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I recently purchased a 1911 colt pistol and have purchased some WW1 accessories including a holster, ammo pouch and Bolo knife. I have attached the holster and knife sheath to the web belt with great difficulty. Is there an, proper way to attach these items to the belt??:)
It shouldn't be very difficult if the pieces are correct for each other. Can you send some detailed photos?
Some items equipped with the double belt hooks are more difficult to assemble than others. The pistol holster M1916 is one of the most difficult, as the leather interferes with the opening of the hooks to allow the attachment. The holster is occasionally seen in photographs attached by one hook and it could be the user gave up trying to assemble the second hook, or preferred to carry the holster that way. The bolo knife scabbard is also difficult to assemble because it is so broad.
I've never heard an explanation of an easy way to assemble the double belt hooks, and in my experience it takes getting the eyelets on the belt lined up straight on the hook, and sometimes twisting and pulling at the same time. The first hook is invariably easier than the other side, as you have less play to twist the eyelet. Pinching the belt is of course the only way to get the double hooks to engage the eyelets. It is more difficult if the hooks have been bent or pinched out of shape, and therefore easier if the hook(s) are at the proper angle, and opened out to where they were intended. I would imagine that on occasion people opened the hooks out to assemble the equipment and then pinched them back in after assembly. Pistol belts are generally easier than cartridge belts to assemble the equipment as the cartridge belts are thicker, often it is necessary to slide the hook onto the belt sideways, line up the end of the hook with the eyelet and turn the hook into the eyelet.
The double hooks remained in use long after they were replaced by the slide belt fastener developed as part of the LCE M1956 that is still in use.
If you start from underneath and one wire slips in, followed by collapsing the part of belt to get the next eyelet to the wire. It's not hard after a bit of practice. Your wire hooks could be spread too and this will cause trouble. They should be about the same width as the eyes.
You're probably coorrect Jim.... I've been doing this for years and it doesn't seem that difficult with practice. I hope with practice it will become less difficult. Good luck. :thup:
Love that 2nd Rangers helmet Harlan...