Reply With QuoteDo you mean this bit?
This is my TF Nato fitted to a G10 on my 6.75" wrist. If there was more strap sticking out I cant see how it could be tucked in to the keepers again
Hello, I've recently bought a pair of new Timefactors 2014 NATO straps. As you know, since they are exceedingly long for a human wrist (and mine is soooo human ;-) ), there is always an extra piece of strap that needs to be bent and secured under the two steel keepers that remains at the "twelve" of the watch, creating a third "layer" of ribbon. Well, these keepers, in new NATOs, offers little room to let the nylon ribbon (which is thicker in these new models) pass for the third time under themselves. Or, at least, I can do that with great difficulties.
I've been forced to cut one of these straps to avoid the need of bending the exceeding piece.
My fault, or are mine defective, or... Anyone else?
(I hope I've been clear).
Do you mean this bit?
This is my TF Nato fitted to a G10 on my 6.75" wrist. If there was more strap sticking out I cant see how it could be tucked in to the keepers again
Thanks Velorum, maybe I've not explained very well... What have you done with your strap, passing the remaining "holes" bit under the keepers, for me is very hard to do. The strap need to be forced under the keepers, sometimes I'm not even able to do that. All NATO straps I own, whether previously bought from Eddie or elsewhere, have larger keepers and bending the extra bit under them is quite easy.
Last edited by aviator; 27th December 2014 at 12:17.
As I read this, you are having problems passing the remaining strap back under the keepers as in my picture?Originally Posted by aviator
All of my TF are tight in this respect and the strap needs to be 'jiggled' about a bit - however its not that difficult and the strap is nice and secure. With other less snug Natos sometimes this can come adrift which I find irritating.
Im not sure why yours is so tight.
Would it be easier to pre-bend the extra section and pass it through in one go? Or would that be harder still?
Yes Velorum, you're right.
Well Sara, this is an opportune suggestion, anyway I confirm that it IS a lot harder to do!
Hah fair enough! At times with a cheap nato I have tucked the free end along the inside between the two existing layers (bending it therefore towards your wrist not away from it) - depending on the material used, this may be more or less difficult! It does also mean you don't have the quick-release feature of the NATO available (I always imagined it was too long so that it acted a bit like a slippery hitch - in a hurry you can just yank the end and it just comes undone).
With Eddie's older Nato straps I've always folded the surplus back inside the keepers, fiddly but smarter.The New Nato's can only folded outwards through the keepers, it must be to do with the shape of the new keepers.
Pardon?
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Eddie, I've seen those pics too, and I wonder how the extra bit can be folded that way (or, to say, another way) once the watch is on the wrist. The new NATOs are superbly made, but inserting the remaining bit into the keepers it's a mess, at least for the two (black, 20 and 22 mm lug size) I've recently bought. As I've previously said, I've cut out the useless part of the strap instead of bothering every time I need to put the watch on my wrist. That way there is no "no-holes" part at the end of the strap, instead there is a hole very near to the end which is no such beautiful a thing to see, but this simplifies the whole matter a lot. ;-)
Maybe this could be caused by the new angled corners of the keepers, don't know, but the room available for an extra piece of strap inside them is too small.
Last edited by aviator; 26th December 2014 at 16:07.
All the pictures above are 22mm NATOs and I genuinely have no trouble folding the extra bit back in when on the wrist.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Sorry Eddie, the straps are superbly made but the way I fold it back is hard to explain here goes, once fastened through the buckle I measure to the required length, just a couple of mm through the keeper next to the watch head, compress the strap to create a fold then feed back up to the watch head so the finished strap returns next to the wrist, and the excess goes through both keepers.What I was trying to say is I can't get it to do this, so I fold it towards the outside which is know big deal, it looks just as smart.
Probably makes no sense!
I had the same problem when I got mine - rather than folding then pushing through the excess, I put the whole length through the keeper then rich the end under. I pushed on the forum and felt really stupid when I tried a different method but it's hard to explain. On the older style it was easy to fold in half and push it all through but the new keepers are much narrower of that makes sense?!
I remember your post many months ago..........
Could be easier to just cut it to the size you want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx31V1_pQKQ
I have always folded the strap and then pushed the doubled up strap through the keeper. It is MUCH more difficult to do with the new model. I am unsure whether the strap is thicker or the keepers are smaller. Once I get it pushed through it fits fine and is not coming loose.
As much as I like the darker gray I don't care for the newer model, the hardware doesn't work for me. The squared off keepers don't really compliment my watches which mostly have graceful curves. The buckle looks very nice but the corners stick out a bit and I tore a snag in a nice $150 blanket with the buckle when it caught the fabric. I've never had that happen with any other strap. Luckily I have half a dozen of the old style to last me awhile.
This is how I've always done it, and I've not had any issues with the new model.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm3iAcc94E0
The important part starts at 0:56. I don't like how they shove the watch head up the strap, but I suppose that might be okay for a watch with plenty of space in the lugs.
Ahhh. thats how you do it, every day s indeed a school day.
thanks guys
Jim
Um. It's upside down?
Agreed, those knuckleheads installed it correctly but put the watch upside down on his wrist and then posted a video of it.
Last edited by Saxon007; 3rd January 2015 at 04:23.
Just god ahold of a couple new Timefactors Natos. Really good job Eddie has done with these - I really like the new hardware too, even though I erroneously thought that the buckles had springbars and could be replaced.
Last edited by Marios; 5th February 2015 at 11:04.
Mine are the same. The green 20mm can be doubled back with difficulty. The black 20mm is almost impossible. When I did get it through, it had to be removed by pushing a screwdriver through the loop and wobbling it out.
Cutting to size somewhat defeats the object for me, as required length depends on whether or not I'm wearing a diving suit.
I have the the one that came on my PRS18Q and it fits inside the keepers quite easily. I say quite easily as this is my first, and to date, only Nato, so I have nothing to compare it to.
Super comfy though, and it suits the watch to a "T".
I've just watched the video above - which is fine if you have twigs for wrists, I use the same method but with about half an inch to fold round and push under the keeper, it is a bit fiddly. But I'm pleased with the result - and the metalwork is a great match for my U1Tuploadfromtaptalk1430480746132.jpg
Whilst we are on the subject, any sign of more colours available in 22mm with the new hardware? At the risk of sounding like an advert, every other NATO I have bought has absolutely sucked n comparison to Eddie's
OMG! I didn't realize Eddie had these new ones in. The new hardware looks brilliant !!!
I noticed a bit tighter fit in the keepers but really like this, once tucked in it stays in place, the new straps have a rougher/stiffer texture the old type was more silky/soft.
Instead of pushing try rolling between your finger and thumb the end to tuck in.
if you have a goose's neck size wrist like some on display here, trimming the end down a bit, might make it easier
Last edited by Karl; 2nd May 2015 at 00:19.
Just got one of Eddies NATOs today. Very good quality piece of kit.
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