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less common style flashes
A number of years ago I noticed a different style flash that seemed to be more common in the 40's & 50's. Most likely that's just because of the photo album I was looking through but I don't think I've ever seen a similar style flash other than on the odd military kilt pic.
I've been home for a couple weeks so I dug through the old boxes of stashed stuff until I found a roll of black wool twill tape that I originally picked up to replace the binding on a rug 20 years ago. In 10 minutes I knocked out a pair of flashes that I really dig; understated but still have a bit of flair to 'em. I was happy enough with them that I wore them to Saturday night's gig downtown. I think I like this style better than the usual pair of flashes. I might run out this week and grab some red twill, too. Red flashes are my favorite color but I didn't want to shell out the bucks when I already had black in the hoard. I'll take pics of the process when I make up the red ones.
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The Following 9 Users say 'Aye' to Bad Monkey For This Useful Post:
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South African military veteran. Great grandson of Captain William Henry Stevenson of the Highland Light Infantry, Scotland (1880's) and brother to Infantryman Peter Mark Schumann of the 2nd Transvaal Scottish, South Africa (1980's).
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Outstanding! I very much like the style (you haven't copyrighted it ....??? )
Dduw Bendithia pob Celtiaid
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one can't copyright what regiments have been wearing for decades...
I just couldn't find a source so made my own. When I make a pair in red I'll work up a short tutorial.
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Originally Posted by Bad Monkey
one can't copyright what regiments have been wearing for decades...
I just couldn't find a source so made my own. When I make a pair in red I'll work up a short tutorial.
the comment was a little tongue in cheek. I look forward to the tutorial with interest. Thanks for sharing.
Dduw Bendithia pob Celtiaid
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Just a thought
I have been doing this for years; in fact I just completed three new pairs this week. I started making my own flashes after some tealeaf nicked my issued pairs and I didn't want to pay the cost of replacing them from the QM's.
Aye Yours.
VINCERE-VEL-MORI
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Originally Posted by Bad Monkey
I just couldn't find a source so made my own.
As they say here in Texas, "you done good!"
The type of flashes you were looking for can be found by searching for regimental flashes. Burnett's & Struth have them here: https://www.burnetts-struth.com/coll...-gear/flashes/
Or at least that's one example of the regimental style with the fold in it. That said, however, commercially-purchased ones offer nothing special or magical that you can't achieve by making them yourself at home, as you have done. Customising the length, colour, number of folds, shape of the trimmed end, etc., can all be a great way to personalise the look.
I'm more of a woollen self-tie garter kind of fellow, but if I were going to wear flashes, I'd probably do exactly as you have done. I much prefer that look to the ubiquitous plain red flashes. As you noted, that style used to be more commonly worn and it's a bit of a shame that the industry has drifted towards the less interesting plain flashes (or worse, tartan flashes).
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Originally Posted by Tobus
As they say here in Texas, "you done good!"
The type of flashes you were looking for can be found by searching for regimental flashes. Burnett's & Struth have them here: https://www.burnetts-struth.com/coll...-gear/flashes/
Or at least that's one example of the regimental style with the fold in it. That said, however, commercially-purchased ones offer nothing special or magical that you can't achieve by making them yourself at home, as you have done. Customising the length, colour, number of folds, shape of the trimmed end, etc., can all be a great way to personalise the look.
I'm more of a woollen self-tie garter kind of fellow, but if I were going to wear flashes, I'd probably do exactly as you have done. I much prefer that look to the ubiquitous plain red flashes. As you noted, that style used to be more commonly worn and it's a bit of a shame that the industry has drifted towards the less interesting plain flashes (or worse, tartan flashes).
I saw the ones offered by B&S, they had more loops and froo froo than I was looking for. I like the two tails under a single loop. Plus already paid for beats 20 bucks...
I've got a few sets of Inkle-woven garter ties, and while they look good it takes a little more time to donn and doff them. I'm a working, touring musician and those few minutes pre and post show are precious what with meet-n-greets, autographing merch and the occasional "let's get a pint quick before we gotta get on the bus again" hussle. Thank goodness for road crews...
As for tartan flashes, they're just not for me.
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9th June 19, 04:17 AM
#10
Good job! That style looks great, and is rarely seen outside of the army.
(Besides looking good, they take half the ribbon and half the time to make )
They've been around for a long time.
In the army they're worn by certain regiments (two AFAIK) and made from striped wool reminiscent of the warp of woven tartan, a medal ribbon, or (to me) Guatemalan weaving.
One of those regiments being the Scots Guards, you will see them being called "Guards" style flashes.
Here. The red striped ones are worn by pipers of the Scots Guards, the green striped ones were worn by the pipers of the Seaforth Highlanders>Queens Own Highlanders>The Highlanders>4SCOTS
Pipers and the Pipe Major of the Scots Guards wearing their style of flash, a single flash of striped worsted wool
Pipe Major Essen of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (left) wearing the striped green flashes in WWII
On the far right, the Pipe Major of the Queens Own Highlanders wearing the green striped flashes in the 1960s
Members of the Pipes & Drums of 4SCOTS wearing the striped green flashes with the mix of civilian and military kit they wear when competing at Highland Games. (Nice to see the continuity of Pipe Majors wearing beards.)
As far as Civilian Highland Dress goes, one thing to keep in mind is that wearing visible flashes didn't become a standard thing in Civilian Highland Dress until the 20th century. Most Victorian photos show no visible flashes. There are photos of groups of kilted men as late as the 1920s and 1930s where few or none of them have flashes visible.
I did find one photo showing what appears to be a single wide flash
One could regard it as drifting from the form-follows-function ethos, because the ribbons were originally the two ends of the garter sticking out. Once they're not the ends of the garter, but a decorative unit attached to the garter, they could be any form.
I have a pair of traditional wool garters that are tied around the leg and knotted; obviously you have two ends to show. (I don't wear them very often, only with my castellated hose.)
Last edited by OC Richard; 9th June 19 at 05:36 AM.
Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte
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