Buttons

[Dumpster D]

Hi.

Didn't see a thread for Buttons, while looking to find a good place to post this Modification I've done on my Bronson C-2 sweater tonight.

Now my cigars won't fall out of my pocket every time I bend over to tie my boots.

This button itself was a good find!!! Lucky!! It's from a massive assortment of vintage buttons here. Some look to be modern, others as old as the wild west...It's a button collection that's been passed down in the generations. Hundreds of buttons, just sorting through them to find some that look like they might be military ones.

I've found a small handful of military buttons, if anyone here is good at ID'ing old Military buttons?

The only one I could find that looks like it's from an original US garment to match. (I'm almost certain it's from something original US WWII)

Should have probably used some kind of backing while sewing this sweater with a Zigzag stitch, running low on thread and chalk...This will do well enough for me at least.

Anyway, Details...I feel good about this thread (no pun intended)

If anyone is looking for a how-to, it's generally straightforward. I Just watched some different 'youtube' vids before attempting sewing a buttonhole.

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

You sewed that buttonhole with Europe method?

 

[Silver Surfer]

nice field solution.

 

[Skyhawk]

Looks good!
Don't even get me started on buttons... it's been a lifelong pursuit.

I will post up some photos of the treasures I have found later on.

 

[Dumpster D]

Do you think this button might be from an M-43 type of Jacket? I could measure and take some more detailed photos.

It was the only button in the whole stash of its kind, but I did find some others that might be from Wool Army Trousers with a button fly for example, if anyone wants to take a look.

A lot of them were more 'brown' buttons than OD green, like they were from 'mustard' coloured uniforms, who knows? When did they introduce plastics or resins in button manufacturing? I wonder if some of these might even be from the first war?

 

[Skyhawk]

Do you think this button might be from an M-43 type of Jacket? I could measure and take some more detailed photos.

It was the only button in the whole stash of its kind, but I did find some others that might be from Wool Army Trousers with a button fly for example, if anyone wants to take a look.

A lot of them were more 'brown' buttons than OD green, like they were from 'mustard' coloured uniforms, who knows? When did they introduce plastics or resins in button manufacturing? I wonder if some of these might even be from the first war?

Could be from M-43 but looks a little too bright? Hard to say. There is a great deal of info online about how plastics developed.
Around 1869 the first "Plastic" was created by combining cotton cellulose with camphor. This was revolutionary basically it was the first polymer and the only material that could simulate horn, ivory, or bone at the time. This Celluloid plastic was not durable and degraded quickly when exposed to certain elements and conditions. Buttons were made from it, but they were not very durable. In 1911, casein plastic was patented. Casein plastic was casein milk protein (Probably the powdered form) hardened with formaldehyde. It was more durable than celluloid and really caught on in the 1920's for button Manufacturing. Before these plastics, it was all natural stuff, wood, nut, horn, bone, shell, metal.
By WWII they were using urea / formaldehyde plastics. A step up in durability over Casein. After the war, there was a progression to the fully synthetic buttons that are common today.

 

[Dumpster D]

Could be from M-43 but looks a little too bright? Hard to say.

You are probably right. It's a bit brighter green. It does look that way.

I just realized I have an original M-43 Jacket here, I'll dig out and take a look at the buttons.

*edit/update* The original M-43 Buttons are much more substantial, larger and more streamline and darker green. They're amazing actually.

Chances are the button I used is not Military, more modern plastic.