How to keep hose flashes flat

**frank_a** · 25th September 18, 04:23 PM

Top of the evenin to ya folks!

Got a question for you. How do you keep hose flashes flat? I'm thinking of making a plastic cutting board press out of two cutting boards that I would drill a few outside edge holes in and make a press with carriage bots and washers. Right now I only have three sets of flashes, but probably more to come.

I'm stepping up my game for storage of my kilt stuff. Bought a small antique dresser that sorta matches the big heirloom dressers we inherited. Got all my kilt paraphernalia out of the 3 drawer plastic thing I've been using for years. Will post a few pics at some time.

Thanks,

Frank

**jhockin** · 25th September 18, 05:05 PM

If you are referring to the type that is "tabs", on an elastic garter, I suspect that a steam iron would flatten them if they are curling.
Also: Barb T mentions a method of making those tabs, in TAoKM, that uses an inside of hair canvas, which keeps them straight.
On the other hand, the knitted garters just naturally stay flat, and have the advantage of not cutting off circulation ( unless one really cranked them super tight, I suppose ;0)

**Geoff Withnell** · 25th September 18, 06:23 PM

Also, quite often when they are not staying flat, there is too much sticking out. There should be just a wee bit showing.

**Luke MacGillie** · 25th September 18, 07:04 PM

A little bit of curl to the edges lets everyone know your not in a hired outfit.....

**Tarheel** · 26th September 18, 03:49 AM

Luke has an excellent point if you're around other folks that are kilted enough to know the difference between owned or hired flashes. I get that Frank wants to look sharp with all the spit and shine he can muster. Too many will notice the kilt and never think to look at the flashes in my neck of the woods.

**Tobus** · 26th September 18, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by Geoff Withnell

Also, quite often when they are not staying flat, there is too much sticking out. There should be just a wee bit showing.

Yes, this. As Jock Scot calls it, "the dreaded wind-sock effect". When too much of the flashes are sticking out, they will flap in the wind, curl up, etc. They should just be a flash of colour, not a streaming banner. You can adjust the cuff turnover on your hose to cover them up more, or do a half-wrap of the flashes over your garter to shorten them.

If curling during storage is the issue, most flashes can be removed from the elastic garters and stored flat by pressing them between the pages of a book on your bookshelf. Just be sure to remember which book they're in!

Self-tie garters are much easier to adjust for length at each wearing, and the fringe at the end doesn't have to be perfectly combed or flattened. It's a much more "organic" look, if that makes any sense.

**Taskr** · 26th September 18, 10:33 AM

I toss my elastic held flashes in a small drawer (ok, with some care but not fastidiously). When they start looking a bit ragged they get an ironing. Since I also use the bit-of-colour-from-under-the-hose-turndown method, curling while wearing is not an issue.

**OC Richard** · 27th September 18, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by jhockin

on an electric garter

To keep the calves warm?

I've mentioned before the annoying trend with many Pipe Band people to have as much of the flashes show as possible.

It's one of those examples of the visual problems that can happen when the underlying function has changed (form follows function).

Originally hose needed garters to stay up. Even the hose I wore back in the 70s needed the garters to stay up. Since the hose were in effect suspended from the garters the garters were at the uppermost point in the foldover cuff, and much of the flashes ended up underneath the cuff.

The modern "Piper Socks" are powerfully elastic rather narrow tubes that grip tight to the calves, garter or no garter. Thus the garter-flashes are mere decoration. Modern Pipe Band people, thinking that the maximum amount of flash must show, wear the garters right at the very bottom of the cuff (where they have not the slightest function of holding up the hose). I've tried to get the people to stop wearing their garters that way, but they think I'm crazy or something.

Anyhow in the old days oftentimes no flashes showed at all, or just a bit.

Well in civilian dress. In the Army there was a fad which reached its height in the second quarter of the 19th century for super-long flashes.

In any case, with my flashes I just lay them flat and fold the hose over them, when stored.

Or you can get the shooting style, fringed, which naturally don't need to be flat.

**Luke MacGillie** · 27th September 18, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Well in civilian dress. In the Army there was a fad which reached its height in the second quarter of the 19th century for super-long flashes.

In any case, with my flashes I just lay them flat and fold the hose over them, when stored.

Or you can get the shooting style, fringed, which naturally don't need to be flat.

I think it started a bit earlier, both the 77th and 42nd had custom made garters in the middle 18th Century.

**Allan Thomson** · 28th September 18, 12:02 AM

With regard to longer flashes & turnovers let's not forget that originally Garters were just tied ribbons and therefore would have to slightly longer anyway.

Even turnovers are a later thing in kilt wear, certainly in thev18thc from the pictorial evidence it generally wasn't done. Of course that doesn't allow for it potentially having been done earlier but not recorded?....