# Polishing your capbadge



## Saiko (10 Oct 2004)

Everyone tells me to polish my caprass( i know the spelling's wrong i want to know how spell it right) or capbadge, but no one ever tells me how...? thnx!


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## Michael Dorosh (10 Oct 2004)

Saiko said:
			
		

> Everyone tells me to polish my caprass( i know the spelling's wrong i want to know how spell it right) or capbadge, but no one ever tells me how...? thnx!



Some badges - most, these days - are anodized and cannot be polished.  Make sure yours is actually brass or a similar material that is actually able to take a shine.

Then go to the grocery store, or Walmart, and look in the cleaning supplies section and buy a can of BRASSO.  It comes in a metal can.  Here is a picture:








 You can also use SILVO.

Shake the can well so the polish is well mixed.  Put a dab onto your badge - use a drop cloth or newspaper, if you get this on the kitchen table, your bed, the floor - it will stain.  This stuff is messy, and toxic.

Rub the stuff on your badge, then rub it off with a clean, soft cloth.  Repeat several times, make sure it doesn't dry in the nooks and crannies or your badge will look crappy (dried brasso looks like dried toothpaste, very white and chalky).  A good way of working the brasso is to use your finger, and keep moving the stuff around, then buff with the cloth.  Your finger will get good and black.  So will your polishing cloth.  The black stuff is oxidation coming off the badge.

Oh, since you asked, it is properly called a Cap Badge, (some say Hat Badge also).   A lot of people use the term "cap brass" or "hat brass" but these are incorrect; I think it is mainly in use by cadets.

There are more expensive metal polishes out there - Dura Glit, for example.  If you want to cheat, go to a jeweller and have your badge chrome plated (for white metal badges)  or gold plated (for brass or "yellow metal" badges).


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## sheikyerbouti (10 Oct 2004)

An old toothbrush works well for getting the gunk out without any dirty fingers.


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## Michael Dorosh (10 Oct 2004)

sheikyerbouti said:
			
		

> An old toothbrush works well for getting the gunk out without any dirty fingers.



Not in my experience - it also splashes brasso all over the place and makes a hell of a mess.


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## rounder (17 Oct 2004)

Chrome it


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## gt102 (17 Oct 2004)

A question,

How much does chrome plating cost... on average


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## gt102 (17 Oct 2004)

srry, second question.. Is detailed retained?... I have a argyll cap badge and it has alot (or at least a fair amount) of detail


thnaks in advance


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## rounder (17 Oct 2004)

Getailing is retained and I'm not sure about the cost... shouldn't be over 25 bucks


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## PPCLI Guy (17 Oct 2004)

Rounder said:
			
		

> Chrome it



Or actually polish it, whenever so required, and hence take pride not just in your appearance, but in the work that you did.  Every time you polish your cap badge, remind yourself of how lucky you are to be in the Unit / Regiment / Corps, and also that it is important to look after your kit, and keep it clean.  Then thank the stars that you didn't take the easy way out and "chrome it".


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## rounder (18 Oct 2004)

> Then thank the stars that you didn't take the easy way out and "chrome it".



   Let see... we come from different worlds. Work 9-6 Mon thru Fri. Parade nights on Mon & Thurs, plus one if not two weekends a month. I come home from work and I have other priorities like getting organized for the upcoming training being conducted that week. It is not the easy way out... it is adapting to an already time crunched situation.  Oh yeah.. I almost forgot, I have a family too. No CTO days for class "A". PPCLI guy I know you're going to give me a blast for saying that.


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## dutchie (18 Oct 2004)

Work 9-6 Mon thru Fri. Parade nights on Mon & Thurs, plus one if not two weekends a month. I come home from work and I have other priorities like getting organized for the upcoming training being conducted that week

Quit your whining. Tens of thousands of res troops take pride in their uniforms by putting in the work. Polish your brass, polish your boots, maintain your kit, show up, and do your job. You should be thankful you were given the privilege to serve in the same unit as your fellow soldiers, and especially your predecessors (vets). 

If you want CTO, put in a leave pass.


ps, this is from a fellow reservist, with a lot on my plate as well.


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## PPCLI Guy (18 Oct 2004)

Rounder said:
			
		

> Let see... we come from different worlds. Work 9-6 Mon thru Fri. Parade nights on Mon & Thurs, plus one if not two weekends a month. I come home from work and I have other priorities like getting organized for the upcoming training being conducted that week. It is not the easy way out... it is adapting to an already time crunched situation.   Oh yeah.. I almost forgot, I have a family too. No CTO days for class "A". PPCLI guy I know you're going to give me a blast for saying that.



In my 8 years in the Reserves, whilst going to school, getting a job, and getting married, I always found time to do my kit.  Period.


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## NATO Boy (19 Oct 2004)

Toothbrush works good....and tooth paste (no I'm not joking!) Toothpaste and a toothbrush make a good parade special for capbadges (at least for mine since it's sterling silver.) It also depends on the condition of the capbrass. If it's new, toothpaste works; if it's old, silvo can dig deeper to get a new shine out of it.


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## gt102 (19 Oct 2004)

I have tried the tooth paste/tooth brush method...didnt seem to do much...


So im either gonna chrome it, or get some silvo


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## Bzzliteyr (19 Oct 2004)

There is always the option of quitting and going to work at McDonalds once a week instead.. I hear their standards of dress aren't as strict and time consuming as the military with their crazy "cap badge polishing"!!! Oh yeah.. Chroming a brass cap badge might also look a little funny.. or can they tint them?

It took one of the guys at work here the other day about 20 minutes with a piece of cardboard and brasso to bring his capbadge up to the nice burnished standard that the LDSH(RC) have.   I on the other hand, joined a wonderful unit that has a cloth cap badge and I don't even have to worry about that crazy little thing called "work".. haha


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## foerestedwarrior (19 Oct 2004)

Question- How do i tell weather my capbadge is brass or silver, or just a cheap metal? I am with the Grey and Simcoe Foresters. This is our capbage, except it is all silver looking except for the banner across the bottom is brass coloured


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## the 48th regulator (20 Oct 2004)

Rounder

one thing for you

On yer bike!  dude I have always been a guy to say that the army takes too much of my party/personal time, but you know what mate?? We always found time to polish the cap badge!  I would rather look like crap than my badge to look that way!

tess


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## rounder (20 Oct 2004)

> Rounder
> 
> one thing for you
> 
> On yer bike!  dude I have always been a guy to say that the army takes too much of my party/personal time, but you know what mate?? We always found time to polish the cap badge!  I would rather look like crap than my badge to look that way!



Hey, I was only suggesting to the man about how to make himself look his bhest with the minimal amount of effort. And the Lorne's have badges that are perma-shine now.... guess too many guys did look like balls.

Take her easy!


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## the 48th regulator (20 Oct 2004)

Ok I take it any way I can, sorry, was  bit fired up at the time

hehe, me talking about polishing kit with a furious pasion

select all and save my submission, the guys at the regiment won't believe it!

cheers rounder

tess


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## pbi (21 Oct 2004)

Rounder:



> Hey, I was only suggesting to the man about how to make himself look his bhest with the minimal amount of effort. And the Lorne's have badges that are perma-shine now.... guess too many guys did look like balls.



No, you weren't.

You were slagging people who make time to look after their gear, then you added a particularly unnecessary jab about CTO which had nothing to do with anything. I was a Reserve Inf soldier for eight years, and I damned well shone my brass and silver capbadge and I was proud of it. I shine my brass and silver capbadge today. 

Oh, by the way, I do use toothpaste and  a toothbrush, then finish off by buffing with toilet paper or a soft cloth. Works great and doesn't leave that filthy grey-black deposit. Doesn't tarnish as fast, either. Cheers.


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## pbi (21 Oct 2004)

forested warrior: Take a clean, soft white cloth (or a piece of white toilet paper). Buff the metal with the cloth. If it is actually made of "polish-able" soft metal you should get a faint dark rub mark on the cloth. (But might not if the badge is very clean...) Anodized or tin badges normally won't leave a mark on a cloth. Cheers.


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## foerestedwarrior (21 Oct 2004)

Thank you pbi,


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## rounder (21 Oct 2004)

> You were slagging people who make time to look after their gear, then you added a particularly unnecessary jab about CTO which had nothing to do with anything.[/quot
> 
> Sorry :-[


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## pbi (21 Oct 2004)

Forgiven.  ;D  Cheers.


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