Badge Bear

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Anyone know a jeweler who Removes the badge bear and makes it a screw on? Folks in tan and green will know what I mean..

Thanks Partners

[TrailerparkTrash]

Anyone know a jeweler who Removes the badge bear and makes it a screw on? Folks in tan and green will know what I mean..

Thanks Partners

It used to be "AAA Jewelers" in NWK. They were the guys that did our badges for years and years, county wide. Well, I needed them again for my second badge because the first one got damaged getting out of a radio car in a hurry (long story). I wanted my second badge to get the "surgury" with the bear again and discovered that AAA moved to Upland. I took it to Upland and they had my new badge "dialed in" like the first one.

Now, that badge got damaged. The blue enamal is crumbling out and looks terrible. So, I decided to call AAA about a year ago. I wanted to make sure they were still around before I showed up to personel to get ANOTHER new badge issued to me again and I could take it to AAA as well.

To my shock, I can't find AAA anymore. They have either closed business all together or moved far away because they are nowhere to be found!

I hope someone here knows of a replacement jeweler that has performed the "operation" on our unique badges. I remember the owner of AAA told me that the blue enamel was a proprietary thing that both Sun Badges (poorer quality badge our dept went to) and Entinmen Roven (the BEST badges ever made) would NOT disclose of what it was made out of and therefore AAA couldn't fix that portion of a badge. Either way, I didn't care, but I did want AAA to remove the bear with the threaded post etc...

Now, I don't want to turn in my current badge yet until I can find a jeweler who can perform the same proceedure. I still love my badge with the removable bear!!!!

Please post a new jewler sombody!!!!!

[Ron-Solo]

AAA used to have a place in Covina too, but they closed up shop some time ago. They did my deputy and sergeant badges, but I never got my lieutenant badge done. I never could locate anyone who would do it.

On a side note, I had a friend who had AAA make him a second bear as a backup, but it wasn't a bear. It was a pig. He would sometimes wear it for days and no one would notice.

Chuck, you know who I'm talking about...........

[DavidRSA]

I was in the jewelry biz for years. I know some jewelry contractors in downtown LA that can do enamel work and other repairs. Plus once you get to know them you can get wholesale pricing on jewelry for the wife. Pm me if you want details.

Sent from my SGH-T759 using Tapatalk

[Samuelx]

I had mine done at http://www.calsjewelers.com/ , just a little east of Temple station. They did an excellent job. They may require you to strip the coating first - it wasn't an issue with me because I had pretty much worn away all the coating already.

Another option is to get a polish/coating job done instead of having your badge/bear modified. One place you can get it done is http://www.vandvmfg.com/ , just south of Industry station. The guys who have had it done said it lasts about a year of patrol duty before you have to get it redone. I've seen good jobs and not so good jobs done on my partners' badges.

[Jonathan Doe]

I had mine done at a jeweler in Norwalk. When I took my badge for a repair to the Vault Unit at the HQ, they took off the stud and glued the bear back on the badge.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Gentlemen thank you for the leads.

[Tallship]

What is this enamel substance you all speak of?

[Notorious]

I hate the coating on badges... What do you use? Flitz?

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I don't even know. Mine is about 12 years old and the only thing. I've ever done is wipe it with a t-shirt.

[Samuelx]

As far as removing the coating goes, I've HEARD that you can simply drop it into boiling water and the coating will separate from the badge. That being said, if your badge is made up of more than one type of material (e.g. brass/gold and enamel) I would also be concerned that different rates of expansion might end up separating the different materials from each other or cause damage (perhaps heating slowly to a boil with the badge immersed the whole time might be "safer"). The guys at Cal's might have some good tips/ideas.

As far as polishing goes, just about any metal polish will work but you probably would want to stick to the finer grit stuff (polish for softer metals/jewelry). I've used Honda polish (left over from my days working at a motorcycle shop), Mothers, Meguiars, Bar Keepers Friend, and even toothpaste applied with a finger as well as a toothbrush. Some of the other guys use Flitz and Brasso and those seem to work real well too.

One thing about the polishing, you Will wear away metal. You have to look really close to see any "hair" on my bear and that's only because I stopped polishing it. I had started polishing my badge before I got it punched - if I could do it all over again and wanted to go the punch route, I would do it as early on as possible to keep the bear looking new. I know a guy whose star is Completely smooth (yes, the triangular "swirls" at each point are all gone) from polishing and quite a few guys' bears are completely smooth too (look like pigs lol).

[Notorious]

I was gonna say, some of the bailiffs told me about polishing the bear to the point of it becoming a pig. Lol.

[Gnome]

Avalon Jewellers in Bellflower is where most people go. I've done several runs for my unit, this year alone. It's in Bellflower, on Bellflower Bl. One of my Lts, and several of my Sgts told me they took their badges there when they were deps.

Believe it is $25 now. They will punch the badge, strip the coating, and buff it to a high shine. They do not buff the bear into a "hog" anymore, due to the difference in individual bear thickness. But, it will buff out on its own if you keep shining it yourself. They do an amazing job. My buddies badge was brown, and thrashed when I took it to them. I wasn't expecting much, but they restored it to a "like new" condition.

You won't be disappointed.

[TrailerparkTrash]

Avalon Jewellers in Bellflower is where most people go. I've done several runs for my unit, this year alone. It's in Bellflower, on Bellflower Bl. One of my Lts, and several of my Sgts told me they took their badges their

AVALON JEWELERS!!!!! Thank you! I always heard that there was a second place around besides AAA. Ill take my badge there to them! i couldnt remember the name or location!

I personally like the bear with a "hair cut" (all smooth). AAA Jewelers used to call it that. When i took my first badge there, they asked me if i want a "full haircut" (completely smooth) or just a "trim." being new at the time, i didnt dare get the full haircut for fear of being salty and not even on patrol at the time! Haha, this thread is great and brings back memories! In my younger days, it was considered "OG" hahahahaha!!! I guess now that I have well over 20 years on, the "OG" label fits!!!! My. Cousin works for San Bernardino Sheriff and in the middle of their badge is an upside down arrowhead. He had his punched and polished too years ago. Looks very nice!

I will be taking my flat bage there for a cleaning and to get the green tarnish off! Thanks for posting!

[Gnome]

AVALON JEWELERS!!!!! Thank you! I always heard that there was a second place around besides AAA. Ill take my badge there to them! i couldnt remember the name or location!

I personally like the bear with a "hair cut" (all smooth). AAA Jewelers used to call it that. When i took my first badge there, they asked me if i want a "full haircut" (completely smooth) or just a "trim." being new at the time, i didnt dare get the full haircut for fear of being salty and not even on patrol at the time! Haha, this thread is great and brings back memories! In my younger days, it was considered "OG" hahahahaha!!! I guess now that I have well over 20 years on, the "OG" label fits!!!!

TPT,

Avalon Jewelers wont give the bear a "hair cut." They used to do it for a small extra fee, but recently stopped. They told me it wwas due to the difference is each individual bear's thickness (insert politically incorrect joke here ). But, with enough polishing on your own, it will eventually buff out.

One of my Sgts heard about me doing a badge run for a couple of guys, and he raised an eye. He said it was considered "salty" in his day to punch your badge and polish it, if you weren't patrol trained.

My how times have changed. It is now almost a requirement for a trainee to have his bear punched/polished. Several MFTOs have strongly urged deputies to have it done before stepping foot in the station. Lol.

Over 20 years on, yeah you just made it.