation - if it is horizontal how about using split pins - and if vertical, paper clips?

P.S. To prevent a reaction, coat the metals with varnish - nail varnish will do, though a toning shade or clear is advisable.

**The Wizard of BC** · 19th January 06, 05:32 PM

I'm afraid I must disagree on this one.

In North America "Bachelor buttons" are the kind similar to the riveted "Jeans" buttons I use on FK's. A true bachelor button has a "thumb tack" like rivet that is simply pushed thru the fabric.

Also, using nail polish is not the best solution. It will work for a short term quick-fix but is far too soft to resisit the the abrasion of the fabric. If you find you must use some coating find a spray can of Lacquer. That's the stuff that was on your USMC brass belt buckle before you removed it for polishing.
Check the back of your buttons, I think you will find that there is a steel shank not pewter. Again, pewter is a very soft metal and would not stand the stress or abrasion.

The style of button is very common. Some suppliers call them studded buttons, some pinned buttons and some eyelet buttons. Whatever they are called the theory is the same. The shank of the button goes thru an eyelet where it is secured with a pin of some sort. It is also not uncommon to use a small washer as a backing plate to prevent abraision.

I too was one of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. My Blues came with eyelet buttons. The buttons however had the shank in the wrong orientation like yours. The solution was the tack down the end of the pin with a couple of small stitches. Quick and easy to do and quickly removed when you need to remove the buttons. The best thing to use to hold the button are small split pins similar to cotter pins. Or if you ever worked around a farm, the quick release pins on a tractor hitch.

If the buttons you have are the diamond shaped ones, the orientation should be for the long axis points to be vertical.

**Pleater** · 19th January 06, 06:26 PM

Two countries divided by a single language.

Even the nail varnish might be different. I find it lasts well enough - I coated a metal ring in clear pink about 40 years ago, and it was still OK when I found it a few years ago. Well it was still pink, but undamaged pink.

**The Wizard of BC** · 19th January 06, 09:56 PM

Two languages.....how true.

I often put down on applications that I am bi-lingual. I know English and Amurican.

And as for your English nail lacquer I'm sorry to have jumped on you about it. You see my knowledge of your product is very limited. In fact I can't remember the last time I wore English nail polish.

billmcc · 19th January 06, 10:39 PM

Cavscout,

Your mention of using the botton-hole method to make buttons removeable came at a good time for me. I am in the process of converting my USAF mess dress jacket into a formal kilt jacket.

I am replacing the USAF buttons with the celtic buttons I bought from the British Shop:
http://britishshop.com/index.php?cPa...bdbc86b364f32b

The buttons on my mess dress jacket are sewn on in the usual manner. I will have a seamtress make small buttonholes so the new buttons can be attached as you described.

Thank you for sharing this information!

**Pleater** · 20th January 06, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC

Two languages.....how true.

I often put down on applications that I am bi-lingual. I know English and Amurican.

And as for your English nail lacquer I'm sorry to have jumped on you about it. You see my knowledge of your product is very limited. In fact I can't remember the last time I wore English nail polish.

Hey - neither can I - I use it as a handy filler for grooves in plastics, as a glue and fray check - but can't see the logic in coating my nails in the stuff.