fbekholden.com

Hi everyone,

After 50 years my EK bonnet badge was looking shabby. You can get repro ones from Rare Spares. You know me...I like original. This is what I did to freshen it up. Pretty simple stuff but I thought I'd share.

Stewart

The original badge from Old Timer.

Using a long bristle wire brush scrape out any remaining red paint the best you can. The more red paint you get out the more even the final finish will be. I left what remaining silver paint there was in the lion and stars. DONT USE PAINT STRIPPER - it 'melted' my test badge.

Once you're happy with removing the red paint tape off the badge leaving the lion and stars open. Try and be as precise as you can. A nice sharp new blade (not like mine ) will help.

Using an aerosol spray the lion and stars with some bright silver. This can was in my collection of aerosols - nothing special about it.

Now peel off the masking tape.

Using lens dye paint the back of the badge. I didn't paint the back of the lion or stars - I just left them silver.

Silly me was so excited I forgot to take a photo of the finished badge. So here it is in the bonnet bar in all its glory. Before putting it into the bonnet bar I gave the outside a light sand with 2000 wet n dry. As you can see any existing cracks or stone chips are still apparent but it's good enough for me for another 50 years.

For my next party trick stay tuned for a how to step by step do lace, flake, candies, patterns and custom paint...yeah right!

Stewart

Love it, would do it to mine but I'm bloody missing it!!! That's brilliant Stewart


Todd

Hey Todd

Thanks mate. Glad you liked it.

Stewart

You work quick. That's come up great

Did mine last week also.
I thought you might have found a solution to the crazing/cracks.
Just a shame that they still there, but well done again for sharing.

I have a NOS bonnet badge at home (worth nothing since the repops came out) and even the paint on that is a little flaky. One thing you might like to try is to paint over the lens dye with a compatible silver paint like the originals have. I think this gives the red a more solid appearance by stopping the light coming through from behind. Might have to try it one day with another test-badge.

By the way, nice job You'd have to look pretty closely to see any thing wrong with it.

parisian62 wrote:For my next party trick stay tuned for a how to step by step do lace, flake, candies, patterns and custom paint...yeah right!

Stewart

Not to far different from what I did Stuart! Only difference was I used some silver mixed with some of the candy red I had leftover.

worth nothing since the repops came out

yeah couldn't agree more...I'll PM you my postal address...I'm happy to pay for postage too!

Good point about the silver paint MEFB and DR. I might try that after the Nats...I'm sick of taking the bonnet bar on and off...