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Ah, vintage cuff links. Great little pieces of artwork from the past. Today we look at those little swivel backs that become loose. Ever wonder why. I have. Vintage cuff link parts. They are basically just not fixable by the common man. Jewelers, maybe. The great part about these vintage backs is the fact that even if they no longer stay in the closed position, your button hole will still keep them on. No need to discard them. The chance of them ever falling out is very slim. Just thought I would show you what they are made of. I've taken a pair of near useless vintage Art Deco cuff links and sliced them in half. Check it out below:
This is what they will look like in a better condition. Tops stay centered. No flop.
Here is what they look like after you dissect the pieces. This is the top photo part cut in half to show its workings that are hidden from the world. Till now!
Obviously not the same cuff link. But it is the exact same style of closure. Piece 1 is the outside (turned upside down of course). Piece 2 is hidden inside the cuff link end itself. This piece has a slight upward bend and rubs against the fourth piece to keep the swivel in the upright closed position. Piece 3 is the cover or "bottom half" you see on the cuff link closure's under side. Piece 4 is the bottom piece of the cuff link shaft (cut off in this photo). This has an upside down letter T shape and is hidden inside the cuff link closure. It sits between pieces 2 and 3. The magic piece is number 2. Basically unreachable by the average man. What really happens is after years of use, piece number 2's "hump" flattens down. This in turn allows the hinged back to flop left and right as the upside down "T" is not being pressed against. Didn't really mean to get so brutal on the cuff link end but, I had to see the guts and figure out why these sometimes will not stay in the closed position. If anyone has any suggestions or tips on repair, I would be grateful for any input. This was just a little "info quickie". Thanks for checking it out.
