Adventures in watch strap making

[dirk87]

Just sharing the buildup of my latest strap.

from top to bottom:
Buttero leather
Velodon (folded over)
Salamander salpa
Zermatt leather

And a quick stitching test.
2.7mm pricking irons opened with 1.8mm flat awl.

M40 is meisi linen M40
0.4 is Hua linen 0.4mm
0.4P is Hua poly 0.4mm
O.3 is Hia line 0.3mm

[Beehive]

54 minutes ago, dirk87 said:

Thats a real concern i worried about!
But I’m pretty sure a patek comes with normal spring bars i don't see any difference in function and reliability between normal vs quick release bars.

 

Yeah, watch straps are no joke. If you plan on selling them. It needs to survive being on the wrist. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 1 year. Then it'll be worn to the point it'll need to be replaced. Replaced for the security of the watch. 

You do excellent work.

[Cumberland Highpower]

5 hours ago, Beehive said:

As a strap maker using those quick release bars. 

 

What guarantee do you give me, that it will hold my $5000 dollar watch on my wrist, worry free? 

I've been tooling up myself to make leather watch straps.  Only by machine.  I guess I'll just include "Not for $5000 watches" stamped under size and maker stamping. LOL

[LeatherLegion]

Excellent work. A smaller flat awl for the lighter thread would be the only advise. Looks great regardless

[Scoutmom103]

20 hours ago, dirk87 said:

Hello all,

I recently started making watch straps as a hobby. I’m collecting allot of info and trying out different things.

I wanted to start a topic where i can share my work and findings in the hope it can be of value to someone else. 
I intend to randomly post my progress and experiences on construction and finishing.

Below are my 2 latest straps

1
20 to 16mm taper
Outer: buttero biscuit 0.9mm
Lining: alran sully gold 0.9mm
Inner layer: generic veg tan 0.8mm
Thread: meisi superfine linenM40 caramel
Stitching: CH 2.7mm
Edge: uniters sp2000 color mixed
 

 

2
20 to 16mm taper
Outer: buttero whiskey 0.9mm
Lining: zermatt 0.9mm
Inner layer: salpa 0.4mm
Reinforcement: velodon 0.1mm 
Thread: meisi superfine linen M40 cream
Stitching: CH 2.7mm
Edge: uniters sp2000 color mixed

 

3d printed folding jig i’m using:

 

please leave me any comments, questions or critiques…

more to follow

you're watch straps are beautiful.  Did you design the 3d printed folding jig?

 

[Beehive]

15 hours ago, Cumberland Highpower said:

I've been tooling up myself to make leather watch straps.  Only by machine.  I guess I'll just include "Not for $5000 watches" stamped under size and maker stamping. LOL

 

The OP has some serious competition. "StrapCode". Average price for a nice leather band. ~$70. Fastest shipping I've ever seen. No idea how they do it. 

For a person to succeed in the watch strap business. I highly advise going exotic. Stingray, crocodile, elephant, and ostrich. 

And to the folks buying them, they need to understand, it's only good for a year. It doesn't matter if you spent $500 for two square inches of elephant. 

 

Quick release bars....only on a $150 San Martin. Definitely not a $8000 Tudor. 

[Beehive]

One of my most expensive watches. 22mm lugs. Extremely heavy watch. Ain't no dress watch band gonna hold it. 

What band could you make me, that'll hold this beast? What band is going to sooth my soul from fearing it ripping a leather strap?

Because I'm the customer buying your stuff. 

Satisfy me. Because like I said. Watch bands are no joke. 

 

 

 

 

[Darren8306]

23 hours ago, dirk87 said:

something to keep in mind not everyone likes these QR spring bars

I had one of those spring bars lose me a garmin watch a few years ago. I doubt I'll ever use them again. 

 

Not that I'm your target market anyway. I have lots of leather to play with, and won't even do it myself.

 

Your work is beautiful, and probably not at all suitable for daily sweating and abuse  I wish I could sew as carefully as you have. 

[Cumberland Highpower]

3 hours ago, Beehive said:

 

The OP has some serious competition. "StrapCode". Average price for a nice leather band. ~$70. Fastest shipping I've ever seen. No idea how they do it. 

For a person to succeed in the watch strap business. I highly advise going exotic. Stingray, crocodile, elephant, and ostrich. 

And to the folks buying them, they need to understand, it's only good for a year. It doesn't matter if you spent $500 for two square inches of elephant. 

 

Quick release bars....only on a $150 San Martin. Definitely not a $8000 Tudor. 

That's a serious watch.  I like it.

I appreciate your thoughts and advice.   I think for me, personally, would be pretty easy to market straps.  I have 2 "machine shops" full of machines already and have been making everything from competitive shooting gear, holsters, belts, slings, tools and other goods on exclusive contract runs for over 20 years.  I think I could target a market in the $35 range w/good quality materials and lined with French Calf.  Basically the "average" buyer.  I personally don't like those QR pins, but I think an "average" buyer with an average watch wants those.  

I know an Amishman that made a living for 10 years making straps for Nick Gabarro.  I'd say I learned a thing or 2 from him along the line. some were from shell cordovan, some nylon, some common chrome leathers.  

What's motivated me to a degree are the "Trump Tariffs" Some things that were not profitable last week are more likely to be actually profitable in a year.  Strap Code's prices are going to go up, maybe 10-60% in the near future?

Let's not comment further on my ambitions though, I don't want to hijack the OP's post.  I think his work looks pretty sharp and I'd certainly wear it.

 

Edited February 11 by Cumberland Highpower

[Klara]

23 hours ago, Beehive said:

It needs to survive being on the wrist. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 1 year. Then it'll be worn to the point it'll need to be replaced. Replaced for the security of the watch. 

Do you mind explaining that? The leather watch strap I am wearing right now is only from this summer, and I don't sleep wearing my watch, so it should be good for 2 years. But still... Other leather items I have owned have lasted for years and decades, and when something wore out, it was hardly ever (never, maybe?) the leather, but stitching, hardware, plastic parts...