Topic: Badge/Emblem Restoration

[RRRToolSolutions]

Guys, I have some old and almost impossible to find side cover and tank badges/emblems that I want to have repainted/restored. Buying NOS or reproductionis not really what I have in mind. With all the hood ornaments, dash knobs, and other chrome/plastic and potmetal items on old cars, there has to be some companies out there.

Inputs appreciated. Thanks, Gordon

[RFogelsong]

The first person I would think of to go to professionally would be either an airbrush artist or a pinstriper/sign painter. Having said that, I restored the tank and side cover badges for my cb550 myself using automotive touch-up paint and they look darn good.  Those emblems had inset areas where letters needed to be filled one color and a surrounding background another.  Those little touch up bottles are great for that and honestly, as someone who pinstripes recreationaly, I don't think a professional pinstriper's approach would be much different. 

[78whiteorbs]

go to a craft store like Hobby Town or A.C. Moore or Micheals or the like and get some Testers brand model paint . Pick up some very fine brushes and go to town on your master piece! Have done several sets and they all came out looking fantastic- really face lifted the bikes.  I find it kinda relaxing and fun, I like to imagine I am Bob Ross when I am doing it ....  lets paint a happy little Honda "H" right over here

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Gordon,

Are you thinking basically about painting in/around the lettering or refinishing/sanding the lettering then painting? I've thought about my 75/76 750F tank badges that have scratched lettering. The metal seems to be impregnated or anodized gold. I want to lightly sand the lettering and see what happens. NOS are non-existent. Have you looked in a hot rod magazine? These guys/restorers get some amazing work done.

[lone*X]

A year or so ago there was a thread where someone was experimenting with soda blasting (small nozzle?) the painted portion of the tank emblems to prepare them for repainting.  If I recall the process worked pretty well, and the soda didn't mar the chromed raised portion of the emblem.  They followed up with the Testors enamel if I remember correctly.

[Really?]

I figured out the pattern for painting this style tank badge.  It was easy once I figured out the pattern.  I fogot already but I think I might be able to remember. 



Hand painted LPM script.  What a PITA that was.

[KJ790]

I did these badges by painting the whole things black and then filling in the 'HONDA' letters with a white paint pen and the 'Super Sport' letters with a red one. I think they came out pretty good.





If you want the emblems to look original you are gonna have to get them anodized and go from there.

[78whiteorbs]

Lookin Good  !

[Really?]

Yea, painted all of the tank emblem black, then filled the letters (leaving some of the bumps showing) and letting the white come up on top of the letters and then took a razor blade across the top of the letter giving it nice clean edges.

[Don R]

I got a pinstriping kit for christmas, I now know what my first real project is.  I still want a Kafka #3 and a #1 striping brush.