2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Straps, straps, straps, and bracelets!
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Dancematt
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2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Dancematt »

Wow i must be bored (or addicted to watches ha ha), 2000 posts in 3 years (almost to the day), have read some great posts by all and enjoyed everyones remarks, as most have said this is certainly the freindliest watch forum on the net and although i havent owned a CWL for a while now, that is why i still hang around like a bad smell.

Heres my post for you guys, hope you enjoy the process:

For christmas, my fiance (bless her) bought me most of the tools needed to make my own straps, she had to traul through lots of boring posts on watch forums to decide on what tools to pick - niether of us had a clue and for her, this was not fun :lol: but she came up trumps with a decent selection, and as i have found out through experimentation; the tools maketh the strap.

I started off with my old Alpinestar leather bike jacket. After 12 years of loyal service, having been stretched and battered all year round by rain (not 100% water proof btw - wet pits!), snow, grit and road slime and having had all its zips replaced twice i thought it was time to retire the (really) saggy old girl. With a selection of black, white and orange leather i thought i could get some different coloured watch straps out of her:

(looked a bit like this one):

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I ripped it apart and cleaned it down first with washing up liquid then leather cleaner. I first experiemented on cutting the leather to shape before glueing but the strap sides didnt come out as good as when i next glued two slabs then cut to shape afterwards:

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Leaving room for the spring bars:

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I left both ends to dry overnight before cutting:

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The shorter end was glued up to meet almost in the middle just because the seem looked much neater, almost invisible:

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Stiching

The hardest part, my first attempt was just normal sewing really but tieing all the ends off made it look rubbish so i looked up 'saddle stitching' online - a form of stiching using a longer thread and two needles either end; it created a much nicer look. I scored a trough into the leather using a knife, the pro's use a tool called a creaser (which will do a better job) - both have to effect of straightening the stitch so it doesnt look wonky sitting ontop of the leather (see strap backside pics below).

Happy with the short end :) :
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I rushed the long end because i was excited to see it finished and light was fading, you can see the stitching isnt as good :? :

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The reverse side of the strap, not finished to the same level - future straps will be:

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After this, i attempted to burnish the edges with gum tragacanth, i have to be honest i still dont really know how to burnish and everything i've read does not explain the process very well, but it turned out ok i guess but In future i will use bees wax and leather finisher/sealer as i've heard it gives a better look.

All done, with an old citizen buckle as big ass panarai style ones are expensive for what they are :( :

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OK, enough rambling -strap on the watch. I know the colour may not suit the watch but thanks to its drilled lugs, the PRS-5 is my strap monkey (FYI this is a 22mm strap but the leather is so soft it will squeeze into a 20mm:

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I have named the strap Clementine due to its orange fruit peel like surface :)

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As a complete novice i had no ideas what tools, designs or procedures were needed for making a leather strap, as such my one is probably nothing like what you'd get from toshi etc but its a positive start, things will get refined and improved in the mark 2, 3, 4 versions.

Thanks for listening to all my hokum over the years. Pete.
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by MiniMpi »

Well done !! :)
It looks great
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Dancematt »

Cheers Minimpi! black one next.
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by MiniMpi »

Dancematt wrote:Cheers Minimpi! black one next.
Interested to see that one 8)
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Viognier »

Thanks for posting, an interesting read. Good on you as I don't have the skillset to attempt this myself :)
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by DSHall »

Well done. Looks really good and, of course, unique! Copyright Dancematt2000?
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

From someone with no practical skills...:respect:

When are you starting sales? Please remember that vintage watches need smaller sizes - certain artisan strap makers think lug widths start at 20mm! :thumbup:
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by castle »

That looks incredibly well for a first attempt.

Totally worthy of a 2K post!
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by mabotham »

Great post Pete. Thanks for your contributions over the years.
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by village »

I'll forgive you all your ramblings as long as you make me a strap :lol:

Good work though! - i'm almost tempted to give it a shot myself one of these days. How about listing the tools you have and save us the effort of trawling through loads of geeky watch forums? 8)
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by footycrazy »

Well done Pete, as a first attempt i think you have done a pretty bloody good job.

Now where's the scissors, this brown leather sofa is looking a little creased. :lol:
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by jmarchitect »

Good first attempt Pete. Future ones will become steadily more refined until you can compete with the likes of the legendary Toshi, DB10, Stach and the like. Looking at how you finished the stitching to the underside suggests you may want to flatten and seal the knot to avoid being irritated by the raised knot. Also not sure the strap goes with the piece. You may want to have a word with The Laird to see what piece it should be matched to!
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Kip »

:clap:
That is a terrific result for a first attempt. I am certain that what you have learned will be invaluable for the next one.

I also bet you have a new appreciation for strapmakers.

As suggested, if you might put together a list of tools and hints for the forum, that would be appreciated. :)
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by androo »

I do like the Blue Peter specials, making a starp is next on my little list. Well done and looking forward to seeing your future pieces
village wrote: How about listing the tools you have and save us the effort of trawling through loads of geeky watch forums? 8)
I tried that once, almost broke a pancreas
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Re: 2000th post: My first home made leather strap

Post by Paul Drawmer »

Great work, I'm very impressed. When are you going to take a bicolour strip out of the jacket?
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