closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Results 1 to 24 of 24

Thread: CWC Watch Roll - Strange Smell!

  1. #1
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Central Scotland
    Posts
    1,712

    CWC Watch Roll - Strange Smell!

    Hi Folks,

    Just purchased a canvas watch roll from CWC and it stinks!

    It’s this one. https://www.cwcwatch.com/products/watchroll-1955-dated





    It smells like an old Barbour Jacket that has been lying soaking wet in the back of a Farmers Landrover for about 10 years. And then the Farmers Dog used it for a bed for another 10 years!

    I appreciate it’s not a new product and it is made of waxed canvas but the smell is so strong and unpleasant, it’s pretty much unusable.


    I’ve contacted CWC Via instagram to advise of my disappointment and heard nothing back.

    I’ve already had it in the washing machine but it doesn’t seem to have made much difference. Does anyone have any experience of these watch rolls or have any tips for getting rid of the smell?


    Thanks.

  2. #2
    I can't say I'm that surprised if it's a 65 year old piece of canvas that's been sitting unused for all that time in a storage area.

    See if you can just return it to them for a refund, perhaps contacting their customer services using another method?

  3. #3
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Cambridgeshire
    Posts
    16,146
    Wash it with a good helping of bicarbonate of soda, should help.
    Cheers..
    Jase

  4. #4
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Central Scotland
    Posts
    1,712
    Quote Originally Posted by hughtrimble View Post
    I can't say I'm that surprised if it's a 65 year old piece of canvas that's been sitting unused for all that time in a storage area.

    See if you can just return it to them for a refund, perhaps contacting their customer services using another method?
    Yes, maybe not surprising but still not really what I would expect and certainly not mentioned in the description.

    Cheers

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by JasonM View Post
    Wash it with a good helping of bicarbonate of soda, should help.
    Thanks Jason, I’ll give that a bash.

  5. #5
    It's old! That's the smell.Maybe not for you.Personally love it.Same with nos mn straps.

    Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Master
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Maidstone
    Posts
    1,384
    That's the authentic smell of the Army!

  7. #7
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Central Scotland
    Posts
    1,712
    Quote Originally Posted by amcneill View Post
    It's old! That's the smell.Maybe not for you.Personally love it.Same with nos mn straps.

    Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk
    As you say, mist be a personal thing. Certainly a very strange smell in my opinion.

    I’ll try the Bicarbonate of soda and if that doesn’t work. It will go in the bin.

  8. #8
    In its original Military guise, it is actually a wash roll. Used to hold all your washing items, razor, soap and the likes.
    Army surplus reinvented as a watch roll ( although never designed as such)
    Cheers

  9. #9
    Master earlofsodbury's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Tether's End, Lincs
    Posts
    4,854
    Quote Originally Posted by Slevin Kelevra View Post
    I’ll try the Bicarbonate of soda and if that doesn’t work. It will go in the bin.
    Please don't bin it - stick on SC, perhaps for the Fundraiser - seems to plenty of stinky old milsurplus fans on here!

  10. #10
    Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Rotherham
    Posts
    1,027
    Quote Originally Posted by earlofsodbury View Post
    Please don't bin it - stick on SC, perhaps for the Fundraiser - seems to plenty of stinky old milsurplus fans on here!
    Some would consider the smell to be a bonus.
    Last edited by Toad monitor; 4th August 2020 at 07:37.

  11. #11
    Leave it to air out in the sun, nothing can stink forever.

  12. #12
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Down south jukin
    Posts
    5,257
    Blog Entries
    1
    It’s not a watch roll it’s a wash kit roll.

    Isn’t it rubberised?

    I phoned Silvermans and told them what it is years ago,the bloke just laughed they know full well.

  13. #13
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    .
    Posts
    14,132
    Check out the RevO vintage rucksack thread - lots of posts there re getting rid of the canvas packed away for decades smell.

    Mrs V wouldn't allow mine in the house - had to keep it in the boot of the car. A couple of weeks on the washing line certainly helped matters though.

    Seem to me that once mould spores are in the fabric you can never really get rid of them.


    .

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Ascot, Berkshire, U.K.
    Posts
    1,014
    Quote Originally Posted by hughtrimble View Post
    I can't say I'm that surprised if it's a 65 year old piece of canvas that's been sitting unused for all that time in a storage area.

    See if you can just return it to them for a refund, perhaps contacting their customer services using another method?
    You would be lucky to get a refund as it has been washed.
    However, it's worth a try.

  15. #15
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    U.K.
    Posts
    257
    Wash in Detol washing disinfectant at 40' and then soak in a bowl with a baby's Milton sterilising tablet.

  16. #16
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Central Scotland
    Posts
    1,712
    Cheers for all the advice and suggestions guys.

    It’s not really rubberised and it doesn’t really feel waxed ( like a Barbour jacket does ) but it definitely smells like and old Barbour.

    I didn’t think about it whilst purchasing but did realise as soon as it arrived that it’s not really a watch roll. I assume it would be to store tent pegs or something similar but a wash kit makes sense. In reality it’s a bit too big for watches but would still do the job well enough if the smell subsides.

    In any case, If I don’t keep it, I’ll stick it on SC.

    Thanks

  17. #17
    Master Christian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    London
    Posts
    9,878
    Quote Originally Posted by wallyuk View Post
    Wash in Detol washing disinfectant at 40' and then soak in a bowl with a baby's Milton sterilising tablet.
    I'd be doing this too.

    Pretty wrong of CWC to be selling these without stating (a) they aren't watch rolls and (b) they stink. Its blatantly deceptive behaviour. You shouldn't have to make assumptions when buying something, it should be stated. Of course, if they did market these appropriately..."Old wash roll that has sat on the floor of a warehouse for half a century and now stinks so badly you can't ever get rid of the smell" then nobody would buy...better to market it with some vintage nostalgia about being better than modern products, stood the test of time etc so that people with too much money can wrap their Rolex collection in a stinky old rag whilst imagining they were in the army in 1950.
    Last edited by Christian; 4th August 2020 at 10:39.

  18. #18
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    North
    Posts
    18,931
    Blog Entries
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    Check out the RevO vintage rucksack thread - lots of posts there re getting rid of the canvas packed away for decades smell.

    Mrs V wouldn't allow mine in the house - had to keep it in the boot of the car. A couple of weeks on the washing line certainly helped matters though.

    Seem to me that once mould spores are in the fabric you can never really get rid of them.

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

    Freeze it for a few days

  19. #19
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Down south jukin
    Posts
    5,257
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    I'd be doing this too.

    Pretty wrong of CWC to be selling these without stating (a) they aren't watch rolls and (b) they stink. Its blatantly deceptive behaviour. You shouldn't have to make assumptions when buying something, it should be stated. Of course, if they did market these appropriately..."Old wash roll that has sat on the floor of a warehouse for half a century and now stinks so badly you can't ever get rid of the smell" then nobody would buy...better to market it with some vintage nostalgia about being better than modern products, stood the test of time etc so that people with too much money can wrap their Rolex collection in a stinky old rag whilst imagining they were in the army in 1950.
    they sold 58 large packs as motorcycle panniers (FYI from the 1958 webbing system no one liked them sodden when wet),old webbing as Falklands watch straps etc.

  20. #20
    Journeyman lexminute's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    USA/Asia
    Posts
    114
    Soak it in vinegar for 30 minutes (check first if the material won't badly react to the acid) then wash normally after, with baking soda for good measure. This trick works for my stinky gym clothes.

  21. #21
    I’d post it back with some filthy pants inside

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by verv View Post
    Freeze it for a few days
    This sometimes works on musty stuff. Bit of airing on the line doesn't hurt either.

  23. #23
    Master Christian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    London
    Posts
    9,878
    Quote Originally Posted by lexminute View Post
    Soak it in vinegar for 30 minutes (check first if the material won't badly react to the acid) then wash normally after, with baking soda for good measure. This trick works for my stinky gym clothes.
    Do you not end up with a vinegar smell?

  24. #24
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    London
    Posts
    10,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Christian View Post
    Do you not end up with a vinegar smell?
    Smelling like a bag of chips might be an improvement. :-)

    Vinegar does actually work to remove musty smells.
    I have used it on rugby kit left in my bag over the summer when it began to pong a bit.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information