GERMAN GEW 98 SLING
(GEWEHR 98)
I make several variations of sling for the Gew 98, based on originals from different manufacturers and times. Some have cross-hatching and some do not. Some hardware is "crude" and some is "neat". Some have 3 lines of stitching and some have 2. I normally do an oil finish on the leather which gives it a mellow russet-brown color. I can also artifically age the sling so it matches better to an old rifle. These are intended for display aesthetics and are not intended to deceive a collector. They are marked "Falscher" (fake or forgery).
I make all the parts of the slings except for the detachable sling swivels. I use original swivels on these, as these parts are still readily available. I clean and re-blue them if necessary. Most of the ones that I get now were export and are not imperial proofed, but they are identical to the German issue version. I can get German proofed versions, but they add to the price of a sling because they are continually getting more expensive and harder to find. Please inquire if this is a concern.
Comparison between sling with edge-lines only and sling with cross-hatching:
Sling with cross-hatching, 3 lines of stitching, and "neat" hardware:
Showing a sling that has been artificially aged. It has cross-hatching, 3 lines of stitching, and "nice" hardware with a blocky buckle:
Showing a sling with edge-lines, 3 rows of stitching, and "neat" hardware:
Showing a sling with plain leather, 2 lines of stitching, and "neat" hardware:
Comporison of different buckle styles from different manufacturers. L to R, "Neat slim-line", "Neat round-corner", "Neat blocky", and "Crude":
Comparison between 2 styles of parade loop:
This sling was accurately patterned from an original stamped "Hermann Theime Madgeburg 1917". This sling is relatively crude and had no edge-lines or cross-hatching.
Detail pics show the reproduction side-by-side with the original.
Page updated 8-10-20
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