Replacement Sliders and Lugs Wanted
 

Hi All,

I've been given an old collection of badges, a mixture of brass and anodised, and there are 20 or 30 badges that are missing the sliders and lugs.

Northing particularly rare but quite a few I would like to keep if possible.

Are they worth repairing (ie can they be repaired successfully) and if so, does anyone know where I can get sliders and lugs from to try doing it?

Thanks a lot,

Michael

It completely up to you the decision to repair or not.

As to whether it’s worth it or not it depends on the badges and ultimately your own opinion.

Repairing AA’s is extremely difficult due to the finish I understand. I’ve heard of people using glue to replace sliders with varying degrees of success.

In my opinion there’s nothing worse than a home repair solder bodge job. The process of cleaning and heat regularly ruins the patina. Modern loops or sliders are often used which aren’t in keeping with the badge and spoil the look. I prefer broken badges to such repairs which I think de-value badges to the extent it’s often more viable to just buy an unbroken example.

Sliders and loops can be found on eBay on occasion. I recall eBay seller emerson141151 used to regularly sell loops, albeit most sales now come from his wife’s account sanhe-9252. It may be worth dropping them a message.

My own stance on repairs is keep them to a minimum. If it’s a badge worth repairing then it’s worth having it done professionally.

I’ve been collecting for over 20 years and have only had 5 badges repaired in all that time. If you don’t want a broken badge best thing to do is not buy a broken badge, it also works out cheaper in the long-run.

I agree that it is best to buy an unrepaired badge when it comes to relatively common OR badges. The only exception I make sometimes are fine officer badges that have old repairs or modifications, when the price and quality over rides the issue.

CB

I have 4 CCF badges with missing a lug that are so scarce I cannot find replacements. I use double sided tape to hold them in the albums

Thanks Luke,

I appreciate the answer. I've never repaired a badge before and thought this might be a chance to try it. These have not cost me anything and it seems a shame to get rid of so many.

Sounds like I've got some thinking to do.

Michael

I'm having flashbacks to the IWMs hammer and nails fixings when I was a kid.

I wasn’t suggesting get rid of them.

There are other alternatives and ways to display as Alan suggests.

Thanks Alan,

These aren't rare, just ones I don't have. If I could fix the anodised ones with a drop of glue it would be worth doing but it sounds like that's not the case.

Michael

Thanks for the replies everyone, I seem to have missed a few comments while replying.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

Michael

Repaired badges
 

Having repaired original badges in my collection is not a problem for me, I recently bought a badge from a forum member that had an old repair which was indeed very well executed, a badge I was missing in my collection.

Anodised badges are hard to repair and a good strong adhesive is needed, I have used this to a reasonable result, but sliders have to be treated very gently afterwards.

Rob

Thanks Rob,

I have repaired a few economy badges based on your advice in the past and have been happy with the results.

I'm in two minds about whether to bother with this, if I can pick up the bits cheap it may be one to see if I can actually do as there's nothing particularly special to ruin if it goes wrong.

Michael

It does not greatly worry me whether an original badge is missing its original fixings. Better than no badge at all. You certainly can't solder anodised badges, or ruin old gilt badges with heat. My solution to the problem is to solder lugs to small brass discs and glue them on, easily removable with a penknife.
It really needs a professional to replace sliders.

Thanks Kingsley, that's an interesting idea and another option to consider.

Michael