Shirley President suspenders- Repair options anyone?

[1on1]

Ok so i finally did it!! Got my hands on the mother of all suspenders, its a beauty but obviousley as the title suggests, with flaws. I think the photos say it better..on one of the clips, the curved hook (for lack of a better word) that holds the front clip in place has broken. I am hoping to bring your esteeemed collective heads together on this one, to try to figure out how to repair these bad boys.

They are otherwise in absolutley mint condition, the metal hardware doesnt even have scratches on it, its a neutral color or beige with pink detail. Been waiting to get my hands on these for ever.

One other related inquiry- does anyone know where i can buy the elastic cord attachments, especially if i can find them in different colors and also what sort of tool would i need to use to crimp the ends into a loop? I am assuming they still make these cords as i'm sure they have multiple uses other than being attached to suspenders.

Much obliged.
1on1

 

[1on1]

Just realized there is no option to edit thread (apparently only title) but anyway i wanted to add that i do not know the composition of the metal clip and as i'm sure you'll surmise that this broken-off piece is very tiny indeed. Cheers.

 

[Bamaboots]

Slide adjusters.

antique SHIRLEY PRESIDENT SUSPENDER SLIDE ADJUSTERS | eBay

 

[1on1]

OMG!! I cant believe it!!!! ..There they are, going over now to confer with seller. Its an understatement to say how much i appreciate both your lightning fast response and potentially "putting me out of my misery". I did check on E before but only ran into the rusted sliders and thought actually finding replacement ones is simply not going to happen..Lo and behold i was wrong (thank god!).

Taking my hat off to you (way off) as we speak.
PS if you have any advice on the cords - i will cheerfully accept )

 

[Bamaboots]

PS if you have any advice on the cords - i will cheerfully accept )

I do not, though somebody is still producing it, for Ralph at least.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

There they are, going over now to confer with seller.

If a sale can’t be worked out you might try to repair your’s with JB Weld.

J-B Weld Products

Discover the world's strongest bond with J-B Weld products. Sort by and find the perfect solution for your job. Need help? We've got you covered.

www.jbweld.com

 

[1on1]

If a sale can’t be worked out you might try to repair your’s with JB Weld.

J-B Weld Products

Discover the world's strongest bond with J-B Weld products. Sort by and find the perfect solution for your job. Need help? We've got you covered.

www.jbweld.com

I wonder how though?..its missing the tiny curved hook as illustrated on photo..i can see using JB Weld if it was say a crack or something but in this case its missing the piece that holds the slider in place.

 

[1on1]

I do not, though somebody is still producing it, for Ralph at least.
View attachment 633175

Thankyou all the same...i know RRL and another company called Lofty Opus are both slinging their version of it.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

I'd bet money they sell something you could use at Ace Hardware in the individual nut/bolts section. I know this is random, but an old brake line you could cut nicely with a pipe cutter. Possibly cannibalize a ballpoint pen for a similar part like the missing one (could even use the spring for something to JB Weld). Or even put a couple rotations of masking tape on the rod to increase diameter, then wrap wire around that, and then JB Weld the clasp to the wire. Lots of ways to Macgyver that situation that nobody would know but you.

 

[1on1]

UPDATE: I did end up purchasing the twin sliders..i guess at this point i'm going to hold off on the repair project and see how close those replacement sliders will look when compared to mine (in terms of color tone) because i know often times, time will discolor them in different ways but then again if i replace both then it will be a matching pair (atleast in the front of suspenders) so i'll update once they arrive.
Thankyou.
PS if anyone has tips on finding a vendor that sells the cords please let me know.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I wonder how though?..its missing the tiny curved hook as illustrated on photo..i can see using JB Weld if it was say a crack or something but in this case its missing the piece that holds the slider in place.

I guess I didn’t look close enough. My mistake. Glad the purchase worked out.

 

[1on1]

Update: Greetings guys- Ok so i got the sliders but unfortunately they are quite. Ive read that the metal composition is brass with nickle plating..and ive tried to clean but i stopped because i think the nickle has completely worn off and so there's no chance of getting it as shiny as my original slider. Short of getting someone to nickle plate the sliders, are there any other options? Ofcourse i could swipe the two dark sliders but the back slider will still have a shiny sliders since mine are all shiny, if all else fails i guess i will use this option.
Cheers

 

[1on1]

"quite dark" that is.

 

[1on1]

To fix the broken clip on your suspenders, you can either:

1. Replace the clip by finding a similar one at a craft or fabric store and swapping it out.
2. Repair the metal hook using a soldering iron or by taking it to a jeweler for soldering.

For the elastic cord attachments, you can buy them at fabric or craft stores, or online. To crimp the ends into loops, you'll need a crimping tool and crimp sleeves or end caps. Use the tool to secure the cords in place.

[B]DanielPetmr[/B]​

Thanks for weighing in. To respond to your tips: Replacing the clip would unfortunatley take away from the whole "shirley president" aesthetic ..the logo is on those clips so swapping a generic pair is going to make them look like repro's. I'm still toying around with the idea of finding someone who "micro solders" tiny detailed things but then again i am worried that the soldering job might leave a messy bulge which again would defeat the purpose..finding the one capable person who pays attention to minute detail - well thats a major challenge in todays world.​

re: cord attachments, have you actually seen these cords in a fabric store or online? There are no fabric stores that carry these cords in my neck of the woods and i wouldnt know where to look online..if you have seen them somewhere please let me know.​

Cheer
PS sorry about the bright lights, the bold font button was clicked on automatically and i could not get out of it.

 

[Bamaboots]

have you actually seen these cords in a fabric store or online

Do a shock cord search.
Bungee Cord | Rope & Cord

Finding a proper ferrule may be more difficult.
Finding 10 Pcs Silver Metal Fold Over Crimp Head Clips Without Loop for 3mm Round Elastic Drawcord Rope 11mm X 6mm - Etsy

 

[1on1]

Do a shock cord search.
Bungee Cord | Rope & Cord

Finding a proper ferrule may be more difficult.
Finding 10 Pcs Silver Metal Fold Over Crimp Head Clips Without Loop for 3mm Round Elastic Drawcord Rope 11mm X 6mm - Etsy

Much obliged!

 

[jeepTj98]

I do not, though somebody is still producing it, for Ralph at least.
View attachment 633175

Man those are beautiful! I’ve always worn suspenders but have relied on Etsy for my purchases. I thought I was about the only person in the world that still wore suspenders lol

 

[RiteStuffBryan]

I picked up the Lofty Opus ones, they’re nice:

 

[1on1]

I was on the verge of snagging a Lofty pair myself when i ran into the Shirley's..was getting really tired of the wait.
Lofty in general does a remarkable job with any gear they re-issue, their attention to detail is better than most re-issue brands. I think their "Shirley" version is better than RRL's..not to mention it costs less than half the price of an RRL.

In my case i'm a die-hard period junkie and so unless its impossible, i try and stick with period pieces but as you can tell from this thread, it doesnt always go as planned. I still haven't solved the repair issue, i even joined several welding forums to try and find a person who can weld them but everyone just says yea it can be done but no one can point a finger at someone and the spare sliders i got online just dont really match up.

In anycase i'm glad one of us is a happy camper..but if i dont find a solution in the near distant future, i may have to go with Lofty as well..a rare exception for me.

Cheers
PS those pants also Lofty's? Good combo with braces.

 

[RiteStuffBryan]

Thanks, it’s a nice one even if one side does hike up in the back a bit; did that happen with the original Presidents?

The pants are my brand, a collab I’m working on using the same Japanese grain stripe fabric Lofty and others have used; the mill that makes it in Japan recently closed down and this fabric has been discontinued; there were only 50 meters left and I’ve purchased most of what was left before it’s gone.