HJ high leader buckle

[Patrick W]

Hi Guys,

I just got this one in which is in zinc and I think an original buckle. I just wanted to check that this type of finish is correct for this buckle by this maker if anyone has another to compare to please?

The keeper is gilded all the way round including under the buckle hook which is a good sign I think.

Grateful for any opinions!

Many thanks

Patrick

[klr]

The buckle is original in my opinion but I am not sure about the gold paint. The bulk of HJ Leaders buckles are M4/22 Dickie. It needs to be research but I don’t recall any gold HJ Leaders other than Dickie. My Brocade came with a silver buckle like your.


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[Ric Ferrari]

Hard to tell for sure without having it in hands, but by the pics gilding appears not factory made.

Ric

[yellow12]

Hello,

i know such buckle in hand .

The gold was not paint but a kind of coating .....then it must be right .......

buckle looks very good to me .

[Patrick W]

thanks Guys,

The finish looks like it is sprayed on with a process but doesn't look like paint- the keeper was evidently finished using a different process before being added to the buckle- the colour is identical but the finish appears more durable as hasn't worn as heavily on the contact areas.

The nearest think I can compare it to is the gold finish you find on some late war badges- FLL coastal artillery being a good example- the gold wreath finish is some kind of 'coating' added by a spray technique.

[Joe B]

Good buckle , questionable coating .

[wilhelm Saris]

Good buckle , questionable coating .

Coating is lousy. Does not meet any standards with the originals from Dicke.
The coating should be "goldfarbig eloxiert", which is not possible with a
inferior quality material buckle.
If the buckle is okay, is the question for me!

[yellow12]

Hello Wim,

i hold also such a HJ Leader buckle from Eugen Schmiedhäusler, Pforzheim

My is Zinc made of zinc .

But only Aluminium can be "eloxiert"

I think the questionable buckle is also zinc with gold coating .........

[wilhelm Saris]

Hello Wim,
I hold also such a HJ Leader buckle from Eugen Schmiedhäusler, Pforzheim
My is Zinc made of zinc . But only Aluminium can be "eloxiert"

I think the questionable buckle is also zinc with gold coating .........

As you say, only aluminum or light-weight metals one can "eloxieren". This is not possible with inferior materials.
As far as I am informed the Schmiedhäusler was used to make reproductions in Hungary. This happened ten or more years ago. Later they upgraded their buckle and these days one can hardly tell them to be reproduction!
They "listened" what was said at forums and their upgrades became practically perfect.

I doubt the gold with the shown buckle is a coating. It merely looks like being brushed/painted or whatever!

[yellow12]

As you say, only aluminum or light-weight metals one can "eloxieren". This is not possible with inferior materials.
As far as I am informed the Schmiedhäusler was used to make reproductions in Hungary. This happened ten or more years ago. Later they upgraded their buckle and these days one can hardly tell them to be reproduction!
They "listened" what was said at forums and their upgrades became practically perfect.

I doubt the gold with the shown buckle is a coating. It merely looks like being brushed/painted or whatever!

Hello WIm ,

this buckle is over 20 years in my collection :

[wilhelm Saris]

Hello WIm ,
this buckle is over 20 years in my collection :

That is about the exact period they started with it in Hungary (sorry I said ten years. Did not look in my files). I cannot say yours is a reproduction as I cannot remember the tiny differences!