Assistance with attaching badge to balmoral hat

**chewse** · 12th September 12, 05:46 PM

I recently purchased a beautiful vintage WWII cap badge of the Seaforth Highlanders that I want to attach to my balmoral hat. Below are pictures of both the badge and the balmoral. I would like to attach the badge the correct way so I ask for your assistance.

I assume the posts on the back of the badge are folded down inside the hat to secure the badge cap. If that is not correct, please tell me.

A couple of novice questions:
1). How do I go about determining the measurement of where the holes in the hat should be?
2). What is the best means to poke holes into the cap?
3). How do I align the badge to the left side of the balmoral?
4). How far off the hat ribbon should the badge be positioned?

Any advice (and pictures) is greatly appreciated.

**haukehaien** · 12th September 12, 06:06 PM

The posts on the back hold a cotter pin, which secures the badge. I wouldn't bend them for fear they'd break off. I've gotten the pins both from the hardware store and from Worldwide Militaria; the length of the ones from WME seems to fit better.

For your other questions:
1) I hold the badge up to the hat, get it where I want ti and then mark the hat with pencil.
2) I use a leather hole punch, but a small, sharp knife would work as well.
3) I've never tried putting one of these on a cap without a cockade; don't have a good suggestion, I'm afraid.
4) See answer above.

**Guinness>water** · 13th September 12, 05:46 AM

I would think the pins on the back of the badge are too long to use it as a hat pin. Wont those poke you in the temple?

If you are going to use it in your bonnet, and want a cockade, you should deffinatly put that on first.

Let us know how it turns out. Good luck!

**SlackerDrummer** · 13th September 12, 06:17 AM

Unless you make a cockade or tartan patch, it's going to mean holes in your bonnet.

**chewse** · 13th September 12, 07:06 AM

So, generally speaking, is the badge attached to the tartan patch and then the patch is attached to the bonnet? I don't recall a military style balmoral picture that shows a patch with the badge connected to it.

**SlackerDrummer** · 13th September 12, 08:13 AM

Look here for patch under the badge. Or this thread on another forum shows attached directly to the bonnet.

Added: Another Seaforth Highlander, a member of the Black Watch, and the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.

Google is your friend.

**SlackerDrummer** · 13th September 12, 08:19 AM

Hugh Grant's father was in the Seaforth Highlanders. Here's a color photo of the tartan patch:

source

**Pleater** · 13th September 12, 09:14 AM

You might find that the weight of the badge is more than the cap can support unaided, so it will require some sort of stiffening.

I have a couple of military berets and they have a strip of fake leather cloth sewn to the headband - that helps with the placement of the badge too.

I'd recommend making some sort of backing either on the outside or inside of the cap, or both so that if the badge is pressed against your brow you don't get too bruised by the posts or the holding pin, as those posts look quite long and sturdy.

I make holes in woollen fabric using a spike rather than cutting a hole, it being a less destructive method.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Macman** · 13th September 12, 09:29 AM

I wasn't in the Seaforths, but our bonnets had the two holes pre-made and stitched. The tartan patch was stitched on around its outside edge, and the pins on the badge went right through both to the inside of the bonnet where they were fastened with the cotter pin. This made is easier to pull the badge off for polishing. I don't recall the pins giving my head any grief, but the pins might have been a little shorter than the one you have.

**Chas** · 13th September 12, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Macman

I wasn't in the Seaforths, but our bonnets had the two holes pre-made and stitched. The tartan patch was stitched on around its outside edge, and the pins on the badge went right through both to the inside of the bonnet where they were fastened with the cotter pin. This made is easier to pull the badge off for polishing. I don't recall the pins giving my head any grief, but the pins might have been a little shorter than the one you have.

That is exactly how my RAF beret was. Pretty standard for the UK military. Most have a round brass plate that goes on the inside of the beret as support.

Regards

Chas