Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke H
Hi Chris,
As the man in the orthopaedic shoes said, I stand corrected. Thanks and great learning.
Just on the point of definition of ‘die stamped’ when it comes to AA.
With the two badges below I’d class the F&F Yeo as die stamped (detailed rear impression from a reverse die). I would not have said the RUR is die stamped, it has more of a die cast look to my eyes.
Are all the known AA ‘fakes’ / spurious badges not of the same reverse appearance as the F&F Yeo - what I may be wrongly referring to with my pre-‘‘no bull’’ collectors hat on as die stamped?
Cheers,
Luke
|
Hi Luke,
Both badges shown are 'die stamped' as in
cold die forging.
Cast badges are either made form
open or
closed casting methods.
Closed cast badges have two dies held together and have the badge material forced into them leaving a 'flash' line around the badge edge.
Open cast badges have a single die but the reverse is flattish with a pock marked surface. The badge material is simply poured into the die releasing bubbles which when they rise to the surface become the pock marks.
Note, however, that some VERY early A/A badges were
die stamped (proper) using the original pre A/A dies. These are rare, always unmarked and great to find. There are a few fakes though. Remember the slider era bit above...
Sorry, but you cant go by the reverse of the die to spot a fake unless it is an open cast fake. The detail of the reverse die is often dependent on the design of the badge profile.
Remember,
die stamping is really pre A/A days. I believe the modern badges are, if not cold die forged, hot die forged but have not really got into the manufacturing techniques of post 1993 items yet although they basically seem to be made as per, less colouring, A/A badges.
Luke, if you can identify the method of manufacture of any badge then you are 90% on the way to spotting a fake.
So, learn to identify the following:
Die stamping (proper)
Hot and cold die forging (difference is the temperature of the metal used before it gets to the dies).
Closed casting
Open Casting
There are a few obscure other badge manufacturing methods too usually used by fakers of German Combat badges.
All this is covered in my book (in a lot more detail) in the two chapters covering the manufacturing process and in the fakes and reproductions section.
Regards,
Chris