Cap badges with Tams, or Balmorals without ribbons?

[Geoff Withnell]

I mentioned in another thread that, like Redshanks, I don't care for the weight of most pewter badges. I find that they tend to pull the left-hand side of my bonnet down; I even retired my oldest USMC badge for the same reason. It looks really good, but it weighs about a 1/2 pound and pulls the bonnet down.



I wear thinner, lighter silver padges almost exclusively now, and I think you'll like them if you can find some to your liking.

I had exactly the same problem with (as it occurs) exactly the same badge. I found if I cut a thin stiff piece of plastic (such as detergent bottles are often made from) to fit inside the bonnet piierced by the pins of the badge, the plastic would hold the shape, and the weight ceased to be an issue.

Semper Fi!

Geoff Withnell

[creagdhubh]

I had exactly the same problem with (as it occurs) exactly the same badge. I found if I cut a thin stiff piece of plastic (such as detergent bottles are often made from) to fit inside the bonnet piierced by the pins of the badge, the plastic would hold the shape, and the weight ceased to be an issue.

Semper Fi!

Geoff Withnell

Semper Fi!!!

-Sgt Kyle Andrew Macpherson, USMC

[BoldHighlander]

It seems like it has come up a few times recently on the forum that people are looking for a lighter, thinner badge than the clunky pewter ones generally available.

I'll just point out that there is another option, if you don't mind paying a bit more for quality.

Our hand cast sterling silver badges are much thinner and lighter than the typical pewter badge.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/silver_badges.htm

I just weighed one on a postal scale and it was .6 oz.

I can't afford one just yet, but this option appeals to me. I do have one question Matt. I'm having some difficulty locating the newly designed badge for the Macdonalds of Keppoch (see design below), does your silversmith have this design?

[Lachlan09]

They all look pretty posh and well-to-do to me - the huntin' fishin' shootin' set, not your average teuchter !

[thescot]

They all look pretty posh and well-to-do to me - the huntin' fishin' shootin' set, not your average teuchter !

You may be right, but then--as Jock has pointed out several times-it's probable that most of them inherited much of their outfits and/or have worn them for many years. I doubt there was a lot of money spent on new stuff the week before the photo was taken.

[thescot]

I also noted that everyone of them has a can or a walking stick. Even the 15 Yr. old n the back. Look how high up the kilt pins are.

Jim K., the pin you have shown I have as well. The pin part doesn't go through far enough for the clasp on the pack to grasp. Did you have this problem?

I had to push pretty hard to make it work. And I think I may have pinned it to the cockade instead of the wool of the hat one time in order to make it work.

Now I use silver, thinner badges almost exclusively, like this one:



I've given thought to investigating the manufacture of lighter, stamped metal badges like the cap badges of the British military. Take a look at some of the older regimental badges, and you can see some beatiful artistry that doesn't weigh a ton. I wear one like this on a khaki glengarry once in a while because it doesn't look like a regimental badge but does look quite Scottish:


Mine is not so silver looking; it's aged brass in color.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I can't afford one just yet, but this option appeals to me. I do have one question Matt. I'm having some difficulty locating the newly designed badge for the Macdonalds of Keppoch (see design below), does your silversmith have this design?

No problem. If he doesn't already have it I can show him this picture and that's more than good enough for him to work from.

[QdBrown]

To my practiced eye, all of the gentlemen in the photo originally posted by JSFMJR (Sandy to his pals on XMTS) are wearing Balmoral bonnets-- some with dicing, some without, and all with their tails either tied up, or (possibly) cut off.

Correct me if I am wrong, but when the Balmoral per say is tied up (not the other bonnets), doesn't that suggest they are married? I remember reading that in one of those early 'How to wear and maintain a Kilt' books.

Which to be a bit funny, if they cut the ribbons off, maybe those particular gents decided not to take brides or wanted to remain playboys.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when the Balmoral per say is tied up (not the other bonnets), doesn't that suggest they are married? I remember reading that in one of those early 'How to wear and maintain a Kilt' books.

You've been the victim of another myth invented by those who don't know the facts.

Originally the ribbons were used to adjust the size of the bonnet. Now days they merely "snug it up". As has been pointed out before (by Jock Scot and others) the main reason for tying the ribbons in a bow (or cutting them off) is to prevent them from whipping around in the wind and hitting one (painfully) in the eye.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

it's a fun myth though...