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Strapmakers, What Kind of Leather for Strap Lining?

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14K views 5 replies 6 participants last post by  amacman  
#1 ·
Hey all,

Its been a LOOOONG time since i've been active on this site. I had to step away for a bit as the watch bug had bit too hard and I was spending too much on watches. But i'm sure thats a common theme among many of us :-d

Anyway, its also been a long time since my time making watch straps and i'm just getting back into it.

The technique I used for all my watch straps was simply taking a strip of leather and double folding it to get the loops. However, i'm looking at making a few straps with some exotics (croc belly mainly) where i'm going to need to use a piece of liner leather for the back side and skive the fold over piece and the lining to attach together. I know many other strapmakers here already use this technique for their straps and I'm wondering what type of leather they use for the lining?

Can i simply take some veg tan and use that for the lining on the croc belly? or should i be using something else? Any recommendations on weight of leather to use? I'm totally lost on it and can't seem to figure out what type of leather would be best.

I've attached a picture of one of my Ted Su straps to give you an idea of what i'm looking for...
(side question, any ideas on the size of thread being used here?)

Would love to hear some of your thoughts.
Thanks!
 

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#2 ·
I use a few different liners, depending on the top leather being used.

Typically it's full-grain pigskin, but occasionally I'll use kangaroo. My lining is usually very thin, less than 1 oz.. and I'll skive the end near the lugs to make it close to flush. Looks like Ted's is even thinner than what I use. I imagine it's thin upholstery leather, or maybe has been skived.

Can't help you with the thread - doesn't look like waxed linen to me, though.

Welcome back! =)
 
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#3 ·
I use a few different liners, depending on the top leather being used.

Typically it's full-grain pigskin, but occasionally I'll use kangaroo. My lining is usually very thin, less than 1 oz.. and I'll skive the end near the lugs to make it close to flush. Looks like Ted's is even thinner than what I use. I imagine it's thin upholstery leather, or maybe has been skived.

Can't help you with the thread - doesn't look like waxed linen to me, though.
Click to expand...
Good info.
 
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#4 ·
My favourites are lambskin and natural cork fabric, but I've used many other materials as liners. I polish my splitter up something fierce and I make the lambskins paper thin - well under 1oz. This gives all the comfort and none of the bulk, and top quality lambskin is very durable at a weight like that.

Your picture, I would wager it's lined with calfskin. Very popular for a lot of strap liners, and much more economical than lambshin, or pig, kangaroo, unicorn, whatever.

Those stitches are quite light, I would guess 2 ply.
 
A
#6 ·
Just depends on what me or the customer is in the mood for. Some of the things used include: lambskin, eel, calf, deerskin, kangaroo, and various chrome tanned leathers. Only the eel, and sometimes lambskin are used in the wights they come in, the rest rate all split down very thin.
 
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