American vs. button cuffs on 30's Halfbelt?

[holdencain]

The recent posting of the Aero Route 66 w/ American cuffs makes me wonder of the pros/cons of these cuffs vs. the button cuff seen on a 30's Halfbelt. I have a 30's HB on order.......and wondering if the American cuff(without storm cuff) would look OK...and if it would be more durable and less cumbersome than having buttons there?
What is the purpose of the buttons after all.....is it just detail or functional? Do folks ever unbutton them?
Thanks,
HC

 

[Seb Lucas]

To me button cuffs look cool. I button them or unbutton them depending on mood. Obviously done up they keep more wind out and stop the sleeve flapping if you ride. If you don't ride it hardly matters. A key point to note is how tight the sleeve is when buttoned up. Tighter may be restrictive to movement but will keep cold air out. Are they strong? Depends on the maker. The button can fall off. Knit cuffs do a better job keeping out the wind. It's not rocket science.

 

[WalkingBoy]

I agree Mr Lucas. Give me button down cuffs any day over the American version. When left un-buttoned ( or buttoned) they give a lovely silhouette/accent to any jacket. What i love also is how the shape of the flap has so many variations. The American cuff is more functional and to me a bit plain looking. Add to that a storm knit cuff, and you could almost cut off circulation. But then i'm a nancy boy and not a hard man jacket man
ps i'm surprised this question of detail has never come up before. It's very interesting.

 

[Sillyrib]

button cuff. I like it left a little long, to the knuckles. Then when driving it comes up to your wrist. You can leave it unbuttoned( see bruce Willis surrogates jacket). You can also tuck it under the sleeve for a clean look( probably not if you have it double leather on both sides though).

 

[Bonneville]

I definitely prefer the American cuff. Button cuffs for some reason don't look right to me on heavy outerwear, somewhat anachronistic. For me button cuffs are meant for shirts, full stop.

 

[holdencain]

thanks for the comments. all good points.
hc

 

[mrc]

When I bought my 1940s Hercules halfbelt at Insurrection I was torn between the originals and the 1930s Aero Halfbelts with leather-lined cuffs that Insurrection has in stock. Actually, I posed this very question (about the durability of the Aero buttons) to Carrie. She stated that the cuffs on the Aero might look a bit silly without the buttons, as she had never seen a 1930s nor 1940s halfbelt jacket without buttons or, on the older halfbelts, a strap. When I inquired about the durability of the Aero buttons, she assured me that the buttons would only come off if abused. Apparently, Aero burns the back of the button whip stitching after adhering the button to the jacket to ensure that they will last and not fall off. Carrie said that they've never had an Aero come back with a missing button. Yet, they always get buttons coming back missing from or coming off of their vintage halfbelts. I hope the buttons don't fall off on my Hercules, as I really do think the leather-lined cuffs with buttons look classy.

 

[Elmonteman]

The first Aero Trailrider I bought, Amanda was kind enough to accommodate various alterations, but one thing I did not change was the buttoned cuffs. I was very pleased when it arrived because the circumference of the closed cuff was perfect: I could put the jacket on and off without unbuttoning. Encouraged, I ordered another, but this time it was made by someone who thought that the cuffs when buttoned should be very tight. I would suggest if you opt for buttoned cuffs, it might be a good idea to specifiy whether you prefer a loose circumference on the buttoned cuff or a tight one.