Gilt/Staybrite Cap Badges

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone tell me the difference between a Gilt and a Staybrite British Army cap badge or are they one and the same.

Thanking in advance.



Regards ...

[Marc Sherriff]

British headdress badges are made from:

Officers, silver, gilt, (mix of both), bronze and embroidered.

Other Ranks, white metal, brass, gilding metal, (mix of both) anodised aluminium (staybright), and woven.

Now the new anodised metal (staybright) is to be worn by ALL RANKS. There should be no distinction between the ranks!!!

[Dave Alexander]

Staybrite

When staybrite badges were first introduced in the mid-sixties most troops refused to wear them. Many of the brass and silver badges had been handed down from fathers and grandfathers who had served in the same Regts in WWI and WWII. Some were even older. Many of the features had been worn away and were carried with immense pride. Anyone who wore one was looked on with high esteem by all ranks and inevitably they were asked the story behind it. Conversely, any one who chose to wear a staybrite was looked on as somewhat pitiful. I speak from personal experience. And No, I NEVER wore a staybrite.

[hagwalther]

Thanks Guys.



I'm a collector of 'staybrite' cap badges and have the option to purchase four OTC Junior Division examples. The owner states that they are relatively modern and 'Gilt' and 'electro plated'. He states that they are not 'staybrite' though.

How does one tell the difference between a 'Gilt' badge and a 'Staybrite' badge.

Many Thanks

Regards ...

[Dave Alexander]

Simple Hag, take any of the silver colored badges scratch it with an ordinary pin. If the surface coating comes off and shows a black scratch mark, it's staybrite. That's one of the reasons we didn't wear them. The gold colored ones are probably the same. They are also extremely light. If you were wearing a glove and someone put a staybrite in the palm of your hand you wouldn't feel the weight. Incidentally, had an old friend who served in the Royal Enzed Artillery in North Africa and Sicily/Italy. He passed away a few years ago in Calif. They had no children and his widow gave all his belongings to the Salv Army Thrift Store. Yes, that included his medals, paybook, discharge papers etc. I still get upset.

[hagwalther]

Thanks Dave - is there any visual method to look for in gilt/staybrite. I'm in EnZed the badges are in the UK so scratching and weight testing in this instance not really appropriate.

When were gilt badges manufactured - are the pre or post staybrite or were they made at the same time?

Loss of personal effects at the Sallies - beggars belief that people would do such things.

Many Thanks.



Regards ...

[Dave Alexander]

Hag, I would say that gilt or gilding has been around a lot longer than staybrite, so they would be both pre- and post. On the silver metal and mixed metals there is a quite visible joint where the pin and the front are attached, a small weld. You wouldn't see this on a staybrite. Hope this helps.

[hagwalther]

Hi Dave,

I've got back to the owner and he states that they are definitely Gilt and probably made of brass with an electro-plated cover. As such, the weight factor would be the easiest way to identify gilt from staybrite badges.

Thanks for all the help here.



Regards ...

[Laurence Strong]

Here's a foursome of what I would consider to be Sta-brite hat badges

[Laurence Strong]

And the reverse, though I am not sure what to think of the Household Cavalry one

[hagwalther]

Hi Laurence,

The Household Cavalry is a staybrite too. Of the era The Blues And Royals and The Royal Horse Guards are blackened brass and I have never seen a staybrite version of either.

I have approx. 350 different in my collection and looking for approx. 140 others but these 140 are getting expensive with a KC RASC selling recently for 635 British Pounds and a KC Royal Scots Fusiliers selling for 330 British Pounds - well I think we all get the message that for 1000 pounds odd you don't get much change for a couple of staybrites.

Does anyone have any photos front and rear of Gilt badges to compare?

Regards ...