Newest pick up! Original Y - Straps

I have attached pictures of what a correct original back strap looks like for this vintage of y-straps. Take note of how the leather widens toward the belt hook, it's construction, and the teardrop shaped adjustment holes (as opposed to a slit having a punched hole at one end). I'm not entirely sure if yours is a Czech strap but it is definitely not German pre-1945 construction. For some reason there are very many original German y-straps that have had the rear strap replaced post-war.

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Great info, thanks. So just the actual straight section of strap is incorrect, right? Is the back portion where they all meet (with the metal ring) German? I'd assume it is since the shoulder straps are sewn over the ring and they don't look to have been re-sewn.
 
Rheinmetall said:
Yes, only the back strap is incorrect, all else is good.
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Nice, thanks. Doing some reading, you're exactly right that the original German back straps are often missing and replaced. I wonder why? This one does seem matched up well color wise. Are German ones hard to find?
 
Are you asking if complete German y-straps are hard to find (no, they are relatively easy) or a loose original German back strap (not easy at all).
 
Rheinmetall said:
Are you asking if complete German y-straps are hard to find (no, they are relatively easy) or a loose original German back strap (not easy at all).
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A loose German back strap by itself. I was wondering if it would be worth finding one to correct the setup.
 
You would be hard pressed to find one and even if you did it would not likely be a good match in condition to the main straps plus it would do little to enhance the overall value. I’d suggest to just leave it as is.
 
Rheinmetall said:
You would be hard pressed to find one and even if you did it would not likely be a good match in condition to the main straps plus it would do little to enhance the overall value. I’d suggest to just leave it as is.
Click to expand...
Good points. Thanks for all the help!
 
Maybe it's some kind of field replacement? It looks ancient, and the metal hook is from a WWII German gas mask cannister strap.
 
It’s not wartime German field replacement, and that type of metal hook continued to be manufactured and used by post-war Germany. This back strap is definitely a post-war addition, which could have been collector done but more likely to have been done/used by post-war Germany or another country’s military. A lot of weapons and field gear were distributed after the war to other nations.
 
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