Levi's button

[Dudleydoright]

I've got a couple of pairs of Levi's 18 something or other jeans. They have suspender buttons and the rear cinch strap but no belt loops. Sometimes I do wear suspenders with them. Most often in winter as they are under a sweater. In summer I'd prefer to wear them without braces / suspenders but as i've lost a good bit of weight over the winter, they keep falling off my butt ! I've not lost quite enough to use the inside suspender button so I'm going to have to add a button between that one and the normal waist one. Any ideas on what type of button would be authentic ? Does a Levi's sewn on one exist that I could buy and does anyone know a supplier of said button ? I do have a couple of WW2 USMC buttons and could sew one of them on but it looks slightly too small and may keep coming undone. Also, what sort of thread and is there any special technique for sewing a button onto denim that won't keep unravelling ?

Cheers for any info'.

Dave

 

[H.Johnson]

Dave,

Sutler's Store (and other similar outlets) do a plain metal button that matches the sew-on Levi's one in terms of size and shape. The problem is acquiring only one!

British metal workwear and military buttons (e.g. Exelsior) come up on eBay from time to time and are very similar. The way in which Levi's sewed on the buttons of the 1870s and 1880s models is different from the way buttons are sewed on later garments. I'm sure you can see how it's done by looking at your existing buttons (assuming they are sew-on). I have several early Levi's garments with sewn-on buttons and losing buttons due to the sharp edge of the hole cutting the thread is a common problem. I had some spares, but I'm afraid I've used them all up in this way! Sorry.

A point - are you sure they have shrunk as much as they are going to?

 

[Dudleydoright]

Thanks

Hi 'H',
I'm not 100% sure the jeans have stopped shrinking but I'm hoping I've not stopped either !

All my buttons are the riveted on type rather than sew on. I've just assumed that these are neither possible to find nor fix outside of Levi's factory ...

Dave

 

[Doug C]

I think these may be just the ticket, unless you're opposed to the script that's on them:
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/.../mensaccessories/75111.aspx?feature=Product_1

Doug C

 

[Dudleydoright]

Thanks mate !!

Doug,
What a great website ! I've bookmarked that one. Thanks for taking the time to post. Those buttons are perfect !

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Doug C]

Glad to help ! It was really a coincidence because I just got the duluth catalog in the mail the other day and saw these buttons and thought - "hey those could come in handy sometime.."

Doug C

 

[skbellis]

Thess buttons are readily available at most "sewing" / "fabric" stores here in the US such as "JoAnn's". I'm not sure what you can find in the UK.

Cheers,

Scott

 

[Doug C]

I think the only way they could be better is if they had no script on the button like the ones from duluth do. I mean I'd rather the button either say Levis or nothing at all, so if the ones at the sewings store were completely plain I'd go with those over these. You know the first year that Levis had not included suspender buttons on their 501 (1937) customers were given "snap on" buttons incase they still wanted to use them... I've always wondered what those looked like. And can you imagine what an original set would go for.

Doug C

 

[skbellis]

The ones I have seen at the fabric stores were either blank or had some generic stars going around the edge instead of script. I'll have to run over and take alook. I know they came either in 'nickle' or brass.


Cheers,

Scott

 

[H.Johnson]

Dave

In the UK hammer-on buttons, plain or with stars or wreaths are as close as your local habberdashers (I get mine from market stalls, they usually have the best range).

If you are dealing with a 1870s Levis garment you really need sew on buttons. 1880s have bifurcated rivet buttons. If you're not bothered, it doesn't matter.