RAPCO belt conversion

[cookie]

Gentlemen,

I present to you my converted TAP Mle 50 belt (Made froma Mle 50/53 TAP type RAPCO):





To convert the RAPCO belt into a Mle 50 one I took a scalpel and cut off the very end of the webbing where the buckle is sewn and riveted. I then folded over what was left to the same position (ie the placement of the eyelets). I then took the buckles from a British M58 web belt and secured it in place with two PRYM rivets and sewed round them as on an original Mle 50 belt. I then got a PRYM press stud and hammered it into the web in the same place as on an original belt.
As yet I have not been able to find a suitable sized/shaped piece of metal to use as the 3mm retainers.
NB- It appears the buckles on the Mle 50 are made of blackened brass, so the buckles from a British P37 belt may be more suitbale - they can be painted with matt black enamel quit easily, which I may yet do.


The picture of an original I used as reference.

For a research project and first attempt I'm quite pleased with it. Not as hard to convert as I first thought.

[lt13demi]

Very nice job, Cookie!!!!!!

Renault

[cookie]

The finished article:





I went to my local B&Q hardware store and found some 3mm brass piping. I then measured it up to approximately what looked right and cut it down to length so that it would be able to go round the belt front and back. I then hammered the ends flat and folded the pipe round the shaft of a screw driver (5mm) at 'top' and 'bottom' (at the place at each end where the flattened bit begins). I then applied a couple of coats of matt black enamel paint. I did this a second time as there are two retainers on each belt. When they were dry I placed them where I wanted them to go and bent the ends down on the rear of the belt so that they were tightly in place. Et Voila! An authentic looking (cheap) Ceinturon Type TAP Mle 50!

If I had taken my time and thought about it more before plunging straight in I probably would have used a more suitable brass P37 British buckle, as this is what originals featured.

[lemaitre]

Nice job!

LeM.

[Turner]

Well done!