metal collar stays / collar stifners

[R. Prikazka]

I just bought my very first metal collar stiffeners.
In each one, on the rounded part, there is a little hole approximately 0,75 to 1 mm diameter.
The lady in the shop couldn't tell me what the purpose of the little hole is.
Here is a picture of a pair of collar stiffeners with exactly the same hole:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...er%26Tyler.jpg

Can anyone tell me what these little holes are for?

Thanks in advance!
Razgorov.

 

[musicguy]

Perhaps to hang on something when you're not wearing them?

 

[R. Prikazka]

Originally Posted by musicguy

Perhaps to hang on something when you're not wearing them?

I dont really think so. The holes are to small for a nail... They are barely wide enough for a needle.

 

[alliswell]

Either way the plastic stays are better; they'll wear your shirt out more slowly.

 

[R. Prikazka]

And the plastic ones don`t have a little hole

 

[in stitches]

Originally Posted by alliswell

Either way the plastic stays are better; they'll wear your shirt out more slowly.

+1

the metal ones i had ripped through the **** under the collar. stay with plastic they do the job and dont ruin anything (unless of course you leave them in during dry cleaning)

 

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by alliswell

Either way the plastic stays are better; they'll wear your shirt out more slowly.

agree a thousand percent. I have some brass collar stays that put a hole in the collar of a charvet shirt. Poked right through.

plastic plastic plastic!!

 

[Cary Grant]

I've seen metal stays sold on a loop/chain... dunno why they'd otherwise have a hole.

I've always used metal stays with no deleterious effects on the shirt.

 

[rboat]

Originally Posted by R. Prikazka

I dont really think so. The holes are to small for a nail... They are barely wide enough for a needle.

The holes are there to sew in the stays. If you leave them in during cleaning it is to guard against them getting lost. At least that is what my cleaners has told me in the past. If you do not force metal stays in your shirt they will not rip the shirt.

 

[Aldehyde]

Perhaps the hole is also to use when removing them. A small hook through the hole would make it very easy to pull them out.

 

[R. Prikazka]

That sounds quite plausible. And I think that if you leave them in whilst (dry) cleaning it will wreck the shirt. I intend to get them out every night and not leave them in whilst cleaning. Then they are in their place and cant do any harm. Thanks a lot people! Another mystery solved

 

[Ianiceman]

1. Who dry cleans shirts? I hope by sending shirts to the dry cleaners you are sending them there to be laundered.

2. What kind of **** quality shirts get ripped up by the careful insertion of blunt brass stays into the collars? I wouldn't be happy if that was happening to my expensive shirts.

 

[Geezer]

2. What kind of **** quality shirts get ripped up by the careful insertion of blunt brass stays into the collars? I wouldn't be happy if that was happening to my expensive shirts.[/quote]

From my own experience, when I watched metal collar stays bugger up a number of shirts, the kind of "**** quality" shirts of mine involved included New and Lingwood, Harvie and Hudson and Hilditch and Key. It's not the "careful insertion", it's the daily wear and tear as the collar rubs against your neck and upper torso.

 

[zarathustra]

I have had numerous shirts for over 5 years that get worn and laundered at least 50 times a year and have always used metal stays. I have never had a blow out from using the metal stay.

 

[TheTukker]

Originally Posted by alliswell

Either way the plastic stays are better; they'll wear your shirt out more slowly.

Originally Posted by in stitches

+1

the metal ones i had ripped through the **** under the collar. stay with plastic they do the job and dont ruin anything (unless of course you leave them in during dry cleaning)

Originally Posted by DerekS

agree a thousand percent. I have some brass collar stays that put a hole in the collar of a charvet shirt. Poked right through.

plastic plastic plastic!!

Interesting - where to get good plastic stays?