Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
To remove a metal jeans button, cut the shank under the cap with end-cutting nippers, then pull the tack out from the inside with pliers. A shank button is much easier: just cut the thread with a seam ripper. Rivets come off the same way as jeans buttons, but they leave a hole that needs a new rivet or a patch. Riveted parts cannot be reused.
What you need
- end-cutting nippers: the main tool for tack buttons and rivets;
- needle-nose pliers: for pulling the tack out from the inside;
- a small flat screwdriver: for lifting the cap;
- a seam ripper: for shank buttons and buttons with holes;
- a piece of card or a thin plate: to protect the fabric;
- safety glasses and gloves: metal pieces can fly off when cut.
How to remove a metal jeans button
A jeans button consists of a cap with a shank and a tack that is riveted into the shank. That is why it cannot simply be pulled off; the joint has to be broken.
- Protect the fabric. Slide a piece of card between the cap and the fabric so you do not cut it.
- Lift the cap with the flat screwdriver until a small gap opens and the shank is visible.
- Cut the shank with the end-cutting nippers as close to the cap as possible. Work slowly, in several bites if the metal is thick.
- Remove the cap: once cut, it falls off by itself or with a slight twist.
- Pull out the tack from the inside of the waistband with the pliers, rocking it gently back and forth.
- Check the hole. If it is torn or stretched, reinforce it from the inside with iron-on interfacing before fitting a new button.
Alternative method: from the inside
On older buttons where the riveting has already loosened, it is sometimes enough to grip the tack disc from the inside with pliers and twist and rock it until the spike comes out of the shank. This method is kinder to the cap, but on a firmly set button you risk tearing the fabric.
How to remove a rotating jeans button
A rotating button has a cap that turns freely on its base. The principle is the same: cut the joint under the cap and pull out the tack. Because the cap spins, hold it with your fingers or pliers while cutting so the nippers do not slip.
How to remove a metal shank button
A shank button for jackets, coats and blazers is sewn on, so it comes off without force:
- Lift the button away from the fabric so you can see the threads under the shank.
- Cut the threads with the seam ripper or small scissors without catching the fabric.
- Pick out the thread ends with tweezers.
Removable shank buttons on uniforms and blazers are held on the inside with a split pin or ring. They come off by taking out the pin, with no cutting and no tools. More about this type in our article on metal shank buttons.
How to remove rivets
Rivets on jeans pockets come off like buttons: cut the shank under the cap and pull the base out from the inside. Bear in mind that a rivet leaves a hole in the seam, and the seam is no longer reinforced. So only remove rivets when you will fit a new one in the same place or replace the reinforcement with a bartack. Where rivets go and why is explained in jeans rivets.
How to remove snap buttons
Snap buttons have four parts and a spring, so the technique is different; we describe it in detail in how to remove snap buttons.
Methods compared
| Button type | Tool | Leaves a hole? | Reusable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeans tack button | End-cutting nippers, pliers | Yes, small | No |
| Rotating jeans button | End-cutting nippers, pliers | Yes, small | No |
| Rivet | End-cutting nippers, pliers | Yes | No |
| Sewn shank button | Seam ripper | No | Yes |
| Removable button with split pin | No tool | No | Yes |
| Removable screw-in button | Unscrew by hand | Yes, small | Yes |
Common mistakes when removing metal buttons
- pulling the cap without cutting it: the fabric tears around the tack;
- cutting without card: the nippers leave a slit in the denim;
- working without glasses: cut pieces can fly off;
- refitting the old tack: it is deformed and will not set;
- fitting a new button into a stretched hole without reinforcement.
After removal: a new button
To fit a new button in place of the old one, you need a new cap and a new tack of the same diameter. The steps are in our guide to jeans button replacement. In series production, corrections are made with a press and the right die, and the buttons must come from the same batch and finish.
Removing metal buttons from leather and heavy materials
On leather jackets, belts and bags, removal needs more care, because leather does not "close up" a hole the way woven fabric does. Every new piercing stays visible. So the new button goes exactly where the old one was, and if the hole has stretched, use a cap with a slightly larger diameter or a decorative washer on the inside. In multi-layer areas, such as a jeans waistband with facing and interlining or the collar of a jacket, the tack is longer and more firmly set, so cut in several bites and do not pull sharply.
On stretch denim the fabric around the tack is weaker and tears easily. Before you remove the button, fuse a piece of iron-on interfacing on the inside; both the removal and the new fitting will then go without damage. If the button is on a child's garment or an expensive piece, it is better to leave the removal and refitting to a tailor or workshop with a press: there the hole is centred precisely and the tack is set evenly, with no risk of a second piercing.
Production corrections and attaching service
In a garment factory, a wrongly placed button is removed the same way, but it must be refitted on a reinforced spot or with an offset that does not spoil the look of the style. Polkom is a manufacturer of jeans buttons, rivets and metal buttons, and we can also do the attaching for you; see our services. All our metal accessories are nickel free. For spare parts and a quote, contact us.
