I just got a new bag strap from noel howard and I'm pretty impressed. It's the thickest leather I've seen on an Indy strap and feels really tough. It has grooves, but nthey are shallow and can hardly be seen except up close.
Here is a comparison to my Todd's strap (the original good one before he changed suppliers) NH on the left.
Incidently, after reading some posts about rifle slings, I sent this mail to noel
Noel,
The strap arrived safely today and i've just attatched it to my bag.
I was wondering about the origin of the original strap for Raiders - do you remember how it came about? The reason I ask is that a friend of mine wanted to make his own strap and found it is extremely difficult to buy the right quality leather in such a length. He then found some antique rifle slings which looked very close to Indy's strap - including the buckle. We wondered whether the original strap could have been modified from a rifle sling.
Thanks again for the strap,
Cheers,W
To which he replied:
Dear W,
Further to your last e-mail, it is very likely that was the very original concept for the strap. They then had to be made because of the quantity required. However, I do not remember exactly how it all happened.
As you say, it is almost impossible to find the leather in the quality, colour and length required.
It's interesting to hear Noel say that it could've been based on a rigle sling. It makes perfect sense when you look at the Tapco slings and the grooves and buckles found on them. I bet there wil lbe plenty of things forever left to the stuff of tale and legend as far as the original gear goes. I wonder if they're going to keep a very detailed account of everything for IndyIV.
Thanks for sharing the pics Whiskyman. I was considering getting a Noel Howard bag strap & wanted to know how it looked compared to other offerings. Now I will definately be ordering one. Regards.
Same here, but I think with some modifications to the buckle it would look pretty good but I have only tried to figure this out on paper and in my head. Does anyone know what the width was of the buckle(from inside edge to outside edge) on the original?
Ghos7a55assin wrote:I have Indiana Ken's old NH strap and the buckle looks nothing like that...
The strap thickness is what I love the most about it- it feels very solid. My TAG strap is really flimsy compared to the NH strap.
That's how the one I had look. It was from around 2000 or so. (not screen accurate IMO) I think there's a publicity shot with a buckle like that, but that's about it.
I agree on the strap thickness. That's my only complaint about my TAG strap is that it's very thin.
So if you don't mind, what did the strap run you? Does he have a price list?
Well, I just asked Ken again and he says he might have changed out Noel Howard's buckle with a Keppler buckle so that explains its sceen accuracy better.
Most likely that price list is outdated. It looks to be the same from when I first joined 5 years ago.
Canyon or anyone else who has bought the new stuff, does he still put a MBA tag in the clothes? He had sold the business and so I can't help but wonder if he still has the rights to the company's name.
Good one, Bink! I needed that at the end of the day!
