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Just wondering if anyone is still making any woven Mills type rifle sling webbing any where in the 3rd world or if surplus reels of it are still available in the UK ?
When was it last made (dated on sling) before the horid nylon stuff started being used ?
ATB Kevin
There are still stacks of surplus rifle slings available on this side of the pond. The last ones that I bought were three pounds each. (Three or four years back.)
India is still making a coarse weave web sling. My friend's son, a Speical Forces Major, got me one from the Indian PX when he was taking a course in India. His first experience with an assigned Batman!
Cheers,looking for sling webbing rather than the slings themselves so will do some research regarding India.
Many thanks, Kevin
I used to work in a leather goods factory in Tyneside, England
Part of the stores had shelves of the flat sling ends with the metal prongs....and boxes of the correct hollow rivets. Elsewhere in the store were rolls of the 1" cotton webbing.
The company did a lot of export orders for the Middle East Arab states & IIRC the slings were occasionally sent there, but not that often.
When I looked into making L42 slings about 4 or 5 years ago I found approx. 3 British webbing suppliers that still produced the 1" cotton rifle sling webbing
...may have some remnants of sling parts & fittings, etc. from the Tyneside factory: as I bought all their stable belt webbing when they went into liquidation - must have about 40/50 rolls of stable belt cotton web!!
Just for idle curiosity, what Regts./Corps?Quote:
Originally Posted by saddler
Easy answer on that one = YESQuote:
Originally Posted by Beerhunter
OR, the more detailed answer = not got a bloody Scooby, mate
The obvious ones like Medical Corps, Para Regt., etc. I can spot: but I was a Penguin/Rockape, so aint too genned up on Pongo kit :D
Methinks we need a Kodak moment or two in order to sort the issue out:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1/07/Web-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07/Web4-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07/Web3-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07/Web2-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../07/Web1-1.jpg
oh, I have been known to make Stable belts - did so at the factory for the odd order from Toy, Kenning & Spencer. Not made any for a while but they are easy-ish...last ones I did were a few extra-long K.O.S.B. from the museum in Berwick, which I shortened to non-pie-diet sizes for lesser mortals.
NOT got extensive notes on the different leather tabs/straps - but I do remember that there were at least three different leather tab/strap/buckle patterns depending on regiment, etc.
Hope this is of use,
Jon
Jon,
Does stable belt webbing just happen to be the same size/weight as the webbing between the arches on a 1902UP?
I bet that a lot of those belt materials are from now long amalgamated or disbanded regiments although the last one is Royal Artillery. Years ago the buckles were a high nickel content brass (?) but over the past 15 years or so, they're chrome plated rubbishy cheap pot metal. When I was finishing, one of the young Craftsmen at the workshop here asked me if he could have my Stable belt when I left. Being niave and stupid, I thought it was because he appreciated something I'd done or even respected me for something....................... When I gave it to him out of my drawer, I asked him what he wanted it for, expecting a complimentary sort of answer, he replied '......... it's got a nice, old nickel; brass buckle and you don't see them like that anymore'. That's the way to deflate ego's!!!!!!!!! I kept my gilt and silver cap badge as nobody ever noticed that it was from Australia with RAEME on it
Where were we........., ah, stable belts.........
THAT is the origin of "Stable Belts" - it was a way for cavalry regiments & the like to add more flair to their otherwise drab working dress uniforms.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cottage Hill Bill
Girth straps from saddles were modified into belts by the local saddler; some also had a leather pocket/pouch or two added. Things then became more formalised, though a lot of belts were issued "on purchase" by the recruit buying his from the NAAFI - it was an item approved for service use, but not issued.
Let me know if you need a length of this - as every time there is a strong wind here the ceiling rafters creak under the weight of all the rolls!! (Stored in the attic out of the way)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
You sure the A in the badge didn't mean Ancient?? :madsmile:
...I'll get me coat.... :D
Yes, I was told a lot of them were from long defunct units, 3rd Irregular Shirkers, 17th/32nd Combined Barrage Balloon Winchmen, etc.
Just checked: I have a couple of the MoD spec sheets for stable belts - they are not too out of date: mid-late 90's.
The data is a bit :banghead: at times: like in identifying the different belt colours, they give a written description rather than a line drawing or colour photo. Typical for Whitehall...
As has been alluded to, stable belts were originally for mounted units (not just cavalry). As you can see from the picture the buckles are worn at the left side with the adjuster at the back. This is so that one can lean into a horse when grooming without scratching it with one's belt buckle. Non-mounted units picked up stable belts and often had large regimental buckles at the front, for example: the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS). (Oddly the RE moved from a "proper" stable belt to one with a front buckle in the 1970s IIRC.)
Attachment 25411I still have my old "proper" RE Stable Belt somewhere. However I did find the belt that I wore at school. We were badged Royal Signals.
Looking quickly at that webbing I can see: Parachute Regiment, SAS (You ought to be able sell thousands of these just to those people whom claim to have been at the Iranian Embassy Siege alone.), Royal Artillery, Brigade of Guards, and Royal Signals hiding in the last picture. Sadly, I used to know many more
There are even watch straps now with the regimental stable belt colours. Ties as well. Undies next..............
How about this kind of sling webbing:
Material: Nylon
Thickness: .065″
Breaking Strength: 4,500 lbs.
Weave: plain, loose
Colors: black, olive drab, coyote brown
Common uses: rifle slings, belts, straps