Cut Pin on Pilots Badge--Why?

[RonR]

Through the years I have seen a number of TR badges with their pins cut off about half way.

I have always wondered if this was done so that the badge could no longer be worn on a uniform.

Is anyone else familiar with this phenomenon?

Here is a Pilots Badge with a cut pin.

Front view:

[RonR]

Reverse View:

[Lucky Duck]

That is strange. I've seen a lot of badges with bent pins in the USA, its the result of GI's snatching them off of POW and dead German troops, then crudely trying to bend them back to straight. Maybe the busted ones were caused by overzealous attempt to make the pin straight again?

Ray

[IVAN]

maybe not cut but simply crashed on this original Juncker.

[VonStigler1]

Hi Ron,
This is a very interesting phenomona that I haven't seen until now. Can we see a close up of the broken end of the pin? If it is a clean break than I would agree with Ray that the pin snapped when trying to straighten it. If it was cut with, say, diagonal cutters than the edges would be pinched or beveled.
Brian

[Lorenzo Brown]

I got two badges from Detlev shortly after 9-11-2001. The package had been opened by Customs and both pins had been surgically "snipped". A shame about the badges, but Detlev gave me a full and immediate refund for both.

Juncker Observer

[Lorenzo Brown]

Second badge, an Assmann Para

[RonR]

Brian,

Here is as close as I can get on the scanner.

Under a glass it looks like a cut with a nippers of some sort.

What do you think?

[Lucky Duck]

I got two badges from Detlev shortly after 9-11-2001. The package had been opened by Customs and both pins had been surgically "snipped". A shame about the badges, but Detlev gave me a full and immediate refund for both.

Juncker Observer

WTF was that about??

Ray

[VonStigler1]

Ron,
Hard to tell from the scan. But if I had to guess I would say it was bent back and forth and finally broke.
Brian