Watch Strap Prototype

[cjmt]

Hi All,

Theres been some more interest on here in leatherwork in the European style so thought I'd post some recent pictures.

This is a 20mm watch strap in Tangerine Goatskin handstitched at 10 spi in 532 Ecru Lin Cable. Its not perfect of course, it was made to see if the goat was strong enough to make a strap from

Charlie

Edited October 2, 2013 by cjmt

[immiketoo]

Charlie, that's great. I'd love to learn how you did this. I need to make one for a watch I have laying around here. How's the goat holding up? Whats in the inside as the core?

[cjmt]

Charlie, that's great. I'd love to learn how you did this. I need to make one for a watch I have laying around here. How's the goat holding up? Whats in the inside as the core?

It seems to be fine - its only a week old but wearing well. Its quite light and very comfortable. The leather is fully aniline so will pick up marks Im sure, its all part of the character of good leather though.The central raised area is c.1mm veg tanned cow, the stretch resistance is coming from the stitched goat though, its c. 1mm so enough strength not to stretch

Charlie

[TXAG]

So how did you make it?

[WScott]

This look really nice!

So is it two layers of thin goat with a cow spacer in between for the raised look? It is like making a mini belt.

Did you hand or machine stitch?

I know how hard these are, made a flat layer band with fine hand stitched thread I wound and waxed myself.

Edited October 3, 2013 by WScott

[cjmt]

This look really nice!

So is it two layers of thin goat with a cow spacer in between for the raised look? It is like making a mini belt.

Did you hand or machine stitch?

I know how hard these are, made a flat layer band with fine hand stitched thread I wound and waxed myself.

Yes, basically exactly that, some goat or thinned bridle leather stitched around a spacer. We hand stitch everything, including these. They are basically very simple things - the devil is in the detail though and I find you (or at least I) have to try really hard on something this little and fiddly to get the finish and detail just right, they are very unforgiving and really show up flaws in your work.

Charlie

[TXAG]

Ok, well thanks for all the detailed info on how you made it...

[cjmt]

Ok, well thanks for all the detailed info on how you made it...

Surprisingly your sarcasm hasn't made me feel like spending an hour writing down every step of a process I spent a lot of hours developing so you dont have to. Do you have specific questions that you've taken the time to think about and research or did you just want me to spoon feed you?

[WScott]

Don't worry about that

I understood what you meant. You are bang on about how simple yet detailed and intricate the work is. Now correct me if I m wrong

It is really like making a mini belt. A spacer is cemented between the top and bottom layers for thickness. I loop my top leather over the bottom and glue it down with a watch pin in between to make space for the attachment to the watch

If you take apart an old watch band you can easily replicate a new band. BUT the work is very finicky as a wise man says "the devil is in the details"

Cheers, Scott

[cjmt]

Don't worry about that

I understood what you meant. You are bang on about how simple yet detailed and intricate the work is. Now correct me if I m wrong

It is really like making a mini belt. A spacer is cemented between the top and bottom layers for thickness. I loop my top leather over the bottom and glue it down with a watch pin in between to make space for the attachment to the watch

If you take apart an old watch band you can easily replicate a new band. BUT the work is very finicky as a wise man says "the devil is in the details"

Cheers, Scott

Absolutely just like a mini belt. I make each part of the strap from one piece of leather folded over on the whole though rather than a different lining and face leather like most people do. My experience is that aside from being able to get the leather you want thin enough the only difficulty in a strap is getting the stitching and the edges right. In particular the edges when you start to get the layers of leather outer down to c. 1mm are very, very difficult to burnish/finish. The devil indeed is in the detail, you have to enjoy fiddley work to do them I think

Charlie

[cjmt]

Another one - not a prototype this time. This is 24mm wide oak bark tanned bridle leather with light brown lin cable made for a Panerai collector

Charlie

[WScott]

Nice clean look, excellent stitching

[cjmt]

Nice clean look, excellent stitching

Thank you :-)

[Basically Bob]

_{Looks really nice! Looking forward to seeing more of your work.}

[traiven3d]

Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing this. When doing this sort of work do you glue elements in place first and then complete the stitching, or is using glue a poor method of working?

[LNLeather]

WOW that's nice - beautiful work! Grrreat edges too!

[cjmt]

Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing this. When doing this sort of work do you glue elements in place first and then complete the stitching, or is using glue a poor method of working?

Theres no structural glue, all the elements are held together by the stitching, but the filling strip and other layers are glued in place to make sure they don't move whilst the straps are being stitched, to make sure they are lined up perfectly and to help give a good single edge to then sand/polish. Glue as a permanent bond is poor technique (to me) but glue used as a temporary bond is OK, you just have to not get it in the cut edges because it plays havoc with edge finishing.

HTH

Charlie

[knazim]

First of all thank you very much for posting your work and giving details. This is fantastic work - truly inspirational.

I was trying to see where and how you end the stitches and I could not figure that you. How do you do that?

Regards

KN

[WScott]

I have used double sided sticky tape as a method of holding top and bottom layers in place for stitching. I am such a slob with glue I always seem to get run out to spoil an edge or have to fiddle with position and get some on my thumb and then it's all over the show face....

Just a thought, it's a good secondary method for us glue spazzes

[cjmt]

WOW that's nice - beautiful work! Grrreat edges too!

Thanks, much appreciated!

First of all thank you very much for posting your work and giving details. This is fantastic work - truly inspirational.

I was trying to see where and how you end the stitches and I could not figure that you. How do you do that?

Regards

KN

Thank you also for the kind words! The straps are hand stitched so starting and finishing is easy, you just start or fininsh 1 1/2 stitches from the end so you have a small amount of overlap. The thread is pretty thin and if you're careful the double stitching is more or less invisible.

I have used double sided sticky tape as a method of holding top and bottom layers in place for stitching. I am such a slob with glue I always seem to get run out to spoil an edge or have to fiddle with position and get some on my thumb and then it's all over the show face....

Just a thought, it's a good secondary method for us glue spazzes

No reason this wouldnt work - interesting thought. In the case of these watch straps I tend to glue right up to the very edge so the edges are both glued and stitched, the object being no gape at all between them when you come to polish and seal the edges - makes it much easier to get a well finished edge.

Charlie

[WScott]

Yep you are right, edge gap could occur with such thin leathers as there is less bulk to burnish together when edging.

[Neillo]

Very nice work cjmt, love the european style bands!

Couple of questions, if you have the time:

1.How do you attach the keepers to the strap? it seems like a finicky yet important detail and i'd love to know your take on it

2. Are there any books you could recommend for learning european style leatherwork? only one i've seen is all in german!

Thanks mate, and again, top work on those bands!

[cjmt]

Very nice work cjmt, love the european style bands!

Couple of questions, if you have the time:

1.How do you attach the keepers to the strap? it seems like a finicky yet important detail and i'd love to know your take on it

2. Are there any books you could recommend for learning european style leatherwork? only one i've seen is all in german!

Thanks mate, and again, top work on those bands!

Certainly!

The fixed keeper is just stitched in to the strap on both sides. Remember they are hand stitched so you can do that much more easily than with a sewing machine. The second keeper is a running keeper, its stitched but to itself and completely free. Does that make sense?

Regarding books, Ive never really referred to them so no great personal recommendations. I know some people have used these though

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Leatherworking-Handbook-Valerie-Michael/dp/0304345113

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridlework-Robert-H-Steinke/dp/0851316409/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381434868&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=stinke+bridlework

Once you are able to handstitch competently and are able to use the basic tools in all honesty you can work out how most things are made and the thing you need to do is look at pictures and give things a go

Hope that helps,

Charlie

[cjmt]

Cheaper source for the Stinke book which is seen as the standard text for trainee Master Saddlery courses over here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRIDLEWORK-by-Robert-H-Steinke-signed-by-author/220698954436?ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1&ih=012&category=16245&cmd=ViewItem

[Neillo]

I think I understand now: the keeper closest to the buckle is skived at the ends and stitched in between the layers in the strap, which would be very annoying to stitch by machine!

Looks like the stitched keeper acts as a stop to keep the other one from sliding off and bursting into flames, Nifty bit of design there!

Will have to check out those books for sure, pretty sure I've seen the handbook around somewhere!

Will have to tackle a band someday when I have the skills to pull off artisan grade stuff like yours (what a suckup, boooo!)

In all seriousness, watching the hermes guys make them made me want to make a strap when i didn't even have a watch!

Thanks for the advice cjmt!