DCLI - pink tinge
 

Had this DCLI for yonks, but only noticed today that there is a pink tinge to the metal showing through the plating where it has presumably been cleaned.

Others I have do not appear to be plated, with the metal in worn areas being the one colour ('white') and with no signs of this coppery stuff underneath.

Attachment 39265Attachment 39266

I have no idea if this is a good badge or not, and wonder if the discolouration is indicative of it being bad. Were DCLI badges ever plated?

With thanks,

Peter.

Sounds daft I know but it may previously have been cleaned with tomato sauce (I know, as a kid I cleaned a corroded badge with the stuff)! PY.

Dosnt sound daft at all ( but dont know about it leaving a pink tinge )

In the past I have heard of badges being cleaned in Coca Cola and I remember someone telling me that if you wanted to replace a bronze finish on an officers badge you should hang it just above an open container of vinegar for some days.

Dont know if the vinegar idea works could just be another old wives tale

P.B.

I've used vinegar to clean badges in the past, and have also heard of metal being cleaned with Cola and HP Sauce. The pink hue here doesn't seem to be residue from ketchup though, but I suppose it could be just as effective as HP.

PJ

I have an RTR badge that has a coppery(?) colour showing through on the high points so I assume it is plated, it is WW2 period and came from the vets family, still on the beret.
Lee

maybe the badge was cleaned with something harsh like paint stripper

Thanks Lee, that's slightly reassuring.

Can't imagine this type of badge could take too much polishing before the pink began to show through.

Cheers,

Peter.

Hello Julian,

It may well have been... though I wonder why someone might have wanted to do that? Any thoughts?

PJ

could have been someone who wasnt a collector and just wanted to see
what it looked like "cleaned" up?

Ouch! :eek: Doesn't bear thinking about, does it?

PJ

I have a problem with this in my day job, people cleaning antiquities with all sorts of dubious chemicals (ketchup is a chemical too !), all we plead is that they get a jolly good rinse after cleaning !

Peter, it doesn't, but iam sure it happens maybe the badge was really
dirty or covered in layers of paint
regards julian

Hi Peter,

I may be totally wrong but the general procedure for plating, particularly nickel and more so chrome, was to copper plate first ( I have literally done that today on a badge I'm trying to do for Wilf ), what you see could be no more than the base metal for the plating procedure ??

Dave.

Dave,

That would seem to explain it then. Thanks for that.

This makes perfect sense, though you cannot help but wonder why it was decided to issue such badges when they would need to be kept polished, and would possibly display this discolouration before very long.

Or would the plating be more hard-wearing/long-lasting than I imagine?

PJ

Hi Peter,

I don't know the reasons for tha badge being plated but if done on a Regimental scale, I would surmise that it would be treated similarly to the A/A badges, so not polished !!

If done by the individual or by some one else ( ie, home plated ), I can see the plating ( as in mine ), not being so robust, this means someone being over zealous with the polish will soon remove the plating.

This is just my own thoughts remember !!!

Dave.

PS, Having had another look at yours and my eyes aint what they used to be but it looks like only the front was plated, if so, this would indicate private or personal plating ??

DC.