# Cap Brass



## cdhoult (19 Mar 2004)

So a bunch of people are like, "Man, I‘m stealing your cap brass at some point in time"....what‘s so rare about it? It‘s a Logistics Metal one....someone said something about how the colours are locked in, and can pop out or somethnig....

Anyone know?

CH


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## D-n-A (19 Mar 2004)

some cadets like collecting cap badges, at cadet summer camp, some cadets try to steal or trade or buy capbadges off other cadets


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## 1feral1 (19 Mar 2004)

Hey, I have a few Australian ‘Rising Sun‘ hat badges as worn on the side of the slouch hats, and a few cadet patches too here if anyone is interested. Email me.

Cheers,

Wes


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## bilal (22 Mar 2004)

what are cap badges???


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## D-n-A (22 Mar 2004)

a capbadge is the insignia worn on the beret or whatever the regimental headress is


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## Sgt_McWatt (27 Mar 2004)

The Logistics cap brass is so rare because so many bases have become garrison bases. On a garrison base they issue the cap badge instead of the cap brass. I am currently looking into getting a brass myself for summer camp.


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## Lajeunesse (30 Mar 2004)

whats so speacial about Army cadets?


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## MJP (30 Mar 2004)

Where did that come from?  The discussion was on cap brasses not army cadets.  

Lately the only people I‘ve seen with metal cap brasses (in the CSS) have been officers and even then it‘s not that common.  I know my wife was directed to take hers down and sew on the badge, but I don‘t think it had anything to do with being part of a garrison.  I think its just a new directive for CSS types.  I could be wrong though.


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## Fishbone Jones (30 Mar 2004)

OK, I don‘t know about anyone else, but I‘ve got to clarify something. I‘ve been wearing brass, metal, cloth and even plastic cap  *BADGES*  for almost 40 years. I‘ve never, ever heard of them being called cap  *BRASS* es. It might be a cadet thingy, but even way back then, when I was one, we called them cap  *BADGES* . Please start using the proper terminology. This other term you guys are using is creeping into other cadets‘ vernacular on the site, and is becoming annoying. Maybe if you guys stuck to tradition, instead of trying to change things to suit yourselves, people may have a better feeling towards cadets. If you wish to use your own terminology when talking among yourselves at parade, fine, but when your being read by regulars, reserves, and civies, please use the proper terms. It‘s kinda like calling an APC a tank, it just irks us.


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## cdhoult (30 Mar 2004)

lol, my apolagies. I can‘t even remember where I heard the term coined (I‘m originally Sea, so we just had Cap Tallies)....I‘m almost positive it was an officer, but my memory isn‘t the greatest!

CH


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## alan_li_13 (30 Mar 2004)

With all due respect, recceguy, we cadets at 337 were all taught the term "Cap Brass". I personally have heard it from our CO, QM officers, etc.
It is possible that this term is taught to cadets everywhere, but i‘m just going on what i know.


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## cdhoult (30 Mar 2004)

My old CO, who I‘m positive I heard the term originally coined from, was an ex-reserves CPO1...

However, from what I can read, it seems to be cap badges. You live, you learn


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## XHighlander (31 Mar 2004)

> Originally posted by bilal:
> [qb] what are cap badges??? [/qb]


if you want to know what they look like go to here to see a few from my father‘s collection

 http://army.ca/cgi-bin/album.pl?album=General/Badges


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## John Nayduk (31 Mar 2004)

Most regimental cap badges were made out of brass at one time so I can see where someone may have come up with the term BUT they are cap badges.  The newer badges like logistics are made from white metal with a gold coloured wash on them and enamel (paint).  These are available in cloth, gold wire (for officers) or a mix of the two (also for officers).  No brass.  Frankly, if a cadet corps C.O. somewhere, who used to be in the navy, decides to change army vernacular, let him have his little empire but the facts remain the same, it's cap badges.

As far as guys that collect them, great.  There are thousands of cap badges that have been worn over the years.  When you consider the pre World War One regiments, the C.E.F. battalions, the post WW1 units and the WW2 badges, the changes that occurred when the Queen ascended the throne, there really are thousands of them.  Some are very common, like the Artillery badge and some are quite rare, like the Garrison Battalion of WW2 or the 7th Mounted Rifle Battalion of World War One.  For you guys that want to collect cap badges, welcome to the hobby.  A little word of advice, start off collecting the badges that you unit ever wore, then go after all the badges in your brigade.  Have some fun trying to find them all and take the time to learn the histories of the units.


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## Michael Dorosh (16 Apr 2004)

The Logistics Cap Badge I wear is in metal.  Officers have a gold-wire cloth version with a metal overlay, so the metal one is NOT rare.  I heard a rumour in Borden three summers ago that the metal ones were being replaced with cloth.  I noticed not a lot of people had metal ones, but I also know our stores have a bunch of the metal ones in stock.

And "Cap Brass" is not an actual term.  I have copies of the dress regulations going back to the turn of the last century, and in none of the actual dress instructions is the term "cap brass" ever used.  It‘s a juvenile term, like calling your penis a weewee.


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## Infanteer (16 Apr 2004)

> It‘s a juvenile term, like calling your penis a weewee.


Or just popular vernacular, ye purist.


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## dano (16 Apr 2004)

Our Corp uses the term Cap brass. That includes the officers. I‘ve never ever herd anyone call it anything else.
When my father was in the Lorne Scots (70s) they called it Cap brass‘s. And The Lorne Scots today, call them Cap brass‘s.


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## cdhoult (17 Apr 2004)

Probably because "Oh, it‘s my cap chrome-plated white-metal" would sound weird.

I think we‘ve all agreed that as per the regulations, ‘cap brass‘ is an incorrect term. It came from somewhere, and I very much doubt it was just cadets.

We‘ve all accepted it, so how about we move on?


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## Fishbone Jones (17 Apr 2004)

All the cadets may have accepted it, obviously we haven‘t, but it doesn‘t make it right. If you want equal footing "in your cadet capacity" with the rest of the military, you follow the rules. Both spoken and unspoken. This includes terminology. Like I said earlier, just cause it‘s got tracks, doesn‘t mean you call it a tank. If you really want to persue it, ask this CO to show you where his references to "cap brasses‘ came from. You‘ll probably hit a dead end.


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## cdhoult (17 Apr 2004)

I meant as in we‘ve all accepted that they are not to be called cap brasses, therefore I fail to see the reason for it being continually referenced. And as stated above, apparently some CF units are also making the reference to them as Cap Brasses. I‘m sure we will all do whatever is in our capacity to correct the term.

That being said, you also have to remember our place. Asking the CO is fine, but going up to the CO, demanding that he stop calling it a cap brass, and then I guess in the Lorne Scots case, we‘ll go up to the reserves CO and make the same demand....it isn‘t our place, as cadets, to demand anything. We can ‘suggest‘ it, or ask about it, but grilling your CO isn‘t acceptable.

CH


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## Fishbone Jones (17 Apr 2004)

Listen "Chiefy", 
First point taken. 
Second point, I never said to DEMAND anything. I said ASK, and military guys here know that means through he chain or how to do it with diplomacy. We don‘t want to go down this road, my powers in a urination contest are greater and well developed.


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## cdhoult (17 Apr 2004)

I‘ve met few CO‘s in my experience who would take kindly to cadet ‘asking‘ the CO to reference exactly where cap brasses is references    And if it is indeed incorrect (as we already know it is), what do we say to the CO? "Well, sir, I‘d ask you to please stop calling it a cap brass then, as it is incorrect...." It‘s not demanding, but it‘s not the most tactful thing in the world either   

CH


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## Fishbone Jones (17 Apr 2004)

Your trying to put words in my mouth, I told you you don‘t want to go there. Smart mouthed kids, and pompous, arrogant cadet Snr NCM‘s may do something stupid like that, trying to show how cool they are. Arguing with their betters to prove to the kiddies what a hot ticket he is. More mature people would not even let the thought enter their mind. They would ask for the opportunity to discuss the question, cite the flak from this forum as reference and....... You know what? I shouldn‘t have to tell you how a leader is supposed to act. Your in a position of one, where you should know. If you don‘t know, you just proved my point. Now "move on" like you said. The Queen‘s Commission is to be respected not feared.  :boring:


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## gds (5 Sep 2004)

Hello all.  Thought I'd throw my two cents in regarding the metlal cap badge v.s. cloth.  It was my understanding that the metal version (admin, logistics, etc) were for the now defunct forage cap and the cloth one reserved for the beret.  Although I have seen instances where the metal version is being worn on the beret.


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## childs56 (5 Sep 2004)

The Artillery calls the cap badge a "cap brass" it is because it use to be made out of BRASS. Now these two terms are interchangable and the fact that not everyone is in agreement here, show's that we are quick to put blame on the younger one's for stating something that they have learnt in the training.  If we could all grow up and make sure our facts were straight before we open our mouths the world and the CF would be a better place. As for the the original intent of this forum I have only seen one enlisted member wear one of those metal cap badges all the rest have been cloth so if you have one keep good care of it as it will soon be very rare.


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## hiv (5 Sep 2004)

I read this right out of the dress regs (sorry I can't quote the specific section and exact wording) but basically NCMs have the option to wear either metal or cloth cap badges; provided they don't wear the combination cloth-metal cap badges which are reserved for officers only.


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## NavyGrunt (5 Sep 2004)

metal cap badges are fairly common in the logistics side of the Navy. None for us "hard sea trade"s though. As for who gets what- there doesnt appear to be any rhyme or reason to which you are given, or obtain/recieve. However the metal cap badge is reserved for salt and pepper dress....as for badge/brass- I've heard both as well. Doesnt mean its right but its out there and I think the CF has larger issues than potatoe/potato so riding school kids about using the term they were taught by their superiors seems alittle wasteful. At any rate for me if my petty officer on a ship says the sky is purple and he's the Queen I reply "Lovely purple sky your majesty". Thats a military tradition more important than the term "badge", its called following orders and knowing your place. So if the kids are taught "brass" then its "brass" to them.


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## muskrat89 (5 Sep 2004)

> The Artillery calls the cap badge a "cap brass" it is because it use to be made out of BRASS.



No, the "Artillery" does not call it a cap brass. Your Unit may, but not the entire Royal Regiment. I spent 13 years in "The Artillery" and worked with all of the Atlantic Units, the School, W Bty, and a large number of Ontario and Quebec Units, and never heard it called that. I was a TSM in my Unit, and spent a great deal of my time filling in as BSM. 

My father was an Artillery RSM, with 27 years in - as well, he has an extensive (tens of thousands of dollars' worth) collection of cap badges, and I have never heard him, or any other Gunner, refer to them as "Cap Brass".

I'm not saying that no one does - just saying that your blanket statement is erroneous.

This is a goofy thread     :


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## Inch (5 Sep 2004)

Adding to the goofyness and since the Navy jumped in here.... I'm pretty sure all airforce cap badges are sewn on. FOD would be my guess, since even our slip ons are sewn onto our flight suits. The peak caps would be the only exception and I think you had the option on them, I was issued 2 cloth cap badges and 1 metal one, cloth on the beret and wedge and metal on the peak cap.   Officers can wear the same hat badge (air ops badge) as the NCMs or purchase the gold wire ones on their own. 

My view on cap brass vs cap badge vs hat badge, je ne care pas. I call them hat badges, I picked that term up somewhere. Us airforce types tend to be pretty logical ya know! Hats go on heads, and hat badges go on hats. The wedge is actually called a "Cap, Garrison", some call it a wedge, some call it a hat. It's the same with most kit out there, rain coats are "parka, wet weather" if I remember correctly, and when was the last time you heard your overcoat called a "coat, man's, all-weather"?   Would you believe we don't wear flight suits? They're "coveralls, flyer's". I think you get my point. 

Cheers


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## Fishbone Jones (5 Sep 2004)

Well, I thiught this had died it's well deserved death. Guess I was wrong. It should have been locked a long time ago. So, like Monty Python, "Right then, well, off you go"


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