Reviving Columbia Badges

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Reviving Columbia Badges

Postby marsonion » Thu Dec 31, 2015 5:52 pm

This is a quick-and-easy method for recoloring low-relief stamped metal insignia which I came up with many years ago, restoring vintage automobile emblems. Trying to paint it all in by hand is a mug's game: you'll never keep the paint from slopping over the slightly-raised embossed areas because nobody's brush hand is that steady. With this method, you don't even have to be careful. I shot these pictures many months ago to help out a friend; for the demo, I used a badge which had lost most of its plating, but did it all over again (which was easy) after restripping and replating the brass base metal. The last picture shows the final result of that re-re-do.

Before starting, remove all of the old enamel from the flaked, worn badge with paint strippers or solvents and clean the exposed brass areas well. A little metal polish helps.

1) Gather some red and blue enamels which clean easily with acetone or lacquer thinner, plus a container of acetone or thinner, a few small paintbrushes and any flat paper tablet, such as a legal pad.

2), 3) Slop each color into its general location, letting it flow right over the embossed characters... just try to avoid getting any blue into the red areas and vice-versa.

4) Let the paints set up a bit while dumping some acetone or solvent onto the pad of paper. With these organic solvents the paper should remain flat and not wrinkle or roll up, which is very important.

5) While keeping the surface of the paper pad perfectly flat, gently scuff the painted side until all of the slightly raised metal areas are cleared of paint. The paint should remain in the recessed areas if the paper surface remains flat and you don't push down hard while scuffing. Use a clean area of paper for each sweep; if the paper loads up with too much paint, tear off that sheet and work across the next one down.

6) If any areas pick off, wear through, or you find you missed a few spots, simply touch them up a bit, let the added paint set up a little again, and then repeat the process where necessary.

7) A quick shot of clear acrylic can provide a nearly seamless result.
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Re: Reviving Columbia Badges

Postby randyjaco » Thu Dec 31, 2015 8:31 pm

That is cool and I have a Columbia badge that needs it 8)

Randy
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