"D" rings or clasps?

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:50 pm

When ordering a jacket, do you choose the antique style brass D rings, or the clasps? (I don't know what they're called .. they have more square edges).

I have found that the brass D rings sort of slip or come undone every now and then. Does this happen to you?

Harrison_Davies · Post by **Harrison_Davies** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:53 pm

God yes and it's ###### annoying....go with Sliders, Strider

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:54 pm

I've never had any trouble with the d rings on my Wested goat, but I can see how they might be a problem with a thin leather like laamb.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:54 pm

so that's what they're called. Sliders. That was also a cool TV show once. I already have D rings on my Wested. It doesn't bug me that much, really ... just kinda like "dangit" when they come undone. Luckily for me, I've had belts that work the same way as the D rings, so I know how to re thread them.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:24 pm

Sliders ...
Yep - yet another show I never saw.
(Even though it had the very entertaining John Rhys-Davies in it !

)

Back on topic:
I've got sliders on my FS Goat - never had a problem with them (& I wear it everyday).
I'm pretty sure I'll get sliders on my Wested (soon, ... soon

)

Best Regards,

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:23 pm

As I understand it, the d-rings will hold on the lamb - if you don't futz w/ them. Once you do, they just won't hold. Because of that, I only played w/ mine once (when I was getting the initial fit straight, before I found out they AREN'T for adjust the fit

), and I've left them alone since. They hold just fine.

If they aren't under tension, they shouldn't be slipping. And they are really cosmetic, not meant to pull tight in order to change the fit (and therefore be under tension).

Am I still repeating myself again?

J

EDIT: Sorry, said 'sliders' the first time. Meant the d-rings. OF COURSE the sliders work...

zeus36 · Post by **zeus36** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:48 am

I always thought the side straps should have been a functional buckle and eyelet araingement like the gun belt's buckle.

If done in black oxide, they'd look better than the D rings and would not slip.

I may just mod mine that way!

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:11 am

I had the D-rings and they slipped on me all the time. You can see HF's jacket in LC with the straps slipping and that jacket had the D-rings. I'd go with the sliders. I haven't had any problem with them slipping at all in over 2 years.

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:47 am

If you spin the "D"-rings around, so that the flat area is now outward
instead of the rounded part, they will hold much tighter.

Doing this will also make them have the look of the sliders.

Flathead

Erri · Post by **Erri** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:25 am

Good that i chose sliders for my wested jacket then

Colby · Post by **Colby** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:31 am

I did the same thing you did Indiana Jerry. I adjusted the straps on my wested goat and it never went back the same again.

I have the straps in the "folding" technique now and they have held up well.

Colby · Post by **Colby** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:45 am

Wow, I just tried doing what FLATHEAD said by turning the D rings around and it works perfectly! Looks better than the folding method too! Very nice.

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:46 pm

I have D-Rings on my authentic lamb and they have never slipped on me. I adjust them ocassionally, and never had an issue. The strip of leather on mine is rather short in comparison to others. That may have some impact.

GrailHunter · Post by **GrailHunter** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:22 pm

I'm a big advocate of the sliders, I found the D-rings to be nothing but a constant pain, the things just would not hold the strap at all. That was on a lamb jacket BTW.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:47 pm

The sliders are screen accurate for a Raiders jacket anyways, unless you want a TOD or LC jacket. Some have said that in Raiders both the D-rings and sliders were used but I can't find a single frame of film or photo to back up the D-ring theory.
I'd also watch out putting your D-rings backwards. There is a gap in the metal and that could wear out the leather on the strap and do it some damage in time.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:38 pm

I have never had a problem with the d-rings either.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:37 am

Colby wrote:I did the same thing you did Indiana Jerry. I adjusted the straps on my wested goat and it never went back the same again. I have the straps in the "folding" technique now and they have held up well.

Except that I only did it once, put it right back, never monkeyed with it again - and my D-rings are holding just fine.

Not to throw gasoline on the fire...but I will...but if you can see HF's D-rings slipping on screen, doesn't that make 'ineffective D-rings' screen-accurate?

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:45 pm

agent5 wrote:The sliders are screen accurate for a Raiders jacket

Which is why I chose those. I would be careful about turning them around, too. What I find myself doing a lot is checking them for slippage, and pulling the leather straps back to where I want them.

Mat Cauthon · Post by **Mat Cauthon** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:47 pm

I have the D rings on my goat jacket. They slip all the time and I even have them turned so the flat edge is out and they are doubled back through. It probably only slips now because of my backpack at school and seatbelts in the car pushing against the straps.

I personly like the look of the D rings better then the sliders but If I ever get another jacket I will get sliders.

Brendon

FLATHEAD · Post by **FLATHEAD** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:52 pm

I'd also watch out putting your D-rings backwards. There is a gap in the metal and that could wear out the leather on the strap and do it some damage in time.

I would be careful about turning them around, too.

I have had them turned around on my Wested Lambskin, my Wings
Vintage Cow, and an older Flightsuits Expedition, all for over 4 years, and
not a single strap has been affected by turning them around.

The gap in the flat part is so small, and they are so smooth, that none
of my jackets has ever been affected by this.

I have also done this to my Aero Buffalo Californian jacket, which cost
me easily 2.5 times what my Wested cost me. I would never have done
this to a jacket that expensive if I thought for one minute it would damage
the leather in any way. The Aero Californian jacket uses the same type
of "D" rings for the wrist adjusters, and they have not caused a single
scrape or scratch to the leather.

People have been turning the "D" rings around for years. We talked
about doing this years back, and I have yet to hear a single person say
their leather got damaged by the little gap in the "D" ring.

I would be more concerned about damaging the leather by using acetone
on it, or sand paper on it, like some people here say to do, just to get it to
look old. But I guess doing that type of damage on purpose is different in
some way to people...

But thats just me. Turning the "D" rings around will help them hold
better, and it looks better if you don't have the rectangular sliders. This
will give the look of sliders if you want it.

Flathead

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:30 pm

There is a gap in the metal and that could wear out the leather on the strap and do it some damage in time.

I'm not willing to take that chance. Sounds like you've had luck with it thusfar, though.

Don't Call Me Junior · Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:38 am

agent5 wrote:
There is a gap in the metal and that could wear out the leather on the strap and do it some damage in time.
I'm not willing to take that chance. Sounds like you've had luck with it thusfar, though.

I don't see how this is a logical arguement because when the D-ring is in its correct position the gap is already in contact with one of the leather straps. How could it have more of a chance damaging one strap than the other?

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:41 am

I suppose you could be right. I'm just anal about this stuff and when I undid the D-rings I saw the gap and figured if it rubbed against the one side too long it may damage it, especially if I'm constantly moving the strap through it. On one side is stationary and on the other the strap moves over it. That was my initial thought.
Perhaps it won't damage it at all and if we have one account of 4 years with no damage, that's a good sign it works well. I just didn't want to take a chance with it is all.

Don't Call Me Junior · Tue Oct 25, 2005 3:12 am

I tried reversing my d-rings and I must say it held the strap very well. I ended up switching it back though because I didn't like how you could see the gap in the metal. If you really wanted to hide the gap you could probably use some kind of epoxy or something and get a good look. I currently only have problems with my right strap slipping and the left one seems to hold just fine. I've yet to get my jacket wet (here in Seattle that's just a matter of time, good chance of it happening tomorrow) but I'm hoping that after it gets wet, if I adjust it how I want it and let it dry it will stay there better. If anyone has experience with this working or not I'd be glad to hear it.

Harrison_Davies · Post by **Harrison_Davies** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:49 am

I have found a happy workaround for my sliding 'D' rings.

I have used a black paperclip to hold the strap that is bent back on itself. It's hidden behind the material in front, and it works in a non destructive way.

Lord_Clarence · Post by **Lord_Clarence** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:23 pm

Harrison_Davies wrote:I have used a black paperclip to hold the strap that is bent back on itself. It's hidden behind the material in front, and it works in a non destructive way.

I've just discovered the same thing this weekend, using little black twist-ties. (Which computer people like me have a plethora of.) Totally unnoticable, non-destructive, and easily reversable/adjustable.

Cordially,
Lord Clarence

Last Crusader · Post by **Last Crusader** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:19 pm

Could anybody post a closeup pic of the Wested sliders? I´ve never seen one.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:29 pm

There's a pic here:

http://public.fotki.com/KtTemplar/weste ... uckle.html

Indiana Williams · Post by **Indiana Williams** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:47 pm

when I order my wested, within the next week or so, I am going to go with the sliders.from what Ive heard they work better and IMO look better then the D-rings.
- Joe

VP · Post by VP » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm

Last Crusader wrote:Could anybody post a closeup pic of the Wested sliders? I´ve never seen one.

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:49 am

That doesn't look like the slider, that looks like two D-rings. I thought the slider was flatter.

Don't Call Me Junior · Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:02 am

Here's a picture I came across sometime and saved. Sorry it's kinda blurry.