Nick Mankey Designs Leather Ruler Watch Strap Discussions | Drop

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Nick Mankey Designs Leather Ruler Watch Strap

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Nick Mankey Designs Leather Ruler Watch Strap

May 3, 2017

While this looks nice when new, I've had similar thin leather-only watchbands on NATO thread-through-springpins style watchbands and once they get wet from sweat or washing hands, the leather starts to stretch lengthwise and shrink width-wise. This means that around the watch lugs, shrinkage causes unsightly gaps at edges on ends of springbars and gradual bending of the springbars under stress from the now too-small-from-shrinkage leather bands. Since this one has ruler marks on it, any change in leather dimensions (which WILL occur over a short time) is going to make the ruler parts pretty useless.
Regular higher quality leather watch bands (through buckle type attached directly to springsbars) are made from water repelling treated leather layers and then stitched together (often with a non-stretchy material sandwiched between leather layers) which help them retain their shape over time. Other leather watch bands tend to have a large thick piece going around wrist with smaller thin leather only to hold the watch to the thick leather wrist strap (like the old German Pilot styles). A thin leather-only "vegetable oil tanned" leather strap without any stitching or secondary material support like this band is going to be out of shape quickly (especially if you have a heavier watch that you keep tighter to keep from flopping around on the wrist.).
BTW, that review that says it wont stretch is full of crap. It WILL stretch and shrink as soon as you get it wet and wear it dry a couple of times. Just like the way all leather goods are stretched to fit things with water (like holsters with much thicker leather) a thin leather watch band will do the same.

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nmankey

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Nick Mankey Designs

May 3, 2017

AdamantinepiggyThanks for your thoughts. All of my straps are treated in a 3-stage process of oiling, waxing, and waterproofing on all sides. This particular leather also has really tight grain structure that resists stretching unlike most cheaper hides. And for additional reinforcement, I have been wearing mine pretty hard now for almost exactly two months, and all its done is learned the shape of my wrist, with little stretch to show. I would not recommend submerging any leather product, but these are more than happy to handle the occasional bout of water from doing dishes or washing hands (the case for most watch wearing folk). Thicker leather straps like you mention also completely lose on comfort in my experience. Every design will have tradeoffs; I just vastly prefer the arrangement I've arrived at, and think you and many others will enjoy it too.

SgtPepper

May 4, 2017

nmankeyHey Nick, I appreciate you hanging around the comments. I'm really interested to see how this changes with age. Could we could see some shots of your 2-month worn strap?