# Strap Bodge



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

Hi all, not been on here for ages, but had the urge to get interested in my watches again.

Here is a Blue peter moment I had after buying a strap that would not fit my wrist.

I thort it would be fun to show you. Comments welcome good or bad 

Start: Needed a new strap to spruce up my Oris, found a nice Rubber finnished leather strap by Darlena 20 mm.










Fitted to watch but no good for my fat wrists.

Radical surgery was attemped to fit to the deployment clasp on the watch as follows.










and:










and cut a space for a spring bar in the leather.










Tied the stitching together, there was two strands on each side one above and one below so that made it easy ish.










A drop of rubber type glue on the threads to stop them unravelling.


----------



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

place a spring bar in the gap I made earlier, and sewed up the end with polyester thread, which will be rot proof and strong:










A bit rough, I'm sure I could do it better with a bit of practice, its not seen when you have the watch on so thats my excuse, I used a small needle so as to keep the holes small and leave some strength in the leather.

glue an off cut of the leather over the threads to protect then, I realise now it was not really needed.










and:










I'm sure this will be fine for me its not perfect and has its faults but all in all I can use the strap and it not bad looking when on the wrist

If you try this, do it at your own risk, I'm not taking any responsibility if your watch goes missing


----------



## luckywatch (Feb 2, 2013)

That looks a really neat job and thanks for posting it.


----------



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

luckywatch said:


> That looks a really neat job and thanks for posting it.


Your welcome. thanks for the encouragement, it looks ok in daylight, better than the photos. The hardest part was threading the needle as it turned out, I could have spent more time on lineing up the threads.

I liked the rubber finnish on the strap so I gave it a try.


----------



## Davey P (Sep 9, 2010)

This could start a whole new thread - "What's your biggest bodge..." I've got one or two that might be suitable!


----------



## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

no gaffa tape or wd40 involved so of course it isn't a proper bodge but a bloomin' good effort all the same :thumbup:


----------



## stew1982 (Aug 24, 2012)

That's the sign of a real man - when in doubt, just have a go. A good effort IMHO - who cares if under the clasps it's not "perfect", if it works it works!


----------



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

I was looking at straps and thort I had checked that it would fit, I looked at this and it just seemed to suit the watch, must have forgotten to check the length..

So I would not have the heart to send it back, the dealer was a small concern and has done his bit, so it was in the draw or take a shot at it, I'm pleased at the result, you would have not been able to see the result otherwise !!

It could be better, clamping the strap in a vice as a guide to sewing would help, if I could have found a piece of thin walled tube to make a path for the spring bar that could have been a possible improvement, but its what it is, I'm happy with it, I can use the strap.

I did not want to pay for an Oris strap they are more than I would like to pay.


----------



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

stew1982 said:


> That's the sign of a real man - when in doubt, just have a go. A good effort IMHO - who cares if under the clasps it's not "perfect", if it works it works!


Thanks for that, I had no idea if it would work, I've got the strap holes but thats character ! and I had to shave a tiny bit at the ends to fit.


----------



## bluespot (Aug 18, 2007)

Rotundus said:


> no gaffa tape or wd40 involved so of course it isn't a proper bodge but a bloomin' good effort all the same :thumbup:


Thats very true, Good bodges are hard to come by, what with all this high tech we have now. I'm takeing what I can get


----------



## Dr_Niss (Jan 4, 2011)

stew1982 said:


> That's the sign of a real man - when in doubt, just have a go. A good effort IMHO - who cares if under the clasps it's not "perfect", if it works it works!


+1 I love a good bodge :thumbup:


----------



## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

The end result looks really good , well done ;-)


----------

