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Casting Staff toppers

Justin D.

Registered User
I have been told that our lodge's toppers for the Senior and Junior Deacons break every two years or so. The lodge has been looking for a way to cut the budget on having to buy new ones. I have been talking to a couple friends from my medieval reenactments groups and they told me we should just cast them ourselves. I have worked with metal for years, but never casting. Does anyone know of any good ideas for casting these?
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Lost wax, if you want to sculpt new ones. Otherwise just press the existing ones.

I wonder about the handling of the ones you have, I’ve never seen them break with that frequency before.
 

Justin D.

Registered User
I am curious to why they are breaking so frequently myself. I will find out why and maybe we can be a little easier on them. I know Pewter is soft, but that would only be an issue if the staff toppers have pressure put on them, but do not think that's what our toppers are made of. Thank you for the Lost Wax suggestion.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Check the storage, they may be leaning against the wall with other items pressing against them (memories of my Mother Lodge’s closet).
 

Bloke

Premium Member
It's weird.. working in many lodge rooms, I have only ever seen one chipped one.. but casting your own sounds very cool !!!

What are they ? Sun and moon, stars, dove bearing an olive branch ? Other ?
 

Rifleman1776

Registered User
We talked about the age of our Lodge items at last meeting. Near as anyone can guess, everything is, at least, 40 years old. No one could ever recall a staff topper being broken. Your situation is a puzzlement. What are you doing with them?
 

Keith C

Registered User
More interesting jurisdictional differences to me!

What do these "Staff Toppers" look like, does anyone have a photo of a staff, as described?

Our Deacons carry what we call "Wands." They look sort of like a short javelin, pointed at both ends with the body painted blue and the tips white.
 

Justin D.

Registered User
The staff toppers are at the top of rods, they have a square and compasses on them. One with a crescent moon in the middle, the other, a sun.
 

Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
Our SD Wand has a damaged topper and shows signs of previous repair.
The staff toppers are at the top of rods, they have a square and compasses on them. One with a crescent moon in the middle, the other, a sun.

Depends on which lodge you go to in Scotland, I know my JD staff has a trowel on the topper and our SD staff is a dove.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
1c2f739a6a541a306cc35586b18524f7.jpg
 

Bloke

Premium Member
YO Bro JC - funny where we run into each others :)
Those wand (wand = rod = staff = sticks) "toppers" include the cornucopia (our emblem of a steward), crossed swords (Inner Guaurd)who do not carry wands, the only officer in our lodges which do now days are deacons which *might* use one on the far left but more like the one below. Our DCs used to also carry a wand - but it has been replaced by a baton..

IMG_7979.jpg
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Hey Bloke! And I’m not even raving here...

I’ll admit to grabbing the first image I saw...
In my US lodges only the Stewards (white w/cornucopia) and Deacons (blue or black w/S&C w/sun or moon) carry rods (wands). In true empiric style the Marshal carries a baton.
 

Justin D.

Registered User
@Brother JC Thank you for the image and explanation. I have talked with my lodge and they told me it is more specifically the Senior and Junior Deacon's rod toppers that break because of the joining of the two during certain circumstances. I have also learned these toppers are made of pewter with a coating to make them look silver. Being Pewter they are more prone to breakage. I might bring up in the lodge that we purchase a more dense metal that will not bend/break as easily. The Stewards rods (Cornucopia) does not break as we do not touch them together, just a little bending when they are stored.

Thank you to everyone that has replied to this post. This has been very enlightening and allowed me to put my metalwork skills to use, now knowing the material of the toppers we have.
 
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