: Where can one purchase the little button spring that is used in two piece
: paddles to hold them together?

Try a medical/orthopedic equipment supply. They use the same things in crutches, canes, walkers, and wheelchairs.

I found a bunch in an aluminum scrap bin at the recycling yard. Since they're steel, they let me "steal" them out of the aluminum tubing, since the presence of the steel made the aluminum "dirty" and lowered its value. So, by taking them out, I made the aluminum more valuable, and chucked it in the "clean" aluminum bin for them.

Shawn