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Thread: Haveston canvas straps - long term durability test

  1. #1
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Haveston canvas straps - long term durability test

    First, many thanks to Steve (stefaulkner) for responding to my WTB for a Haveston canvas strap, with this M-1944C. I've been looking at Haveston canvas for quite a while, but I've never found any info regarding their, durability , longevity and resistance to wear, being washed regularly etc etc, that would convince me to buy one (that's any canvas, not just Haveston). I actually prefer the lighter tan colour of the M-1918C, but the darker shade of this strap will show any fading and abrasion better. First impressions are that it has the usual high quality that you would expect from Haveston, precise cutting of the material and stitching. It's a little longer than my four nylon Havestons, but still a very good fit on my 7" wrist due to the sliding keeper. Good quality lightly brushed buckle, just the right size without being too bulky and overpowering the strap. It looks thinner than it's 1.5mm when compared to other Havestons and Eddie's Deluxe, but that's the braided/woven edge of those straps making them look a little thicker. Re thickness, I'd planned to switch the strap between my Voyager and 40mm Everest, but the stitching around the tang holes takes the thickness up to 1.92/1.94mm at these points and it takes a healthy pull to drag the strap through the gap on the Everest. I reckon the stitching here would wear out PDQ so it's only going on the Voyager for now, perhaps these thicker points will flatten with some wear. The material is softer than I imagined it would be, it folded around the bars of the Voyager beautifully, surprisingly more so than the nylon Havestons , and even more so than the TF. So that's it until gets it's first wash, then we'll know how quickly or otherwise it dries, probably after tomorrow's walk.


    Last edited by magirus; 16th July 2020 at 21:21.
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  2. #2
    They do look really nice those Canvas and like you I've been intrigued with how it puts up with wear. So following with interest!

    And once again we see that the Voyager really is a strap whore, it goes with everything

  3. #3
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    I wore the strap on my Voyager today when out for my walk. Lots of sweaty uphill on the return leg, so gave it a good wash. No apparent loss of colour, but whereas a nylon Haveston or Eddie's Deluxe will be dry enough to wear in an hour, this took @ 2.5 hours. That's a hand wash in the sink, then gripped in the fold of a towel and dragged through several times to dry off the bulk of the water. Then strapped on the washing line until dry.
    Last edited by magirus; 17th May 2020 at 23:47.
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  4. #4
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Approx 2.5 days wear, washed once and buttery soft, but to be fair it was this soft out out of the tin. A lot of shots I've seen look as if there's a sort of bow where the strap exits the bars and you'd then expect the strap to need to wear in and curve around the bar, but not with this example. Here's a quick phone snap, heavily cropped to illustrate . . .





    I mentioned that I wasn't happy with fitting it to my Everest. Well I had a similar problem with my Damasko DA37, not with canvas, just a tight fit pulling certain Natos through the case/springbar gap. Moving from 1.8mm bars to 1.6mm fixed that, so I've got some 1.5x22mm shoulderless bars ordered to see if that helps with fitting the canvas on the Everest, 0.3mm is a lot in this area!
    Last edited by magirus; 18th May 2020 at 00:05.
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  5. #5
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    It fits nicely on the Everest with the 1.5mm shoulderless bars fitted, a very good looking combination IMHO. Turned the pedals for a very sweaty hour on the turbo trainer yesterday, so another soapy wash. The strap had taken on the shape of the bends around the bars and case along with a little hump next to the tang hole being used, but just like it's nylon bretheren these disappeared after washing and looking as good as new.


    Last edited by magirus; 19th May 2020 at 13:35.
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  6. #6
    Be interested to see how the darker colour gets on. I've the light tan version, and it has worn in nicely - I'm very pleased with it.




  7. #7
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    The tan colour as above would normally be my first choice (for my Voyager), but that said, the colour I have looks just the job on my Everest and I'd happily buy the colour again. Of course any other owners are welcome to contribute to the thread with info on amounts of useage and how their straps are wearing. Hopefully anyone who is dithering will find this thread and find it useful in making a purchasing decision. Mine got a decent sweaty soaking today as I was out cutting lawns and hedges in the sunshine, it's been washed and is out on the line drying in the sun and breeze. That's 3 washes in a week, about the norm for my nylon natos.
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  8. #8
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    I quite like the look of those straps, good to see them being put through their paces. I do wonder whether they'd be too long for my wrist, though (6.75").
    Dave E

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  9. #9
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    They are fine, my wrist is that size.

  10. #10
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    I quite like the look of those straps, good to see them being put through their paces. I do wonder whether they'd be too long for my wrist, though (6.75").

    Take a look at post #27 in this thread. I took some measurements a while ago that you may find helpful.
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  11. #11
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Interesting measurements, those. Hmm, probably would be fine, but I have a somewhat irrational dislike of too much strap tail showing round my wrist. I suspect I'll try one at some point and see what I think!
    Dave E

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  12. #12
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    Interesting measurements, those. Hmm, probably would be fine, but I have a somewhat irrational dislike of too much strap tail showing round my wrist. I suspect I'll try one at some point and see what I think!
    To be fair, that Haveston wasn't the best to illustrate my points, but it was my first and therefore the only one I had at the time. That example was the normal Nato style with the "extra bit" and quite thick too, they are now all a one piece design, or "pass through" as Haveston call it. With the canvas having no woven edge as so many straps do now, it actually looks and wears thinner, so with the ability to place the buckle where you want it, plus the sliding keeper, there's no bulky tuck in and the free end of the strap is tightly contained. As your wrist is only 0.25" smaller than mine I can't imagine you'd have a problem.
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  13. #13
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    I might have to give one a go, I do like a canvas strap. (The fact it would come from the UK is a factor, I've been waiting for an order coming from the US for more than 3 weeks now.)
    Dave E

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  14. #14
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Eh, I gave in and ordered myself a Forecastle strap in 20mm to play with.
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  15. #15
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    Eh, I gave in and ordered myself a Forecastle strap in 20mm to play with.

    Good man, I like to see a chap spending his money! ;-) If this 22mm passes muster I think that exactly what you have ordered will go very nicely on my Damaskos.
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  16. #16
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Noticed some loose threads earlier around some of tang holes. Of course you can't just zap them with a hot flame as you would a nylon Nato, but a quick snip with the wife's very sharp dressmaking scissors did the trick. Surprisingly the affected holes weren't either of the two I use to fasten the strap.

    This is the third hole away from the lugs . . .





    These are the three holes at the other end . . .


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  17. #17
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    I hadn’t noticed that Havestons NATO’s are now single pass so I’ve ordered a few to try out. I don’t like NATO’s that lift the watch too far off the wrist so hopefully they will do the job.

    The Voyager looks great on the darker green.

  18. #18
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    I noticed when changing the strap between watches earlier that a loop has worked free from one of the holes I use to fasten the strap. I'll leave it as is and see how it behaves. Another sweaty ride and wash today.

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  19. #19
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    The strap got very sweaty today as I tramped about on my walk with a camera bag on my back, so that's 11 continuous days of wear and 5 washes.
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  20. #20
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Forecastle arrived today, and I've tried it on a couple of watches:





    I did need to use a set of curved spring bars to get it onto the Everest, I hadn't realised quite how tight the space at the lugs was!

    Nice strap, seems well made and is soft and supple. Does pull down neatly at the lugs without leaving a gap, although it needs to be buckled fairly tightly to do so at the moment, I suspect that will get easier as it gets softer with wear. I'm going to wear it on the Lorier for a couple of days, might switch it onto my PRS-68 and try it there as well (although I think I'll need the curved bars there again).
    Dave E

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  21. #21
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    Forecastle arrived today, and I've tried it on a couple of watches:
    Looking good! Also rather handy for me to see it fitted to both white and black dialled watches, given I might order one for my Damaskos (DA37 and DC56). I've just ordered some 1.5mm x 20mm springbars from Cousins ( shoulderless and curved) to maximise the gap for fitting the strap. I'm sure it'll go on the DC56 no bother, but the DA 37 is a fair bit tighter, so the curved bars will almost certainly be needed on that. Don't forget to post your opinions of the strap here, positive or negative, as it gets some wear and tear on it.
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  22. #22
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    I'll definitely update as it gets more wear. The colour is actually really nice, works well with a pale dial as well. It'd definitely work well with a Damasko full lume dial.
    Dave E

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  23. #23
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Been wearing the Forecastle on my Lorier for a few days, and it's a very comfy strap. Fancied a change today so switched it over to my PRS-68, on which I think it looks pretty good:



    I did need to use curved spring bars, the clearance on the lugs was just a bit too tight (might have been OK with very thin bars, but it was easier to use curved for me). Second thing is that the area behind the lugs is very square cut on the 68, which combined with the short lugs means that the strap comes straight down before it curves across the caseback and that has just slightly changed the tightness of the strap compared to the Lorier. Not by much, but just a touch.
    Dave E

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  24. #24
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    More walking and cycling, and again a sweat soaked strap. The material wicks sweat very well from the back of the wrist, so of course a couple more washes. I noticed that the loop that has come lose from the strap hole I use the most has enlarged, and another one has come away from the adjacent hole that I sometimes use if the strap needs to be a little tighter. The loops have come from the the side of the holes away from the lugs. Just leaving as is for now.


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  25. #25
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    From the first sigh it looks unnatural, but after some time I find it one of the most original and nice option for watches.

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    ...
    The loops have come from the the side of the holes away from the lugs. Just leaving as is for now.
    I have the M-1918C in both 18 & 20mm and this has happened on both. I have used a lighter to tidy up but am always wary of burning the holes. And then another one pops out...

    I'm also not a fan of the double layer on the buckle end. I find it tends to bunch a little leaving a gap. I'm not convinced it's really necessary and would much prefer just a single layer with the excess on top, like the AF0210.

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Qatar-wol View Post
    Be interested to see how the darker colour gets on. I've the light tan version, and it has worn in nicely - I'm very pleased with it.



    Same strap, different watch.


  28. #28
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    ^^^^^^^^^^^
    Looking nicely worn there, keep the info coming please. Re the loose loop in post #24, I thought I'd try something to stop it going further. I fed a length of thread through the loop, threaded the loose ends of the thread through a fine needle, and pulled the loop back through the strap to the underside. Then I wet the strap around the loop and hole stitching and worked some Gorilla glue into the fabric with a sharpened matchstick (Gorilla glue cures better with a damp surface). I'll snip the loop off after 24hrs when the glue has cured and we'll see how that might stabilise and secure the stitching around the tang hole.
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  29. #29
    Gone back to my SBDE001, and will for the foreseeable. Will keep it on the Haveston for a while, get in the pool, things like that?



    Will report.

  30. #30
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    Ordered a green canvas to go on the Hamilton Khaki I got from the Sc,sadly the stock strap is a bit short on my 20cm wrist.

  31. #31
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Three weeks in and the strap is holding up very well. It's been in the sun a lot, and washed several more times since my last post. The edges are looking a little lighter and I think the colour generally may be a little lighter now. I ran the shots on the Everest and Voyager through GIMP before posting them and adjusted the colour using Curves so it was very accurate holding the strap up to my Mac screen to compare, but in this late evening light it's hard to say. There's been no more loops coming away, and the one I pulled through before soaking the Gorilla glue in has stayed put. I think I'm convinced enough to order a 20mm for my Damaskos, the M-1918C was my original choice but the Forecastle is also calling to me. Of course it's 10% if ordering 2, watch this space . . .


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  32. #32
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Qatar-wol View Post
    Gone back to my SBDE001, and will for the foreseeable. Will keep it on the Haveston for a while, get in the pool, things like that?
    It'll be interesting to see what a little chlorine does to it.
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  33. #33
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    In good light this morning and comparing the strap's colour new/now, I don't think the colour has faded.
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  34. #34
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Worn it for a few more days, during which I've flashed off a few loose fibres with a lighter, not threads or loops though. Had a long walk yesterday. but this time put it in a sock and washed it in the machine. I good daylight it's looking a little lighter, very slightly faded, but you'd really need a brand new one to compare it with to tell just how much. After almost a month I'm very pleased with it.
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  35. #35
    Here's my Haveston. I've worn it a few times this week in a pool, and dried it in the sun, and it's looking great, I think. Faded quite a shade or two over the original colour, and you can see some of the difference with the pic of the back of the watch





    Still really pleased with the strap.

  36. #36
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    Looking nicely faded there, looks good with the now more contrasting stitching. Just taken mine off my Voyager after a sweaty hour turning the pedals on the turbo trainer and chucked it in the washing machine in a sock. After a month of constant wear I'm very pleased with it.
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  37. #37
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    I did another sweaty hour on the turbo yesterday, and popped the strap in a sock in the washing machine again, so nice and fresh today! That's 4 weeks of virtual 24/7 wear, and 8 hand washes and 2 machine washes, on either Voyager or Everest , my only 22mm watches. This is a lot more wear time than my nylon Natos get, as I have a good selection, so although I might wear a particular watch 24/7 in rotation for a couple of weeks it might have a fresh strap every day, or every other at the least. The fibres in the material seem to have settled down and the strap has a nice lightly worn in look, with a faint lightening in colour. I liked it so much that . . .
    Last edited by magirus; 13th June 2020 at 13:57.
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  38. #38
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Now that I have 4 canvas straps the one that I started the thread about is being worn at the normal usage level for my Natos. This means that it'll be on the Voyager or Everest as my fancy takes amongst the other 22mm Natos I have, although the novelty value of the canvas straps means it'll be those only for a while yet. One of these two watches is worn every day when out walking or cycling, and overnight as they are both very legible during the night. Given how the strap took a month of 24/7 wear and washing I now have full confidence in the durability of canvas as a strap material. I'll still report here as the strap (in fact all of my canvas straps) wears over the long term.
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  39. #39
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    As far as evaluating these straps goes, I'm now wearing canvas 24/7 on one of 4 watches (Damaskos DA37 & DC56, Everest 40mm 1st release, Dreadnought Voyager) depending on my mood and fancy, so they're all getting a good amount of wear and are all holding up very well. There's only one problem . . . I now "need" a 20mm M-1944C for the Damaskos.
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  40. #40
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    A 20mm M-1944C arrived this morning and side by side the 22mm version has faded a tiny bit, but so little I can't capture it in a picture.
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  41. #41
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    This is now really a continuing appraisal of Haveston canvas in general rather than a specific strap as I've been wearing the newer 20mm versions for a couple of weeks to get them washed a few times and broken in. Like the 22mm versions a few threads and fibres worked loose and were either snipped off or flashed off with a flame. Once these are gone the straps seem to settle down and the tang holes are holding up very well with no obvious loosening or abrasion. They've all lightened a little in colour, but only a little and not as much as I thought they might.


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  42. #42
    Master
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    I just received one of these based on this thread - I've been out of the game for a little while and hadn't heard of them.

    First impressions are very good. It arrived very quickly indeed, nicely designed - quality looks excellent, and whether by accident or design I'm very happy that ALL of the packaging is paper or cardboard and goes straight in the recycle bin - kudos for no plastic.

    Here it is on my little Benrus. The hardware is a bit bulkier than I would like, but the watch carries it just.






  43. #43
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.Ldn View Post
    I just received one of these based on this thread - I've been out of the game for a little while and hadn't heard of them.

    First impressions are very good. It arrived very quickly indeed, nicely designed - quality looks excellent, and whether by accident or design I'm very happy that ALL of the packaging is paper or cardboard and goes straight in the recycle bin - kudos for no plastic.

    Here it is on my little Benrus. The hardware is a bit bulkier than I would like, but the watch carries it just.
    The colour really suits your Benrus. The strap will soften a lot with a little wear and a wash or two. Re the hardwear, that and the strap being parallel are the reasons I haven't tried it on my 36mm Everest. Just too much for the case size for my taste.
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  44. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    The colour really suits your Benrus. The strap will soften a lot with a little wear and a wash or two. Re the hardwear, that and the strap being parallel are the reasons I haven't tried it on my 36mm Everest. Just too much for the case size for my taste.
    Yes. Sad I know, but I have a little collection of buckles and keepers that I retain from various old Natos and other straps. I may try a lighter one on this strap.

  45. #45
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Continuing to wear one these straps daily, so the wear is evened out now and at a reduced rate. If it's hot then it's a day's wear then washed and change to another. On cooler days I'll wear one for 2 or 3 days. They each seem to have shed all the threads and fibres that they're going to now, and they've all faded a tiny bit more, in a nice worn in sort of way.
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  46. #46
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    The M-1944C is sitting on my desk airing, almost dry after being out on the line, and a plus point is that although the material is lovely and supple and quickly takes on the shape of the curve over the springbars and under the caseback, once washed it goes back to it's original shape. It's going on my PRS-5 Broadarrow tomorrow for a Sunday lunchtime visit to my local, I like to wear a manual of a Sunday so it's either that or the Archimede Deck Watch.


    Last edited by magirus; 22nd August 2020 at 20:34.
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  47. #47
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    An A-12 now added, black with grey stitching. Wore it for a day, then a sweaty hour on the turbo trainer, now washed and drying. It'll be interesting to see how it fades and how the edges show this.










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  48. #48
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    [/QUOTE]

    Looks stunning Mr Magirus and have ordered a 1944 on the strength of this photo. I have my PRS5 Broadarrow on the forecastle grey but think this trump's it in terms of military looks.

  49. #49
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    The black A-12 has so far shed the least amount of threads and fibres of the 6 Haveston canvas I have. It's been very supple from the word go, and just had a second good wash.
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  50. #50
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    After a few more days wear 24/7 the A12 has just gone in the wash again, lets see if any fading occurs after a few laundry days.
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