Cloth Rank Nuances

[DakRadz]

First off, eServices says I'm a C/CMSgt- so no need to congratulate me, Mitchell isn't official yet.

Okay, first request- I know somewhere there is a reg which tells how much blue must be around the most prominent edge of the white, or somesuch like that; what reg is this in? CAPM 39-1? I can find it if someone could refer to me to exact manual. Something like 1/4 inch of blue from the furthest edge of white, but I want to see the reg before I sew.
1/8 inch, found the bullet I was looking for.

Now, I've seen some ranks and insignias with excess cloth folded under to form this 1/8 inch of blue. I've also seen the cloth cut so that only that 1/8 inch of blue is left, period, and the whole shebang is then sewn on.

Which way is best, in your opinion?

[Eclipse]

Folded is the proper way.

Left unfolded they look terrible and will fray.

[PhoenixRisen]

Definitely fold the excess blue material under.  If you cut it to the exact size and sew it on, it'll shrink and fray when washed.  Doesn't look too pretty, IMO.

[Dad2-4]

Agreed. Folding under, pressing, then sewing will keep the edges clean. Cutting it down to 1/8" will greatly increase the chance of edge fraying.

[DakRadz]

I'm going to call this one unanimous and do as suggested.

See, wide range of experience, a new little tidbit with each subsequent post... This is what CAPTalk is really about. Not the arguments

Thanks for the help!

Now, about those shoulderboards...

I've sewed on velcro to my service coat- anyone think that too awful bad of an idea?

[DakRadz]

Also, for attaching the rank to the shoulderboards, I took a leaf out of C/Maj Temaat's book- well, nearly so.

First I worked the prongs off with a pair of pliers. Then I used a rasp/file to get rid of the nubs and make the entire backside of the rank flush.
Last, I used school glue to attach the rank to the board. After letting it dry for a few hours (overkill for school glue, I know) I pried the pip off with my fingernails to test the strength of this idea.

Conclusion: If I ever have that much pressure on the rank of my hard boards, there will be bigger problems than reapplying some school glue.
The only problem is I'll have to figure a way to remove the dried glue when I replace the ranks. And as C/Maj Temaat pointed out, I can't be promoted in my service coat- imagine the Sqd/CC and Wing/CC standing there with a bottle of Elmer's to *glue* on my tri-pip...

Otherwise, looks like a good way to avoid buying 3 sets of boards just because of promoting.

[PhoenixRisen]

I've sewed on velcro to my service coat- anyone think that too awful bad of an idea?

That's what I did, and I've had no problems with it at all.

school glue

I did the same, but with wood glue, and it worked out quite well.  It is also clear, so there's no white residue if a bit is smudged around.

[DakRadz]

Ah, you were the one who did wood glue. That thread was from a while back, and I knew there was someone who'd done that, but didn't care to search for it (again) since I remembered the technique this time. Would have given you an honorable mention 

Glad to know the velcro wasn't an issue- I foresee needing to possibly replace it- I still have 3+ years of cadet life. But regardless. Thanks for the advice! Much obliged

Oh, any safe way you know of to get the glue residue to come off? The school glue did dry clear, but seems to me that layering the glue 3 times wouldn't be good for keeping the rank attached to the board.

[RVT]

Folded is the proper way. Left unfolded they look terrible and will fray.

If you are wondering how to keep them folded when you sew them on, use rubber cement.  My singer 247 has probably sewn on a thousand patches as I used to sew them on in my original USAR unit.  In fact after 20+ years of disuse I'm putting it back in operation, just now I need more than one color of thread.

[NIN]

EDIT: Dwight beat me to it, but I'd suggest the spray adhesive versus rubber cement. YMMV, and experiment if you want.

FYI, a *really* easy way to get some solid looking folded insignia:

Find some Elmer's water soluble spray adhesive (craft adhesive, I think).   Spray the backside of the insignia with quick swipe, do one set of folds.  I forget if its "wait a few seconds and then manipulate" or "do it immediately" to get the quick bond.  Read the directions.  I actually think you want the "repositionable" bond in case you get it wrong and need to readjust.

Throw your insignia under a stack of books or something to hold it while the adhesive sets up.

After a bit, pull it out, another shot of adhesive and fold the 2nd set of folds.  Same as above. Let it setup.  If you do it right, everything looks like a million bucks cuz the folds are precise and won't move at all when you manipulate the insignia.

Now, the next part is a little controversial, but when you're ready to sew on, do a quick pass on the back of the insignia with the adhesive, position on the collar and hold until firm, then off to the sewing machine and stitch 'em on. 

I was always a "pin 'em and go" guy, but doing this is FAST and easy, and it looks great when you're done.

[Eclipse]

I prefer iron-on sizing to shape and place BDU insignia, but it's all the same idea.

[dogden]

Wash it once before you size and sew it! Otherwise it will pucker on your uniform when you wash it the first time and it looks bad.

[NIN]

Wash it once before you size and sew it! Otherwise it will pucker on your uniform when you wash it the first time and it looks bad.

Or always wash your uniform in cold water (helps with color-fastness too) and hang to dry.

[DakRadz]

My uniforms are done in cold water, so that settles that The hang to dry tidbit is appreciated.

[Eclipse]

Cloth tapes don't shrink, but you'd still need to do that for insignia, regardless.

[DakRadz]

I have the shrunkeled uniform to prove you otherwise on the "cloth tapes don't shrink" assertion.
The edges started out flush with the edges of the pocket as well- now they are a quarter inch short on either side. Both the name and CAP tape are like this.

This happened prior to the cold water change; my second blouse is perfect. Also did the second blouse entirely by hand (all four patches authorized for new members- didn't skimp by not doing the wing patch), so I may be biased, but eh.

[SarDragon]

I just fold mine over and do a machine baste stitch. IMHO, better than glue.

As for the "cloth" tapes - they are embroidered on regular blue fabric, not the webbing that you see most places, and they do shrink a lot less. The one wash before sewing on usually is enough in the shrinkage department.

[RVT]

I just fold mine over and do a machine baste stitch. IMHO, better than glue.

I was using rubber cement because SSSC (where the Army Reserve got office supplies back then, maybe now too) provided it for free, There are better adhesives out there now for that purpose.  Rubber cement was not visible through subdued US Army insignia but on the bright colors CAP uses it may not work so well.

[Pylon]

As for those shoulderboards, here's a helpful hint.  This will only work if you're using a new-style officer's service jacket or an old-style one (you need the jacket to have epaulets on the shoulders).     Find an un-needed or unserviceable pair of soft shouldermarks (cadet officer, senior member ones or even Air Force or Army epaulets, whatever - it doesn't really matter as long as the shouldermark can slide over your jacket's epaulet). 

Hot glue or otherwise adhere the shouldermarks to the undersides of your cadet officer shoulderboards.  Then you can slip your shoulderboards on to the jacket's epaulets securely and easily.  No velcro, no precariously perched shoulderboards that fall off from time to time, and no modification needed to the jacket itself (leaving the epaulets clean for your future use or for the next cadet that inherits the jacket).

[Thunder]

The other downside to cutting is when you go to sew on your perfectly-dimensioned rank, the thread will slip out and fray the edges so you are left with a rank that is impossible to sew on. Ruined one that way once, not even trying to cut that short but didn't leave enough for the fold-over.

Make sure you leave plenty of fabric - I like to have it so the edge folds under and reaches the other side.