Schick

Thank you for the helpful information. I have a lot to learn.

Thanks for the responses. I am eager to try a variety of leathers, depending on my budget. I realize that some leathers are a bit thin. I have already purchased interface, that I hope will strengthen some types of straps, as needed. I was hoping to try a few different approaches. I hope to try the typical (and really nice, in my opinion) straps where the ends are skived and folded then both strap portions lined. I also want to practice with more straps with thicker leathers in the middle area, for the raised look. Of course I want to try simpler straps, with a single leather piece skived at the ends, and a nice wrap stitch. I know it is a pipe dream, but I would one day like to make straps with the sides skived and folded over along the length. I find that a great look when accompanied with a nice lining. So far I have been practicing with skived ends on cheap leathers. I have suffered a little frustration by trying old upholstery leathers. Man, they suck to skive, as they are stretchy as heck. I have upgraded to slightly better practice leathers. I line them with inexpensive, glazed pigskin. I occasionally sandwich sections of carefully skived scrap veg-tan in the middle for the plump look. :-) So far, my skiving, edge painting, and stitch hole punching (chiselling?) is really improving. I need to work on smoother cutting, and of course sharpening and strapping tools. Thanks for all the response and support.

I am wondering what types of leather are best for watch straps. I know that there are exotics, but wonder mostly about what types of common leather are best for watch straps. I really want to make straps, and have been experimenting with cheap crap leather so far. I want to take the plunge and get some nice leather. Are chrome and veg used? Is pull-up a good choice? I have considered strap lining leather too. I note that some manufacturers use products such as calf, goat, and other thin skins.

How incredibly kind and generous to provide all this information.

Very nice straps.

I don't have a pic of the product, but it does look a awful lot like the product in the image you supplied. In fact the numbers are very similar, except the last digit being one number off. I may need to find others Canadian sellers, and not be entirely dependent on Tandy (kinda)Leather.

It seems I need to learn more about leather types before I make more leather purchases. I made a rookie mistake. I assumed that chrome tanned leather is all real leather. I realise too late, that I purchased a product that is chrome tanned, but likely embossed with poly urethane for a grainy look. Sadly PU will just come apart after a while. I don't blame Tandy, as I suppose I should be an educated shopper. So now I wasted the money, and need to buy real leather. Kind of angry about it, but I will take this as a valuable lesson learned. I don't think I would mind a leather stamped (embossed?) with a nice texture for the stuff I want to create as long as it is not poly coated. Some finishes might look good for a watch strap. For anyone interested, it is product 9832-25. I don't think the Tandy website is searchable by SKU number.

Hi. I am a beginner, and very interested in doing watch straps. I appreciate your post very much. I really like the stitching and the edge work. I hope you don't mind, but as a beginner, I have a few questions I hope you might answer. -What is the leather weight/thickness you used for the top and lining? I find skiving thin leather a bit of a challenge so far. :-) -What chisel size did you use for the stitching holes? I have a set of 2mm and 3mm punches. -Do you use a stencil? I bought a few acrylic stencils, but have yet to try them. Not sure how, frankly. -Did you teach yourself how to do this? I have watched a few videos, but find some conflicting techniques. I have yet to find a book. You are inspiring. Thanks for the post and images. I really want to make straps. :-)

Late to the party, but still super thankful for the PDF download.

Big thanks to Hardrada, Danne, and Mike02130. This gives me much to work with. I was considering goat. I will have to order anything, as the only store local is Tandy. I am definitely going to have to manufacture that sharpening rig. So simple and smart. I love it. Thanks again to all that assisted. I would have replied sooner, but I guess I was not subscribed to my own post. :-)

Thanks for the pattern lead.

Hi. I have been trying to teach myself how to make leather watch straps. So far, I have realized just how difficult it might be, as I am very new to leather and now see just how many techniques I need to master. I am able to stitch fairly good (in my eyes at least), and am getting better at cutting out templates by hand. I am even getting better at edge coating and hand-burnishing. I am however, having difficulty skiving my work. I realize it is not something I would learn in a week, and I expect to learn from my mistakes. I think my issues are based on a few things. I need to get better at sharpening my skiving tools. I am okay at it, but not perfect. I am also using cheap scrap leather. It is the kind you get in bags at stores like Tandy. I think it is mostly chrome tanned. I think some of my scrap may actually be some old couch leather a friend gave me. Skiving the Tandy scrap leather is a real pain for me, as I seem to either cut too much and accidentally shorten a piece, or not quite thin the leather enough. I am guessing that veg tanned leather is easier, but am unsure, as veg tanned scraps available are heavy, and much to thick for a watch strap. I tried sanding the leather with a dremel instead of a skiving knife, but wow, is that ever messy! A friend told me that chrome tanned is bad, especially if it touches the skin, and that some people might get skin reactions on their wrists. Is that true? Also, is the inner layer of leather in a watch strap usually calf skin? Are there alternatives? What is a good leather for watch straps created by a newbie? I have so many questions, but will just try and keep it to this topic for now. Thanks in advance to anyone kind enough to offer advice.

Wow. The work you have created is simply beautiful. It is really nice to see people from different countries share a common passion such as leatherwork. I think China is amazing and hope to visit your country one day, before I get too old. :-)

Hi folks. My name is Kevin, and I reside in Saskatchewan, Canada. I have been interested in trying leatherwork for a few years, but finally tried it this last year. While I am hoping to gain many skills and try different things out, I am really interested in learning how to create leather watch straps. I have made a few horrible creations, and simply write those off as lessons learned. I need a lot of practice. So far, I love leatherwork. I really enjoy stitching, and am getting pretty good at simple stitches. I really need to learn more, and practice a lot more when it comes to skiving. Yikes, what a challenge. As for me, I am just a regular guy with a wife of many decades, and a fairly typical teenage son. Like me, my wife loves watches. I plan on getting good enough to bombard her with a continued supply of really nice leather straps. Who knows, maybe there is a designer purse in her future. Heck, I might as well dream big. I look forward to hanging out here and seeing which sub-forums are best for my interests. Bye for now.