UV test for WW2 manufacture?

[Rockape]

Hi all,

As a novice in cloth shoulder title collecting, can you indicate why the UV test is indicative of WW2 cloth shoulder title manufacture? I understand the principles of UV fluorescence in that certain materials will fluoresce when viewed in short wave or long wave UV. So, should the cotton used on WW2 shoulder titles fluoresce or not? Or is this some dealer sales gimmick to assure you that it is genuine?

Regards

Garry

[fearnaught]

Hi Garry, in the 50's Persil or Daz discovered that you could add fluorescence to whites so that they appeared brighter, hence the catch phrase"made to make your whites whiter" This was then added to manufactured clothing from this point on so most clothing from then on glowed under UV, synthetic or otherwise. So UV positive means post war production or enthusiastic washing of wartime items. It is a very useful first check, especially with clothing as it can show modern additions. Hope this helps Mike

[Luc]

As Mike says modern detergents can make a WWII patch glow, and since replica badges have been made of al natural fibres the UV test is about as useful a nipples on a man.

[Unknownsoldier]

people put "doesn't fluoresce" like it's a definitive thing...that it is a guarantee of authenticity, but I have ww2 patches 100% right, but have been cleaned at some point, so they glow...:/. I have never seen the point of the UV test unless it's a whole tunic... then if you get a glider wing or similar that glows but no other badges then it's obvious it's been added later.

Tom

[Bill A]

Sum of the parts. Agree with all the statements that black light is just one tool, and not a very useful one to establish authenticity. Proper fabrics, proper stitching, correct colours to fit the time are other considerations. Make sure the title fits the time period and order of battle. In one case a vendor was selling a Royal Canadian Dragoons 5 Canadian Armoured Division printed patch. It looked okay, but there were some problems with the actual patch. More importantly, the order of battle for 5 CAD had been changed and the RCD's had been taksed as 1 Cdn Corps recee battalion. This was before printed patches were authorized for the Canadian army. The patch was actually a fantasy piece. In another case an ebay vendor was listing merrowed edged shoulder titles as Second World War. Not a chance.