Forum: F-16 Patches

Last edited by Jon on Jul 12, 2004 - 04:20 PM; edited 1 time in total

How do you store your patch collection?

I want to hear some good idea's about how to store and display patches. Especially a large collection. Right now I use wooden CD boxes from Ikea. They were cheap and good quality. I stained them with wood stain. And then you can use them like a card storage system. But I want to know if there are any other better idea's out there. I'm sure there are. I've thought about photo albums, but don't want the patches behind plastic.

Thank you,
Jon Somerville

F-16.net Sponsor

I got some in an old box from a dvd burner and the rest on the wall... there was no more space on the wall for patches hehe

I used to use a lot of shoe boxes when I first started to collect to store my hoard of patches. But I finally found some good low cost clear plastic containers (with clasp lids) from a local kitchen supply shop to store my patches in.

I have far too many patches to put them up in a wall display (not a preferred option as they can fade after a while and mounting can result in further damage) and it would cost me a small fortune to get decent albums to place patches in. I may consider starting a few for my RAF and Italian AF collections Wink

as those are my crown jewels Laughing

.

Anybody know of good sources of presentation albums which don't require getting a extra mortgage to fund the cost!! Very Happy

Jon why do you not want your patches behind plastic Question

A lot of dealers I know use A4 size binders with clear sleeve pages with inserts with mounted patches. Thats a good start if you have a limited number of patches to present. The problem is when you overload each binder and general wear and tear on the sleeves can result in some nightmares in maintaince. Shocked

Asif wrote:

Jon why do you not want your patches behind plastic Question

A lot of dealers I know use A4 size binders with clear sleeve pages with inserts with mounted patches. Thats a good start if you have a limited number of patches to present. The problem is when you overload each binder and general wear and tear on the sleeves can result in some nightmares in maintaince. Shocked

The reason why I do not like the plastic holders. This is just personal differences, so it comes down to preference.

To me, I think it is important to be able to touch the patch and feel it. I'm sure not all patch collectors would like that, but it's not like I wear them when I go do gardening.

Also, those plastic sleaves dont have much life and would be expensive. I think you would find that you would be replacing them every 5 years or so.

The idea that I came up with, but isn't cheap, but would last long (I've never done it myself). But to make cloth pages for an album, then with fine thread and needle attach at the top of the patch only. That way the patch is open to the air, can be touched and even flipped up to see what the back looks like (important in patch collecting).

Quote:

The idea that I came up with, but isn't cheap, but would last long (I've never done it myself). But to make cloth pages for an album, then with fine thread and needle attach at the top of the patch only.

Interesting idea, but something I wouldn't do. Being a purest I'd not want to apply any needles or thread to damage the patches. Like you I like to be able to get my hands on the patch, so the box idea is still best. It's just trying to remember which box contains which patch is my biggest headache! Wink

It's sad but I store all my patches in plastic ziplock bags Shocked

I am waiting..for what I duno..to get a shadow box or boxes to have them mounted STS. I have a tone of patches mostly from my POL days at D-M. I had to threaten a few pilots out of theirs (option A: gime the patch, option B: wake up after being knocked unconcious without flight suit or patches Laughing

), and others I refused to gas up (pilotely batting my eyes at them) Wink

Until I got what I wanted.
*I can be very persuasive!

Cheers!

"option B: wake up after being knocked unconcious without flight suit or patches "

Haha.. Never thoght of that one... A nice danish F-16 pilot gave me his swirl... after asking him nice Smile

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"option B: wake up after being knocked unconcious without flight suit or patches "

Haha.. Never thoght of that one... A nice danish F-16 pilot gave me his swirl... after asking him nice

Sometimes you had to be rough with them...getting pilots to cough up their patches was hard. Don't have any swirls though Crying or Very sad

even after crewin for almost 5 years....you're lucky, most pilots refused to give up their swirls. Would have liked to have gotten one before I left my unit. Sad

Cheers!

When I served as an MP in RNoAF, we were able to buy the swirls.

My small and humble colelction is placed in a drawer... Embarassed