Silver Colored Burr Rivets

[zbean]

First, thanks everyone for a wealth of knowledge and friendly advice.

I tried google and the search function with no useable results... Does there exist a source for silver colored burr rivets?

If not I may try making a die for peening a head onto nickle silver rod or a softer stainless and see how it goes.

[Matt S]

I have a Swedish Army rucksack from the 1940s. It's steel, canvas and harness leather. Some of the burr or saddlers rivets are made from aluminium which would be tougher than nickel silver, and easier than stainless.

[oldtimer]

zbean. I made fancy brass rivets by silver soldering brass rounds to copper rivets. The problems occur when riveting, I had to enlarge the holes in the burrs as the copper rivets were like boiled spaghetti after soldering

Matt, load that rucksack with bricks and carry it long enough and your back will take the shape of the frame! My father had one! lol

/ Knut

Edited January 28, 2013 by oldtimer

[zbean]

Matt S that sounds like a nice ruck. I've always wanted one.

I'd be absolutely fine with aluminum burr rivets, I just don't know of a source for them. I tried looking online to no avail.

Oldtimer I hadn't even considered silver solder or brazing. Was it an annealing effect the heat created that led to the noodly rivets?

[simontuntelder]

I have some really, really big aluminum rivets from the German military. But again, they're big as hell, so not really useable, however it's a joy peening aluminum.

The Swiss military used smaller aluminium (washer/burr) rivets on their bags and other leather accessories (which were often entirely hand-sewn!! and I've been searching high and low for some surplus stock of their rivets without any succes.

[Matt S]

Matt S that sounds like a nice ruck. I've always wanted one.

Thank you, I like it myself. It's the Swedish M39 'moose sack', so-called because from behind it looks like a bull moose's... sack. Ahem. They're very common on the surplus market right now, and not expensive. There are more modern things available for sure, and mine needed a few minor repairs. Needs a few more right now. But they are very solid pieces of kit.

[zbean]

Simontunelder those smaller ones sound exactly like what I'm after. If I find a source i'll be sure to post it.

Matt S where's a good place to look for the M39? There's a military gun supply and cheaperthandirt not far from me. I didn't see anything in the U.S. on a quick google search for them. CTD had a polish model for $10 but it was a nylon bottom and didn't appear to have a frame.

[oldtimer]

zbean, the copper rivets will be really soft after annealing, like boiled spaghetti, so to be able to attach the burr I have to widen the hole in the burr so it will be only slight resistanse when hammering the burr down.

[zbean]

Oldtimer I'll probably just wait for something aluminum etc since I have too many projects already. It's a great idea though if I ever get the time. Thanks for your suggestion.

[DJ1935]

Hi zbean

I use #14 copper rivets on alot of the WW1 military gear that I make. Originally the rivets and burrs were tinned to prevent the copper verde gris from staining the leather. There is no one doing this commercially now so we do our own. I can supply you with some depending on how many you need. We have #10 and 8 as well. Have a look on our website www.ethosleather.co.nz

Regards

DJ