Plastic or Metal buckles on caps

[Tigerlily]

Can anyone please tell me when plastic as opposed to metal buckles were introduced in British caps? have a bit of a collection, mainly Guards, and all fairly modern just wondered?
Thanks
Alli

[leigh kitchen]

I saw some British police caps with usual plastic strap but with black plastic buckles instead of metal about 10-12 years ago, but I haven't seen army caps with plastic buckles

[Tigerlily]

It's a sort of rubbery plastic but the majority are metal.
And what about leather chinstraps, when were they phased out?

[54Bty]

I had leather and metal in the late 1960s, with a tall wired cap, then when I had to have a new (soft) cap in the 1970s it came with a plastic strap and buckles.

Marc

[Tigerlily]

That's interesting Marc, probably my oldest cap dates from 1978 and is a Household Cavalry khaki, buttoned to Life Guards with a leather strap and metal buckle.

[leigh kitchen]

Different situation with the khaki SD caps I suppose, brown straps (same width?) with brass fittings as opposed to the black straps with blackened metal fittings.
I've never seen, as in never bought, an army cap with plastic strap buckles, they're new to me.

[Tigerlily]

Hang on this involves climbing to check....

[Tigerlily]

Black strap but brass coloured buckles, width is about the same I guess.

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by Tigerlily

Hang on this involves climbing to check....

Try not to land on the caps when you fall.

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by Tigerlily

Black strap but brass coloured buckles, width is about the same I guess.

My mistake? I was thinking SD for HC would be brown.
But brass buckles, considered less practical to replace with plastic? I don't know whether cavalry caps would have an inner strap for wear on the chin or whether plastic buckles would not be considered suitable on straps that would be adjusted to different lengths.

[Tigerlily]

If I fall I'll land on a dog or a bottle of Jack Daniels, no caps harmed. Wearing the khaki cap at the moment.
I have a police helmet, shall I climb back up and check the strap?

[leigh kitchen]

Oh, and to avoid the problem - ditch the Guardsmen's caps and collect Fusiliers berets...
... no chinstraps to worry about.

[Tigerlily]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

My mistake? I was thinking SD for HC would be brown.
But brass buckles, considered less practical to replace with plastic? I don't know whether cavalry caps would have an inner strap for wear on the chin or whether plastic buckles would not be considered suitable on straps that would be adjusted to different lengths.

No inner strap on the Khaki....

[leigh kitchen]

Wear the.helmet in case you fall - and save the JD at all costs.
Interesting that the plastic buckled straps are right for the past 30 -40 odd years. I never knew that, I'm surprised
The only buckle variation I've come across is the use of a small rectangular static metal fitting replacing one of the buckles so that only that one buckle is adjustable.

[Tigerlily]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Oh, and to avoid the problem - ditch the Guardsmen's caps and collect Fusiliers berets...
... no chinstraps to worry about.

I have a fusiliers beret dear, awfully fond of the elegant extracts, but no not ditching my Guards caps