I'm no metallurgist, but...

[ubervamp]

Originally Posted by wardog

Depend on effort put in/how often cleaned and with what, so no real standard amount of time. No way of knowing what has happened to a badge since 1918. Regards, Paul.

Thank's Paul

Given normal service wear and regular polish as would have been required, are we talking months or years for the finish to wear off do you reckon?

Cheers

Colin

[magpie]

Given that the badges are only dipped in a bath of chemicals to bring up the surface it would only take a couple of polishes with a cutting agent like brasso to first remove the highlights then spread to most of the badge rapidly with every clean leaving the low points, it would appear that not all badges have been given the final brightening dip as its not something you see every day even on a good badge that's not obviously been cleaned, was there ever a regulation shine or clean other than that of the person's who where in charge of you ? And as said in a couple of the badge books the good soldier isn't a badge collectors friend.

[wardog]

Having only used brasso on a badge I would think days/weeks. I think brasso was around back then but Soldiers Friend and paste type products may have been more common. A lot of RFC badges around though are still quite fresh, may not been cleaned much during the war then went out of use 1918. Its very much a 'how long is a length of string' type question. Regards, Paul.

[wardog]

Outside the period but while in the RAF in the '80s I bought several mint QC GM badges and with the aid of a file to take details off the RAF letters and then wet and dry paper and brasso- I was able in several hours to reproduce the look of badges that had been polished everyday since the '50s. Very easy for a serviceman who likes a little bit of bullsh*t to totaly destroy the original finish/value of a badge. Regards, Paul.