Confused !!!

[Fatboy Ken]

Hello all
It's me again, ....... I'm confused, here's another strange GviR RASC cap badge I recieved today from ebay.

It's another odd colour, I want to say Chrome or Silver, but don't know ??
Give me your opinions please.

4 photo's in all, without flash 1st two, and with flash, 2nd two, front and rear views.

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...909788&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...909788&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...909788&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...909788&thumb=1

You might have a better view in my Album site, they're closer images.

cheers lads
Ken

[Alan O]

Ken,

It appears to have been nickel or chrome plated. Not an official practice.

Alan

[wright241]

Ref the finish.
Some years ago I got some of my Norton bike bits nickel plated because they wouldn't take too well to Chrome plating. I don't think this badge has been chrome plated - its just not smooth or shiny enough and the chrome plating process would have filled in all the detail (another reason why the platers wouldn't do my 'bits' in chrome, but were ok with nickel).
The surface finish looks very much the same. Why, is another question.
I would say someone has done it 'outside' of the military.

[sketchley kid]

Is it brass underneath or that 'tinny' colour all through?

[Fatboy Ken]

Hiya Sketchley kid

I've gentlly scrapped away the top layers in 3 seperate places, "to the rear" of the badge, and have taken some photo's, and I can say that the Tinny colour goes right into the badge. There is no Brass showing through whatsoever.

I have gently scrapped away behind the slider, and it is tinny in colour.

I have scrapped away the rear left side, middle edge of star, beside "Corps".

I have scrapped away the rear right side of Scroll above "Royal".

All are a tinny colour throughout.

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...960067&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...960067&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...960067&thumb=1

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...960067&thumb=1

Hope images help
The FBK

[sketchley kid]

So whatever they are they are not plated.

[Fatboy Ken]

Yes, as can be seen, I now need to find out what it is, and why it was done ?
(Could it have been a template too the staybright badges ?) or, ....... ???

I'll have to visit the RLC museum soon, with the badge, and ask for their input.

I also want to take some other photo's of some other rare badges, they hold.

Cheers everyone for your thoughts

The FBK

[wright241]

Originally Posted by sketchley kid

So whatever they are they are not plated.

I forgot to ask this. Do you get the impression that they will bend easily? Because they shouldn't, if they do, maybe the fakers as coming up with yet another way to make fakes.....
David

This post is obviously for fatboy and not the sketchley kid......

[Fatboy Ken]

Hiya Dave

This badge is solid, and the slider is a normal plyable slider, but a good solid one, it's not bending all that easily and has a good solid attachment to the badge.

It looks to be made of the same material as the badge, as the marks on the back show. If you look at my album, the photo's are much larger than on here, sorry about that.

Hello Ken,

Just a thought, but do you reckon it is possible that this might be nothing more than a simple case of 'factory seconds', somehow incorrectly finished during manufacture?

Cheers,

Peter.

[Fatboy Ken]

What is a factory Second ??

That's a very strange wording that I'm finding being used a lot on here, "FACTORY SECONDS" ??
And if I suddenly come up with 2 collar dogs matching this badge or some of the others I've aquired over the years, will they also be "Factory seconds" ??

Badges were made by all and sundrie, and worn by us all, and if I could get a badge "On the Cheap" to put in my beret, then I would.

What you guy's seem to have forgotten here is;
All Military Badges, were not cheap, The SQMS would make us pay £6 for the badge you lost, and £6 for the new badge, plus an additional price on top for the Regimental Funds, so to get a bundle made by the local "CHOGGIE", then sell em cheap to your pals, is a military quality I'm used to.

Best Badge for No2's or No 1's
2nd Badges for Work Parades
Crap & Duff & Damaged Badges for Working (Truck driver you see)

The amount of times I used to go to the bloody "NAFFI" !!! and some git stole my flipping cap badge out of me beret, or the whole bloody thing !!! was far too often. LOL

This badge is identical to the brass badges, but is shiney, .................... ARMY SHINEY !!!! Then polish it !!! LOL it also weights about the same.

What is a factory second ???
I have no idea, .........

[Peter Brydon]

Ken,

I dont know when or where your badge was worn but I think that you will eventually find out if you are persistant.

I do see a well known collector of RASC insignia ( who has written a number of books on the subject ) at the Military Heraldry Society meetings and I will ask him about the next time I see him.

If someone came across the RAOC white metal badge in the attached photo,they might be very puzzled as to why it existed if they did not know it was a Pipers badge.

Part of the fascination of military badge collecting is the chance of coming across items that are out of the ordinary and not included in any of the text books.

I will let you knowin due course if I find out anything.

P.B.

Originally Posted by Fatboy Ken

What is a factory Second ??

That's a very strange wording that I'm finding being used a lot on here, "FACTORY SECONDS" ??
And if I suddenly come up with 2 collar dogs matching this badge or some of the others I've aquired over the years, will they also be "Factory seconds" ??

Badges were made by all and sundrie, and worn by us all, and if I could get a badge "On the Cheap" to put in my beret, then I would.

What you guy's seem to have forgotten here is;
All Military Badges, were not cheap, The SQMS would make us pay £6 for the badge you lost, and £6 for the new badge, plus an additional price on top for the Regimental Funds, so to get a bundle made by the local "CHOGGIE", then sell em cheap to your pals, is a military quality I'm used to.

Best Badge for No2's or No 1's
2nd Badges for Work Parades
Crap & Duff & Damaged Badges for Working (Truck driver you see)

The amount of times I used to go to the bloody "NAFFI" !!! and some git stole my flipping cap badge out of me beret, or the whole bloody thing !!! was far too often. LOL

This badge is identical to the brass badges, but is shiney, .................... ARMY SHINEY !!!! Then polish it !!! LOL it also weights about the same.

What is a factory second ???
I have no idea, .........

A 'second' is a product that has gone through the manufacturing process and which is eventually deemed not to meet the standard of quality set by the manufacturer, normally for cosmetic reasons. There may not necessarily be anything intrinsically or structurally wrong with the item, it is just that some or other criterion set out for the product run has not been met.

So, for example, if your particular badge was originally intended to be gold-coloured and for some reason ended up being silver-coloured, then it may have been deemed by the manufacturer not to meet the prescribed standard, and would therefore be considered a second.

I am not saying that your badge necessarily IS a second, OR defective because, as you say, you may suddenly be able to produce matching collars for example, but if no other reason for its anomalous condition comes to light, then I am merely suggesting that this MAY explain its unusal colouring.

Peter

[fougasse1940]

I have chrome or nickel plated RASC badges listed as worn on the coloured f.s. cap.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

[Fatboy Ken]

Hiya guy's

I hope you lads don't think me annoyed with things, cos I'm not, .. Confused is more the point. As this is my Corps, it means a lot to me, as does our history, which is a story in itself. I know how expensive a badge is, in the life of the men & women who wore them and still do. I have friends who have paid the highest price, as have others here on this site. History is important and these individuals must never be forgotten.

We "The Corps", have always been the scapegoats when things go wrong, and forgotten about when things go right. Lack of food, water, ammo and medical aid is seen all too often as our fault, even though we may lose an entire coloumn trying to get through to the front line troops.

By Land, Sea and Air, we will come to you, and still do.

The Peninsula Campaign to the 1st & 2nd Gulf Wars are prime examples of this, as is Afghanistan, our people are taught to go to the end, and nothing less is expected of us. We will fight alongside the infantry, so as to let their soldiers get some rest, when times are hard. This we do without question or praise, and ask for no mention. We are soldiers first, and drivers last, but we know that "NO" is not an option, if the commanders want it, we will get it to them, whenever and wherever it's needed, always.

PB; That would be great, I thank you in advance.

Peter J; My frame of mind is: Could someone working at the factory have made a few "Unique" badges for a specific purpose, or; When no one was present, made a few on the production line, over night for another reason. (not very likely) This does not appear to be a factory second, as it's far to well made, as the photo's show.

fourgasse1940; You've hit the nail on the head, reference the wearing of special badges like "Chrome or Nickle plated", but this badge differs in style and make.

My thoughts are simpler, This is a badge made for a purpose, for an individual, by the badge maker. I'll find out why sooner rather than later, and will let you all know.

Thank you all for your imput, I'll put it in my pocket on Sunday and bring it to Farnham Collectors fair, if anyone wants a closer look.

Cheers The FBK