Original y-strap?

**MoparJW** · 01-15-2023, 02:00 PM

Another Y-strap I'm looking at, any issues?

Thanks for looking.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-15-2023 02:00 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**MoparJW** · 01-19-2023, 11:12 AM

I received the Y-straps, and took some more pictures.
It all looks original to me, but I am new to y-straps.
The hooks are marked with ''UDEHA'' or ''UDEKA''.

The rear strap is not in great condition, it is supple but the rear surface is very dry and has many cracks.
This was not mentioned by the dealer, so I am contemplating sending it back... on the other hand, the price wasn't bad and I have seen a number of y-straps now with rear straps in bad shape, or even replaced with post war Austrian straps, so maybe I should lower my standards a bit.

Thanks for looking.

**MoparJW** · 01-20-2023, 03:57 PM

Any opinions?

**MoparJW** · 01-21-2023, 02:34 PM

One more question guys.
I've been looking at a lot of period y-strap hardware pictures, and it seems to me that they are all painted some shade of grey or green.
However, on the strap that I have here, there is no paint on the hardware, but it seems to be (zinc?) coated?

Any insight would be appreciated

**JPhilip** · 01-21-2023, 11:18 PM

Hello,
Don't worry, they're original Y-straps, even the back straps is ok
Hooks received a coat of light grey paint, nothing wrong here
Thanks

**JPhilip** · 01-22-2023, 01:39 AM

Hello,
Concerning the grey colour of the steel hardware, even if the shade is the same than the light grey paint i mentioned, after looking better at double clicked photos, i must say that i'm not so sure it's paint, i mean i can see what appears to me as paint on some photos, but on others this grey color seems to be the colour of the metal itself, which was treated or not. You mention zinc but there must be something else in this metal as zinc does not rust like iron does, some spots of usual iron rust can be seen. It could be unpainted but treated steel that was used for these hooks. One of my Y-straps has unpainted raw steel hardware.

I also noticed that D-rings and their retaining pieces of leather could not be seen closely, as these are important features as far as Y-straps are concerned, perhaps could you post detailed photos of the mentioned parts !?
I'm interested to have a better look if it's possible, it would be kind of you.
Thanks

**MoparJW** · 01-22-2023, 01:21 PM

Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.

After you mentioned the light grey paint I took a better look, and it appears there is a mist of light grey paint in some areas of the hooks, maybe a thin coat of paint to begin with that has worn away.
Under that is a darker grey which looks like treated steel indeed.

Here are some pictures of the D-rings:

**JPhilip** · 01-22-2023, 08:47 PM

Hello,
Thanks for the clarification about the grey colour of the hooks, it makes sense
thanks also for the additional photos, i see no red flag. I thought at first that leather pieces retaining the D-rings may have been resewn, but no, it's all correct to me.
Considering the stitchings around the rivets on the front of the main straps, these pair of Y-straps were most likely produced around 1944, so late war. I would have preferred to see the D-rings positioned at an angle and not in the same axis than the straps, but it's not a no go, not all manufacturers made this late war change.
Thanks

**MoparJW** · 01-23-2023, 12:56 AM

That is good to hear, thanks for the help!

I found out that even with dealers it can be a minefield, at least 3 dealers here in the Netherlands are selling y-straps with rear Austrian straps attached, one of them priced over 300 euro.

Cheers