Yet another question about plastic-encased insignia...

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

I do apologise if I'm flogging a dead horse here...but have any of you found a good way to secure plastic-encased insignia to Velcro?

Of course, I've tried sewing, but without a needle the size of a fencing foil all I've got is a lot of wounds (Purple Heart, please  ) and some new ways to use the fouler side of the English language.

[HGjunkie]

(Purple Heart, please  )

And I present you with;




(no offense intended to anyone who has been awarded the purple heart in the military)

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

^^Thank you.

And I also intended no offence to those who have been awarded that decoration.

[Eclipse]

Buy self-adhesive velcro and glue it one.

With that said, plastic-encased that is velcro'ed on looks terrible. 

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Just get some clear thread, it works great.

[flyboy53]

Mine has velcro backing without being sewn. They actually came that way from the military supplier who will remain nameless here because I also get my leather name tags from the same source. I've never had a problem with it, otherwise, and during my era in the Air Force, that was how the plastic rank was worn anyway.

If the velcro wasn't pre-attached, it was sewn on velcro by someone at the parachute shop and the intent was to be able to shed anything from the flight suit that would hint at where you came from.

These days, however, I'm sure that someone with a relatively good sewing machine and some patience can do the same....recently my wife has used her machine to do her's. The alternative is maddening, painful and takes forever.

[Slim]

I always used a machine to sew mine.  But, unless you have a heavy-duty sewing machine and/or needle, don't try to use the machine as normal.  I loaded everything up, then hand cranked the wheel slowly so that the needle would pierce the plastic cleanly.  Go to fast and the needle will flex and break.

Also, if you're going to do that, use a piece of velcro bigger than the insignia.  Since you can't pin it, odds are that the velcro will shift while sewing.  When you're done, trim the velcro down to match the edges of the insignia.

Once embroidered was authorized, I switched everything over as soon as I could get it from The Hock shop.

[SarDragon]

Keep a candle by the machine, and keep the needle waxed. It goes through the plastic more easily.

[Eclipse]

If you're going to sew it, don't use the self-adhesive to place it.  The glue will just gum up your needles.

Same goes for velcro for patches, etc.

[peter rabbit]

Once embroidered was authorized, I switched everything over as soon as I could get it from The Hock shop.

I assume you're talking about the BDU, etc since flight suits still require plastic-encased.

[jimmydeanno]

Once embroidered was authorized, I switched everything over as soon as I could get it from The Hock shop.

I assume you're talking about the BDU, etc since flight suits still require plastic-encased.

Not the blue flight suit.

[peter rabbit]

Not the blue flight suit.

right - I'm talking about the AF green version.

[MICT1362]

I had no issues using my regular old sewing machine and needle on the new set that I just got.  My only advice is to go SLOW!  Because the plastic gets a little rough, the needle wants to drag.  If you go slow, and make sure that the two pieces feed through the machine, you should have no problems. And as stated before, use a piece of non-adhesive velcro that is larger that your insignia.

-Paramedic

[Slim]

Once embroidered was authorized, I switched everything over as soon as I could get it from The Hock shop.

I assume you're talking about the BDU, etc since flight suits still require plastic-encased.

Not the blue flight suit.

Ding ding ding!