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Gold Wood Badge Beads


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So when my Dad took the old Wood Badge course in the early 70s, his SPL gave him a set of gold wood badge beads for my mom.

The last member of my patrol is about to get her beads, and I was looking for something like that for her.

Turns out Google doesn't help...not sure anyone makes such a thing.

Figured I would turn to this forum and see if anyone has ever seen such a thing or might know a jeweler who could make a set?

Any help would be very appreciated!

 

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It wouldn't take much for a good jeweler to gold plate some beads -- you wouldn't need to use anything but 10K gold, which would keep the price down (and remember, price is based on the type of gold - and the thickness of the plating).

 

Many, many, many moons ago, I worked as a jewelers apprentice and that was one of the many odd-jobs that I did.

 

Another option would be to buy some gold leaf and apply that. Either would work (and gold leaf would be much less expensive).

(This message has been edited by UCEagle72)

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Wait, let me get this straight - someone made (or makes?) an unlicensed reproduction of an official BSA uniform item (beads) and is giving them out - to people who did not take the course?

 

Perhaps I misunderstood, but it sounded from the OP like the reproduction "gold beads" were given to a ''relative'' of someone who took Wood Badge.

 

That would be a violation of the BSA's rules on uniform items, which can be found here:

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/02.aspx

(scroll down to "Protection and Use of Badges and Insignia" where it says

"All badges and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America shall be used exclusively by members of the Boy Scouts of America, registered and in good standing according to the records at the national office, who qualify in accordance with the provisions herein..." etc. etc.

 

Well intentioned, perhaps... relatively harmless, perhaps... but still way over the line that divides right from wrong.

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Sax --

 

"All badges and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America shall be used exclusively by members of the Boy Scouts of America, registered and in good standing according to the records at the national office, who qualify in accordance with the provisions herein..."

 

So - are you saying that WB Beads belong ONLY to the BSA - and NO other Scouting Association may use them?

 

 

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I think the idea is that these gold beads are "spousal recognition," much like we have "parent's pins" for Scout parents. As long as the spouse doesn't wear the gold beads with a uniform, I don't see a lot of harm being done here: if it isn't worn on a uniform, it isn't subject to a uniform standard. For the record, parent pins and Eagle mentor pins don't belong on the uniform either (nor do they give a false impression that the parent has completed the ranks). If these "beads" are kept to civilian wear only then, theoretically, they shouldn't be subject to the rules regarding possession of rank/training emblems. I'm not a lawyer, though, so this is just my interpretation of the situation.

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I've read here about SPL gifting metal beads, about gold plating or gold leafing actual beads, and about gold string or gold-colored chain to hang them from. Now I'm reading about them being a spousal recognition. So what is it? I'll ask the same question again...

Why?

BDPT00

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BDPT- I think the best way to get an answer would be to PM the person who started the thread. The rest of us can only guess. ;)

 

However, now that I read this more closely, the answer is to forget about it. Your female patrol member should receive the same beads that her male counterparts do. I thought this was for spousal recognition but apparently it is for someone who has completed her ticket. In that case, she deserves the same beads as everyone else in her patrol: the ACTUAL Wood Badge.

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