Need Buttons

[Benning Boy]

I have a dark blue Ike jacket with fire department buttons. I want to switch them for something else. I've been looking for Scottish or Celtic themed buttons that might work, but I'm having trouble finding anything the right size. The FD buttons, gold colored, are a bit under an inch in diameter -- and the epaulet and pocket buttons smaller -- they are the same size as US Army uniform buttons. They're probably the same size as common metal blazer buttons, I suppose. The "traditional" buttons I've found on-line are usually, in the larger sizes, one-inch in diameter, too big to fit through the button holes on the jacket, and in the smaller size are a bit too large to look right, to me, as epaulet and pocket buttons. I'd like to find a set of large and small buttons in the same pattern in a silver or pewter color to put on the jacket. Anyone have any suggestions?

I really don't like incorporating military items into civilian wear, but I do have a set of silver US Army dress buttons that I could make work. They'd look good on the blue jacket. Silver buttons haven't been authorized for wear on army uniforms in a very long time. Historically, they were only briefly allowed as an alternative to gold or brass colored buttons, and even then weren't supposed to be worn when in formation, so they never were popular. The silver ones can be considered antique and collectible. What do you think, should I use them?

[1oldsarge]

P/M sent personal msg

[BBNC]

If you can locate an antler, slice off thin pieces about the size and thickness of your original buttons, drill a couple holes, polish them up a bit, but leave the antler texture on the edge. I believe antler buttons are entirely in character, and would have been freely used before plastic came along. The same goes for horn and bone, but more work involved. Of course if you want to be really dressy, than sterling silver is the way to go.

[Leatherneck Donald]

I'd love to see before and after photos of the jacket. I think Ike jackets are really cool and should be easily adaptable to a kilt jacket. I like the idea of the antler buttons, and perhaps your vintage Army silver buttons as an option for a more dressy affair.

On our Marine Dress Blues, we had tiny stitched button holes for attaching and removing anodized buttons. The buttons had a tiny loop on the back which went through the tiny button hole, then a small split ring was used to secure the buttons. That way they were interchangable or removable for cleaning.

[thescot]

personally, I would avoid metal buttons altogether. It looks too military/uniform like, and an Ike jacket style with colored buttons is quite common.

By putting black or navy blue plastic buttons on, it makes a nice civilian doublet, which it is since you aren't in a military unit that wears such a thing. If you want it for evening wear, you could sew on some celtic buttons available from many sources or at the games.

[Stan]

www.artbuttons.com This is where I buy metal (and bone) Celtic buttons. Pretty good deal...

[Benning Boy]

Thanks for the thoughts. I can't do a before and after pic, as I've already taken the jacket to be altered and have the brass buttons removed pending a decision. I'd wondered about antler buttons, but although they go well with tweed, I wasn't too sure about how they might look with a solid dark blue jacket. My old Army uniforms all had the little hole for attaching buttons with clips, making them easily removable for polishing or when having the jackets cleaned and pressed. Such hole would be nice of the Ike jacket, but not worth the additional cost, I think. Although I usually advise against wearing anything of current military issue with civilian attire, I am leaning towards using the old Army buttons. They are no longer authorized, haven't been in a while, and considering the long history of the US Army, not approved for very long. To me, they look like Army buttons, but aren't Army buttons. I understand they might make the jacket look military, but from a short distance, Thistle themed buttons, for example, might look just as much military as the Army buttons. I need to make a run to the sewing shop, I'll look at dark colored buttons and see what might work. The link to artbuttons took me off in to e-neverland. There were no buttons there.

[SemperFyffe]

I get a dead link (this domain name is for sale) when I click the link and doing a google search just gives me a bunch of pintrest pages. Is the above the correct link?

[Stan]

My apologies, the REAL web site is http://www.artbeads.com/craft-buttons-celtic.html I was working from memory and I wrote the wrong Domain name down..

Stan L.