DAK NCO shoulder boards - Heer

[jmb]

I'm offered these infantery NCO straps but I'd prefer to hear your comments before.
They seem OK to me but your help is needed to feel really comfortable.
Thanks in advance !

[jmb]

obverse

[jmb]

reverse

[jmb]

full length

[galizien41]

Although made well, the material seems a bit off (maybe just my monitor) but I am not getting that old feeling. Just my opinion.
Jerry

[CSP]

To me, the construction looks right, but I do see some areas that are a bit rough, such as the shape of the roinded end of the tongue and the miss-matched shape of the two tongues. That doesn not lead me to think these are fakes...just being critical for you. I notice the open ends of the diamonds in the Tresse, but I think this may be ok...would have to go back and look at my information on repro Tresse (of which tropical stuff is a popular tem). The olive color twill is a desirable aspect on any Heer tropical item and generally is associated with earlier items...so, with the white piping, you could fairly assume these were menat for a Heeres Flak unit.

[jmb]

I have often heard that the mismatched shape of the two tongues was made to follow the shape of the shoulders on the jacket. In other words, one tongue is shaped for the right side and the other for the left side. When put close together, the end of each tongue follow opposite directions (one goes on the left and the other of the right). I hope I'm clear enough...
Is it true or only speculation ?

[CSP]

I have never heard that - or noticed it. Shoulder straps were cut from patterns, but they were mass produced, so even with considerable skill, cutting and machine sewing would not seem to me to end up an exact science.

[John Hodgin]

I have often heard that the mismatched shape of the two tongues was made to follow the shape of the shoulders on the jacket.
Is it true or only speculation ?

Pure, silly, foolish speculation.

[90th Light]

Hello, I have a single ranks shoulder strap made exactly like this strap.

As I understand it, In Africa this could be WH Flak, WH Machine-gun or WH Infantry sent from Crete as reinforcements in 1942.
This is a rare piping colour for Africa but not so rare for southern Russia or other tropical areas.

The construction of the strap would reflect the skill, training and speed of the machinist. As the war progressed, German industry went under more and more pressure to produce more in a shorter time with less skilled people. It makes sense that quality would decline with an emphasis on function. Some combat items made in the SS-KZ systems can reflect very rapid production without attention to detail. One can only imagine the horrors which awaited some-one who did not make their hourly quota. Impressed foreign workers would be under similar expectations in the German factories.

I feel this would explain the shape of the tongues. Are there any red-flags which say reproduction about this style of construction ?
There are some construction difference to other straps I have.

Look forward to what others think, Chris

[jmb]

I posted these straps because as I wrote before they seemed OK but I didn't feel comfortable. Moreover, I could't get "the old feeling" (like Jerry said) that speak without doubt when it's period made. If I had been 100% sure of their originality I wouldn't have asked for your comments.
Now after further analysis I come to the conclusion that these straps are 100% post war made. Probably CZ fakes because of the tress and the cottonish piping. Also the way the rouded shape of the tresse is made is very similar to some CZ faked shoulder straps. And I don't like the construction of the button holes.
Thanks for your inputs.