Ronco Buttoneer

[astral276]

Anyone remember these things from back in the 70's?

Discovered mine again today and thought I would press it back into use. Unfortunately all the nylon fasteners have aged and become brittle.

Anyone know if you can still get these fasteners anywhere?

I know there is a new version Buttoneer about but that, reportedly, is cr@p and doesn't work. The original, made by Dennison, did.

[shelleywelley]

OK Had to google it

Looks naff, even for something from the 70's

What is wrong with needle and thread?

[bykimbo]

It was kind of the Stylophone of handicrafts. Small, naff, badly made, and doesn't do the job anything like as well as the instrument it was intended to replace. You've got to love the seventies.

[astral276]

After more searching last night I found that although Ronco (the JML of its day) are no more Dennison, who actually manufactured the Buttoneer, are still going. They make commercial guns for tagging clothes. Not clear if the fasteners they sell now would fit the old home Buttoneer. They seem to be only sold in boxes of 5,000 which is a bit more than I wanted (unless there is a market for them in small quantities, say packs of 100, here).

The original Buttoneer was not 'naff'. It was one of the few Ronco products that did what it said on the box. It was ideal for a quick fix when a button popped off. It also had many uses around the home. Would be ideal for me now for tagging items of clothing.

This is the original Buttoneer:

Attachment 12506

The one currently on sale as the 'original' is not, is not made by Dennison, and is well criticised to be total rubbish.

[bykimbo]

I had no idea you were so emotionally attached to your buttoneer. I apologise for your calling something so close to your heart "naff", even though I suspect *everything* in the 70s probably qualifies for the epithet. Don't think I'm excluding my own purchases. Heck, I was a Leo Sayer fan, what more can I say?

[11thEagle]

Yeah everybody knows nothing good came untill the 80's

[astral276]

Yeah everybody knows nothing good came untill the 80's

Actually the 80's is when everything started to go wrong. Quite likely all your fault.

[shelleywelley]

I had no idea you were so emotionally attached to your buttoneer. I apologise for your calling something so close to your heart "naff", even though I suspect *everything* in the 70s probably qualifies for the epithet. Don't think I'm excluding my own purchases. Heck, I was a Leo Sayer fan, what more can I say?

I'm a product of the 70's, 76 to be exact, does that make me naff?

[astral276]

I'm a product of the 70's, 76 to be exact, does that make me naff?

Don't know. You were the one that introduced the term to the thread.

Been on to Avery/Dennison in the US (excellent customer service) and they have given me a UK contact where I can maybe source the fasteners.

[WindsorBear]

This made me go check the fasteners in my old Buttoneer kit. Yep... everyone of them just broke in half. So I will need to find a refill kit for it too. The one I've got was definitely made in the early 70's.