I don't remember if I've posted this before, so stop me if you've heard this one
I noticed something a couple years ago that changed my perception of the strap's origins. Some think it may have been a rifle sling. But I'm talking about the suspenders worn by German officers/soldiers (?) in WWII. I know you've seen them. They're the diagonal straps with slide buckles that attach to gunbelts to help support the weight. In fact, if you look at the 'Raiders' concept art, that's what it is. There's no bag there at all. Watching the Cairo scenes, sans jacket, you can see he wears his bag level with the waistband of his pants. So that would definately coincide with the length of these suspenders.
I was reading the "groove" post right before going out for smokes a few minutes ago, so I had straps on the brain. There was a cop at the gas station and I asked him what those things were called. I figured he'd know, as State Troopers still wear them, but he didn't know. I think the Canadian mounted Police use them, too. Anyone know what they are or where to get them.?
I have no idea when it was taken. I just did a search for "gendarme" since I knew I had seen pictures of french policemen with similar straps. It does look like it is attached to a bag, though.
It looks even closer to the Indy bag strap then I remember, though.
=jp=
/goes back to the research that he is getting paid to do...sigh
Serial Hero wrote:Since you guys have the same avatar, for a second I thought Jerry was talking to himself.
Ditto!
Actually, so did I... ...this explains why the conversation didn't go the way I intended...
Oops...schorsch just changed his...you really didn't have to do that, buddy! I was just going to edit mine to put the words, "I'm not schorsch!" across the top...
Last edited by Indiana Jerry on Tue Oct 04, 2005 5:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There. I've been meaning to change my avatar, anyway. I love that picture in IndyJerry's avatar, though. My new avatar and IndyJerry's capture everything about the rogue spirit of Indy that I love (and try to weakly emulate!)
EDIT: no problem, IndyJerry. I like this one just as much.
I think that the bag strap is just another example of the whole theme of IndyGear:
A military item, worn in a relaxed fashion, aged and weathered beyond military standards.
It's brilliant, really. The jacket (A1 without the elastics), the pants (pinks, but baggy and worn in), the shirt (pleats and epaulets, traditional officer's embellishments), the bag (rifle or police strap, gas mask thrown out), the belt, the holster. Everything but the hat and the shoes has a military origin. Makes sense, because in those days, the majority of adventuring in exotic locales was done by the military.
Very interesting perspective, JP (which is easier to spell than schortz!). I knew a few of those things were militaria, but hadn't realized that pretty much the entire kit was.
Good thinking Shawnkara.
Indy definitely used cast off military style stuff. This lends weight to the rifle strap/bag strap idea.
Btw, are you thinking of the 'Sam Browne Belt'?
Tho' dated to the War of 1812, it got its familar name from British officer Sam Brown. Used to support the weight of the belt that supports the sword, pistol and ammo holder.
Here is a photo of J.J. Pershing wearing one. You can see the loop at the bottom of the belt which was used to support the sword while walking to keep it from dragging on the ground.
Anyone see grooves on that baby?
I was just going to edit mine to put the words, "I'm not schorsch!" across the top... 
