Shoulder Strap Repo?

[esatterfield]

I would like some input on this shoulder strap. I am not sure if it is good or a current repo. Thanks!

[esatterfield]

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[esatterfield]

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[esatterfield]

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[esatterfield]

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[CSP]

I believe this strap to be one of teh better reproductions being made today. I do not know where they are being reproduced, but these, and similar variations are turning up more and more...so much so that I am now tending away from mint-looking straps.

The worst aspect of this strap is the construction of the button hole. It does not have a classic "key-hole" shape from what I can see. Some perfectly good wartime straps had lousy button holes, but as everything else on this strap is well-constructed, I am very skeptical of the quality put in to the button hole...a hard thing to make without the right sewing machine, as I understand it.

From my observations, the reproducers seem to tend toward always having the zig-zag stitching connecting the 'scrap' pieces of backing cloth - as if doing so creates an inspection point that will add to the straps believeability. From my experience, this was fairly commonly done during the war, especially in an industry base that strove to not be wasteful, but on original 'matching' pairs it may often only be seen on one of the pair of straps...sometimes both but usually not positioned across the exact same area of the backing cloth. I suspect that if this one you illustrate for us has a mate, it looks exactly the same in this regard. Yet, this zig-zag stitching seems to come up on originals roughly a third of the time that I see good straps.

The underside button hole on originals often does not have the same care put in to construction, but this one is as bad as the upper button hole. The black-blue linen tongue lining material is a style of cloth that always makes me think twice. While it is very similar to a style of cloth used on some original Heer straps, that shown on yours, taken in with the overall appearance of this strap, makes me think it is probably post war material.

The dark thread on the tongue does not give a good impression...certainly in the realm of authentic, but again, overall, this one just looks like a well-constructed repro to my eye.

Hope this helps

[esatterfield]

Thanks Scott! Thats what I had thought a bit too mint for one thing and it comes from a less than creditable source. I would say that its origin is from eastern europe. Live and learn. Eric