Watch Strap for Breitling

[CJJ]

paging @Danne      Wanted to say thank you for the abundance of free knowledge you've dropped on this site.  Also for your patterns which I used to make this green strap for my Breitling.  This is my second attempt at a watch strap.  I'm pleased with the way it turned out overall but still a lot to improve on.  The holes are a definite eyesore but I probably can't expect much better from an $8 Hobby Lobby hole punch. 

What do y'all think?  The feedback I've gotten here has really helped me improve.

[Tugadude]

Congrats on the Montbrillant!  What an icon.  The strap looks really nice, but yes, I have to agree about the holes.  They also might be better positioned a little closer to the pointed end of the strap.  

Love the color, love the creasing.  And the stitching is very uniform.  One thing you might look at is the stitching at the very point of the strap.  Did you use a round hole there?  A round hole in that position seems to help to get a more balanced, mirror-like look to the stitching as it curves around.  Not saying yours looks bad, it doesn't!  Just an option to consider.

Here's a pic of one I found on the net.  I have some I've done but don't have access to them at the moment.  

[doubleh]

It looks very nice. 

[CJJ]

Good point about positioning the holes closer to the pointed end.  I didn't even notice that until you said it and now it looks so obvious.

I did not use a round hole at the end.  What is the proper tool for that?  Can I use an awl or do I need a single round stitching punch?

[Tugadude]

1 hour ago, CJJ said:

Good point about positioning the holes closer to the pointed end.  I didn't even notice that until you said it and now it looks so obvious.

I did not use a round hole at the end.  What is the proper tool for that?  Can I use an awl or do I need a single round stitching punch?

I just use a scratch awl.  Give it a try sometime and see if you like the technique.  No right and wrong here, just likes and dislikes.

[RockyAussie]

Except for the tongue holes it looks quite good to me. This post I did some time ago may have a pointer or 2 that could help -

When I do the holes normally I will use the sharp pin punch to mark the location first and then I go over the top with the hole punch and roll it back and forward to leave a light impression and after I am sure its good ...line it up and whack it down.

[Tugadude]

They also make a template which helps to mark the location for the holes.  Or, better yet, make your own.  Clear plastic works great for this.

[Tugadude]

Or this…

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[CJJ]

thanks for the tips.  I ended up ordering a strap hole punch as suggested above.  No more guess work.

[Danne]

Looking good. Regarding the buckle pin holes. Buying strap punches can be nice, but if you do a lot of different sized holes and oval, maybe square holes (like for a Bell&Ross) it can quickly get expensive. So let's say you or someone else here start selling straps, and maybe you only make 1-2 straps for Bell&Ross/year, it would make more sense to buy a single punch.

And what is the best solution? in my opinion to prepunch the template, and press your hole punch through the holes in your template to make a small indentation, remove template and align to the indentation and punch.