What is this?

What is this? I guess some template for drawing skirting board mouldings. Just found it in the garage (I hadn't noticed it for 20 years)

It's used when polishing buttons when attached to a tunic - slipped under the button, stops the polish getting on to the cloth.

Coincidentally, I saw one exactly the same yesterday at a friend's, it belonged to their father, who was in the RAF.

Rob

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A Button stick, we were all issued with one when we joined the Air Force, for keeping your uniform clean when cleaning the brass buttons, still have mine but don’t where it is now. I doubt that they are issued now as all buttons on uniforms are “staybrite” anodised aluminium, that’s progress. Dave W

"I've a head like a concertina: I've a tongue like a button-stick,

I've a mouth like an old potato, and I'm more than a little sick,

But I've had my fun o' the Corp'ral's Guard: I've made the cinders fly,

And I'm here in the Clink for a thundering drink and blacking the Corporal's eye."

(Rudyard Kipling, Barrack Room Ballad - 'Cells' )

I haven't seen them with profiled edge cutouts like those before - presumably they were for polishing brass attachments on other pieces of leather or webbing kit?

Edited By Mick B1 on 11/02/2022 09:47:58

I've still got mine from the mid 50s.

Roy

Me too. Well 1963 actually

regards

I also had one of these when I joined the RAC training school and still used it when I joined my regiment, can't remember where it went.

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It has lot of little features that wouldn't help with buttons?!

Thanks!

BR, I remember Blanco, we had a ceremonial parade which meant that we had white blancoed webbing with our best blue uniforms, it rained and the blanco washed off all over our best uniforms, what a disaster. Dave W

.

I would suggest that it is something ‘made from’ a button-stick

… yes, probably a DIY template for mouldings.

MichaelG.

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Yes I agree.

A quick Google shows many pictures of exactly that design so it must play some part in uniform maintenance.

Mike

A skirmish on Google images suggests this is a fairly common pattern and the profiles are associated with buckles and badges. (not sure exactly how it was applied to them). There are examples of a simple slot version, for Privates, a one hole version attributed to Canadians and even one with a Harrods logo on it presumably for the Doorman and Lift Attendant to use. £6.99 if you want one

Bob D

MichaelG My button stick referred to above is exactly as the photo and is as was issued.ie. not modified in any way

Roy

https://www.google.com/search?q=RAF+button+stick&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=i7imDhrfIj8UVM%252CDg8jVZ267GFdgM%252C_%253B_TGNDUaxQQR2iM%252CDg8jVZ267GFdgM%252C_%253Bi5GcNF7-_bm14M%252Cie59eutpycjXNM%252C_%253BV8HdMGddw9ovdM%252CznMSGwPlMXvv9M%252C_%253B3xMffNpZe11gaM%252C6qYUSotil2rj5M%252C_%253Bp4MMvsM2kjn7MM%252C-C2sRiZi25eonM%252C_%253B_W-_kx1uJbF7IM%252CQGYENWDXE7E2NM%252C_%253B4mY5bbxqEFB2MM%252Cie59eutpycjXNM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRq5XBlRGEQKqQvwHwLH9lp2h-jSA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQkda1zPj1AhUzQUEAHWyuC8gQ9QF6BAgIEAE&biw=1280&bih=615&dpr=1#imgrc=i5GcNF7-_bm14M. This is it.

To Mike, Roy, and presumably David

Thanks for the correction

… one lives and learns

MichaelG.

An authoritative explanation of its uses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaRXvxjUz1Q

Bob D