pin-backs for medals?

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:39 pm

I want to make some medals (like the army uses). Those have a simple loop of ribbon with the two bottom corners tucked in to hold the medal, and a pin-back at the top that is held in place by a copper or brass friction clasp that clamps the ribbon as the friction clasp is slid over the pin back with the ribbon material in between.

does anyone know where I can get some of those brass friction clasps and matching pin-backs? I need 30...

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 2:15 pm

If I understand what you're looking for, check here:
http://www.usamilitarymedals.com/ribbon ... 470d3f9cc4
http://stores.uniforms-4you.com/-strse- ... gories.bok

Note that in the US ribbons have two standard sizes, one for everyday uniforms and a miniature size for formal mess dress. If you're making one ribbon and need one mount for each, you're looking for single ribbon mount holder. The military presumes your ribbon is already sewn around a brass slider that will then slide on the standard ribbon mount. See the photos in these links.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:04 pm

...thats not quite it (I want to make a medal with a ribbon and a dangly metal bit that you pin to your chest)

but you gave me a great idea - a single one of the ones you pointed me too, combined with any old cheapo ribbon (total price about $2 each) will allow me to strip off the cheapo ribbon material, then use it like I want to to make my medals.

Thanks!

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:58 pm

You mean like the red and yellow ribbon above that medal? It's fastened the same way as the light blue and green ribbon.

Obligatory flickr link, where you can find a bigger picture:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/341 ... 3876_m.jpg

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 5:15 am

...I can't get a closer look at the medal, but is it the Armed Forces Service Medal?* I just remember that one being red and yellow...

DJafe, I think I saw the appropriate fitting at Young's Surplus last time I was there...(you know THAT place!) Now I have a good excuse to go look again!

*or something like that

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 5:21 am

....Found it. "National Defense Service Medal".

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 5:26 am

...Oh, and I found that "Pinback" you wanted....

(..sorry about the catfood commercial.)

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:28 am

always wondered where my Labwerks spacesuit came from...only fitting it was from a bunch of doomy planet busters!

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:34 am

You may find whay you want in a trophy shop.. They build that kind of stuff to order..

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:41 am

robotland wrote:....Found it. "National Defense Service Medal".

I can never remember whether it's the National Service Defense Medal or the other way. It was awarded to all who served during the Vietnam War, whether we went or not (I didn't). The blue and green one is small arms marksmanship. The shiny badge is the senior missile badge (the requirements for becoming senior have changed since I got mine, and they've been renamed and redesigned).

The NDSM is awarded to all who serve during a declared time period of national emergency (Korean War, Vietnam War, first Gulf War, this Gulf War). I think it's the lowest on the order of medals issued by the US.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:31 pm

...I have* one of those Senior Missile Badges. VERY cool-looking!

*No, I did NOT earn it...Pops brought it back from the PX on one of his trips to the Air Force Academy. (He was LO for SW Michigan.)

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:20 pm

well I have a senior astronaut badge - and I DID earn it - at Labwerks in SPACE!

Comrade Jellyfish says so, so there...

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:56 pm

I don't know what the army ones look like, but I'm in favor of cheap readily available and no big deal to find, when appropriate.

If you don't want to buy from them, try your local bead store.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:37 pm

yeah, the ones like on the bottom are the pin back part. that is the easy part. the hard part is the crimp that goes around those, clamping the material in between. a piece of brass with two edges folded in just past 90 degrees would do it, if it was sized just right.

trouble is I don't know what that gizmo is called. I tried researching jewelry terms, etc (fascinating to be sure), and even went to a brick front craft store and asked them, without luck (they probably called homeland security). If I just knew what they were called, or who made them, I could order them and be done.

but buying military ribbons and stripping the material off is a reasonable alternative...

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:18 pm

> but buying military ribbons and stripping the material off is
> a reasonable alternative...

Yeah, they have tons of that stuff at army surplus stores. Louise always buys a bunch of militaria at Twin Cities Surplus when we're in Reno.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:48 pm

How about diaper pins, a Dymo labelmaker, and copper foil?

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:12 am

Bob wrote:How about diaper pins, a Dymo labelmaker, and copper foil?

Plus a 9V battery to put that copper foil to really good use?

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:28 am

phil wrote:
Bob wrote:How about diaper pins, a Dymo labelmaker, and copper foil?
Plus a 9V battery to put that copper foil to really good use?

...no, no, no!

the diaper pin goes through your genitalia, the copper is wrapped around your head...then all you need is a bunch of wine and VOILA!

you ARE the battery!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 5:33 am

dragonfly Jafe wrote:
phil wrote:
Bob wrote:How about diaper pins, a Dymo labelmaker, and copper foil?
Plus a 9V battery to put that copper foil to really good use?
...no, no, no!

the diaper pin goes through your genitalia, the copper is wrapped around your head...then all you need is a bunch of wine and VOILA!

you ARE the battery!

I'll personally see to it that you receive a medal for THAT!

HOW ABOUT THIS:
-Take about 5-6" of ribbon and thread the medallion jump-ring onto the middle (if you're using one) and then reach for your trusty tube of GOOP...
-Squeeze out a little bit of GOOP in a line about a half-inch from each end of the ribbon and fold over, skmooging* off excess GOOP.
-Cut out a little piece of aluminum, plastic, cardboard...anything rectangular that won't show at the ends and that satisfies your perception of what the top part of the medal will look like. GOOP this lightly on both sides and make it the meat in a ribbon sandwich. Careful about skmooge-factor! Clamp and forget about for exactly one time period.
-Return to studio/laboratory after one time period (remembering to disarm security drone) and GOOP a pinback like the lower one in Fishy's earlier posting, allowing some GOOP to skmooge through the holes in the pinback and around the edges. Licking your index finger first, (or dipping in warm PBR) smooth the GOOP around and over the edge of the pinback to help it hold.
-Place in front of a fan to dry. I discovered that GOOP responds beautifully to a little moving air! Really speeds things up!
-Sculpt medallion in wax and cast in bronze as usual. Or...use a Mardi Gras doubloon. Or wooden nickel. Whatever. Fasten to jump-ring on ribbon once it's dry.
-Pin to breast of dress uniform! Ten-HUT! Suck in that PBR gut, mister! I wanna see a shine on those bacon tongs, you maggots! DROP AN' GIMME TWENTY!!!!!

(*Technical term for both "squishing two glues objects together" AND "excess glue that emerges from the edges of two surfaces glued together".)

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:35 am

Conductive ink:

http://www.bareconductive.com/BareFramePage.html

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:45 am

Real soldiers don't need pin-backs. When you are awarded a badge or ribbon (as opposed to medals), your cohorts punch it in to your skin as an initiation. Without the pin-back and you say "Thank you very much sir, may I have another?" After your wound heals, you may wear a pin-back.

SilverOrange · Post by **SilverOrange** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:48 am

Wow, thanks Phil. Wish they had more/better info on their site, but my minds reeling with the things you could do with that!

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:54 am

Audie Murphy