Back in 2007 I wrote several posts highlighting the patches issued by the various lodges over the years for the national and regional officers of the Order of the Arrow.   The first of these posts covered patches issued for the Lodge of the National Chief.   I also published an update for the 2008 National Officer patches.    More updates are sorely needed.    I start here with patches issued for the recent National Chiefs.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

Many of us have been wondering for years what will happen with Blue Book.  A new version has not been published since 2006.  At 1pm today Jason Spangler will broadcast part one of an interview with Roy More where they discuss the future of Blue Book.

Scouting Hot Finds Radio:  Blue Book 2.0 Update with Roy More.

You can listen live at that link.   You can also find the podcast there afterwards, or listen through iTunes.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Back in 2010 I announced the formation of Tschipey Achtu lodge as a result of the merger of Ty-Ohni 95 and Ganeodiyo 417.   At the time I was told they would use the number 397, which is also their council number.   This created a bit of controversy as that number is currently in use by Chilantakoba lodge in Louisiana.   I also announced their first flap.   Other than a 2010 Jamboree issue no further news from this lodge made it to me.

I was talking with a Roger Ward last night who was at the recent Winter South Carolina Trade-O-Ree.  He tells me it has not been quiet in that lodge.   The use of 397 was problematic.  Many wanted to choose a different number.   Some wanted to claim the number zero, but that was not well received given the special place Unami 1 holds in the Order of the Arrow.   The Scout Executive, I am told, stepped in and told the lodge they will use the lower number from the two merged lodges.

The lodge is now known as Tschipey  Achtu 95.    I have updated the site to reflect this current information.   Several new issues have also been added.

 

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My friend Jason Spangler, also known as the Santee Swapper and host of the Scouting Hot Finds newsletters and podcast has assembled a free guide to spotting the fake Chinese made OA patches currently appearing on eBay.

A Guide to Identifying Recent Chinese Fakes on eBay

This is an extensive 24 page treatise on these patches, with many illustrations.   It documents the fakes produced by various sellers over the past several years.   It also discusses the marketing strategies of those who produced these fakes including the stealing of images from this website.

This is a must read for almost any collector who wants to avoid being taken by these fakes.

Popularity: 3% [?]

I have written several posts on this blog about patch designs that appear to have been copied or “inspired” by other designs, quite often from different lodges.   For example see the first and second posts using this same title.   Another example is this post on more “inspired” patches.

The patch pictured at the top of this post was a recent chapter event issue from Piankatank chapter of Wahunsenakah lodge.  (Editor’s note:  Please see correction in comments).   The lodge is chartered to the Colonial Virginia Council which could easily explain the American Revolution theme of the design.  However, the lodge totem is a duck so the hawk’s head might appear to be an unusual choice.

A friend gave this to me.   He acquired it a Trade-O-Ree and thought of me once he saw the design.   It’s obviously taken from Tsoiotsi Tsogalii’s 2010 SR-7B conclave flaps, listed on this site as S34? and S35?.

Perhaps someone in Wahunsenakah can fill us in on the story behind Piankatank chapter’s choice of patch design.  The artist of the lodge 70 flaps should be flattered that someone in another lodge was so impressed by his design that he chose to adapt it for his chapter’s event patch.

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“One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn’t belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others. By the time I finish my song?”
How many of you remember this song from “Sesame Street”?   I saw a friend of mine at the Winston-Salem Trade-O-Ree last weekend.   He usually has a great assortment of patches, many classic material and items from our area.  However he wants it to be known that he isn’t just interested in old patches, so he puts the frame pictured here on his table.   I’ll let him remain anonymous unless he chooses to step forward here.

One of those patches seems oddly out of place (really two but one sticks out more!).  Do you see it?  It’s not quite as obvious as recognizing letters and numbers, but still very easy to see!   Every time I see this frame I chuckle a bit.   It’s a good way to start a conversation.   Now you all can join me in a good natured chuckle.

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Last weekend I rode with Greg Grimes and Roger Ward and paid a visit to our mutual friend, Larry Banks. On the way there I was shown a book, published in 1938, given to members of Chappegat Lodge.

The book included the lodge by laws and rules. It included instructions on how to wear the “bands”, as the OA Sash was called then, and lodge pin. Specifically, Brotherhood members were instructed that the bands and arrow on the lodge pin were to be worn pointed toward the left shoulder.   It was also stated that the lodge pin could not be given to a non-member of either sex.  This refers to the custom, still practiced today, of fraternity brothers giving their pins to their girl friends as a token of affection.  The centerfold was the brother’s membership certificate.

The music and lyrics of the OA song and the lodge song were also printed in the book.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

There has been some discussion recently on patch-l about an eBay seller currently using the id, “discountbar“.  He is operating out of Huhhot, China and selling fake Boy Scout patches.

Several members of that list have pointed out that he is stealing images of real patches from this site and using them to illustrate his auctions.   Winning bidders report they do not receive the items pictured, but instead get computer designed fakes of those patches.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Remember back to 2006-7 and the Cloth Talk podcast?   It was a great resource for the hobby and a lot of fun both for listeners and participants.  Alas, “real world” commitments made it impossible for that to continue and the podcast disappeared.  Since then, there have been no patch collecting podcasts; at least none that I know of.  That has now changed.

Jason Spangler has been experimenting with a lot of different tools and resources on his website.   His most recent endeavor is podcasting.   His podcast is called Scouting Hot Finds Radio.    The most recent episode can be found here:

http://scoutinghotfinds.com/11/scouting-hot-finds-radio-segregated-scouting-part-1.html?mid=525545

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Allohak Menewi lodge, formed from the merger of Enda Lechauhanne 57 and Nachamawat 275, just issued its first flap.  This will be listed on the site as “S1?”.   The lodge will continue to use the number 57.  Thanks to Gap Danish and Nathan Pearlman for supplying scans of this new issue.

There is a notable history of mergers and name changes in this lodge’s history. Both Enda Lechauhanne and Nachamawat are product of mergers themselves.   If one wishes to collect this lodge’s predecessors there are now 15 different names to seek out.   See this lodge’s merger history for the details.

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Popularity: 3% [?]