Adventures in watch strap making

[CalgaryJim]

On 2/19/2025 at 8:51 AM, dirk87 said:

I learned allot from leathertoolz videos, i really appreciate his effort.

Best YouTube channel on leather work in my opinion, he’s very thorough and does lots of comparisons!

[dirk87]

Have been away from the hobby for a while but let me share the finished pictures of the Togo strap i posted the construction of earlier.

On 3/10/2025 at 12:58 PM, CalgaryJim said:

Excellent work! I’ve been making leather straps as a hobby for a year and a half now and know how hard this hobby is. 

Thank you! Happy to hear  

[CalgaryJim]

On 2/14/2025 at 7:07 AM, dirk87 said:

I thought it might be useful to share my way of constructing straps for anyone who also wants to start with it. This is the way that works for me after experimenting allot but by no means the only or best way.

 

This is my build up:

 

I

Imgur linked picture above should show all of my steps

Glueing the inner layer on the reinforcement. Using 0.6mm salpa here.

 

More to follow on finishing and construction of the short side with buckle…

I have used Salpa on a number of straps but find the straps feel too inflexible. I try to avoid the need for a thick reinforcement by using leathers that are split to the appropriate thickness. I use Velodon reinforcement for the entire length of the straps then.

[Scoutmom103]

Nice

 

[CalgaryJim]

I'm having trouble getting a clean cut on the lining side of my straps. I use 1.0mm Zermatt calf waterproof leather, making the hole with a rotary hole punch tool. I use a 1mm piece of veg tan leather underneath the strap so I don't damage the punch tip.

Maybe the punch is wearing down. I've tried using single punch tools but even my 1mm makes holes that are much larger than that due to the tapering of the tips.

Anyone able to suggest why my holes don't come out more clean on the Zermatt lining?

 

 

On 3/13/2025 at 8:13 AM, dirk87 said:

Have been away from the hobby for a while but let me share the finished pictures of the Togo strap i posted the construction of earlier.

Thank you! Happy to hear  

Very nice work!

[AlZilla]

11 hours ago, CalgaryJim said:

I use a 1mm piece of veg tan leather underneath the strap so I don't damage the punch tip.

That multi-punch tool you show is meant to stop on the lower anvil. I could see the soft veg tan keeping the cutter from cutting cleanly. Wear and tear on the cutter is just part of using the tool.

That tapering effect you get is really the nature of the tool, probably exaggerated by the very small size. I've often wondered if anyone makes a straight sided punch.

[CalgaryJim]

3 hours ago, AlZilla said:

That multi-punch tool you show is meant to stop on the lower anvil. I could see the soft veg tan keeping the cutter from cutting cleanly. Wear and tear on the cutter is just part of using the tool.

That tapering effect you get is really the nature of the tool, probably exaggerated by the very small size. I've often wondered if anyone makes a straight sided punch.

Thanks. I figured since individual hole punches are supposed to have the leather backed by a pounding board or HDPE that the same would apply to the rotary tool. I'll try without the leather backing though.

I noticed today what KS Blade sells punching tools that have no taper. Kind of expensive for me to take a chance on them. 

Another problem might be, I found out after my post, is twisting the strap on the punch. I've read that can cause tearing. I thought it would help the hole cutting. So, two things to try now.

[dikman]

That's some very nice work you do. I recently bought a sort-of-smart watch real cheap and needed a watchband for it so naturally it was going to be leather, after all, how hard could it be? Turns out it's easier making holsters!! These are fiddly little beggars to make.