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Evening all!
Made this the other day. Leather is veg tanned cowhide from an old bag which is firm enough for a strap but also thin enough to use standard hardware.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4806/...aa0392_z_d.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4876/...4ca8d4_z_d.jpg
Nice but we need to see it on the watch,please.
I can see it just fine...
Here‘s another one.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4805/...85e9a5_z_d.jpg
That looks superb. Fits the watch very well and looks a proper job.
Where do you buy the hardware if you don't mind me asking?
Hello Jan, would you make one for me if I asked nicely? please
Gadget
The second keeper is not fully sewn in but can be adjusted like on a standard two piece leather strap. The edge trim was done with a bone. In order to reduce dimensional change the leather was stretched in all directions and hard rolled. For conditioning I just used beeswax which I melted in.
The tip cannot be folded back, since the keepers don‘t have enough clearance for that
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4816/...3978a1_z_d.jpg
Oh, for the hardware I had to butcher one of Eddie‘s formidable straps....
That looks fantastic
It certainly does, watch and strap, very nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by seikopath
Thank you,that is simply a splendid combination.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan
The strap uses minimal but true needle and awl saddle stitching in olive drab. Hardware was thoroughly brushed for an even satin finish
Nice job, great combo :eagerness:
Probably the nicest watch /strap combo I've seen for a long time!
I think that is the best shade of brown for this watch.
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Originally Posted by Jan
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Originally Posted by Jan
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Originally Posted by Jan
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Originally Posted by Jan
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Originally Posted by Jan
You honestly seem to have accomplished an extremely well thought out and beautifully executed professional grade result with underlying qualities of manufacture as to the leather's multidirectional stretching, hard rolling, and beeswax conditioning, the hand awl stitching, the obviously premium hardware, etc., that will even more show your product's worth in its long term use.
Personally, I especially like the edge treatment you've done for this (I don't think I've seen a leather NATO done that way before), and the warm glowing golden appearing hues of the leather seem to give it the kind of priceless aesthetic effect leather only rarely ever fully achieves (would that possibly be in part from the beeswax conditioning?)
At any rate, Jan, you seem to have made a great job of it, and I'll bet many of us here seeing this special NATO hope you start doing these to order
That is a perfect match. A very professional finish too, well done.
Jan I need one of these... the best I have seen yet... I have both kidneys available should you decide to make some more.
Regards in anticipation of needing dialysis, Gadget
Thanks everybody,
I am truly pleased that so many of you like the combination of watch and strap. Part of magic of that specific strap is probably to be found in the fact that the leather is almost 30 years old and the surface shows quite an amount of blemishes and imperfections.
Very well done Jan nice job. Can I just mention the consistency of the stitching, it looks like you have used more force on some than others, leaving a size difference ( I renovate gun cases) aesthetically better to use same force.
but a really really well done strap. :eagerness:
Mike
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4866/...88e376_z_d.jpg
Here is a simple wet shaped knife case I made a couple of weeks ago using 3.5mm veg tanned harness leather. It uses proper bonded and braided waxed polyester thread in a much thicker gauge . I have to say that my needlework usually looks better when it is more a true heavy duty saddle stitch. The minimal seams on the strap would have looked cleaner of I had used a sewing machine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint-Just
I too think this is what my watch wants.....it whispers in the dark....
I have no problem with the stitching Jan, In fact I prefer the hand built look rather than machine finished, I wont be returning mine if the stitching is as good as the example up top, OCD has never been one of my strong points ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint-Just
Thanks again!
The Nato pictured above is in fact light olive in colour. It is not khaki or sand but more of a vintage faded olive that doesn’t have that much green in it.
Sorry to disappoint you but this specific strap was not bought or found somewhere but it is the default strap of my Seagull 1963 Chinese Airforce chronograph.
I don’t know where you would find one of these. Quality of it is ok but the fabric feels a bit plasticy. But it is a nice fine weave with solid hardware.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4892/...8f801a_k_d.jpg
Just to add my two pence worth, that looks like a well made piece. Well done.