Introduction: The Art of Luxury Leathercraft: Handcrafting a Leather Watch Strap
About a year ago, I was at a job interview where I met a man who struck me with a certain charisma. He was wearing a perfectly fitted navy suit with a red silk tie. I could tell this was an expensive suit with how it draped over his torso and the lustre of the fabric as the light struck the fine twill cashmere.
Moments later, I caught a glimmer in the corner of my eye where I saw a rose gold Tissot dress watch adorning his wrist. The watch was striking with its guilloche dial but what really caught my eye was the strap attached to it.
I expressed my love for mechanical watches and I asked him about the strap and he said,
“Oh I’m glad you like it. This is a strap I had made just for me. It’s completely handmade.”
He let me take a closer look at it and the longer I looked at it the more the details revealed themselves. The alligator skin was soft and supple; the lining was just as plush. It wasn’t stiff like all the straps I had seen before, It felt like butter. The cream stitching contrasted beautifully with the brown alligator in a way unlike anything I had ever seen before. Each stitch was angled, streaming along the entire strap like a river bordering an oddly shaped island. The edges felt perfectly smooth, the shape elegantly tapered, and the rose gold deployment clasp shone brilliantly in the light.
I wanted to own that strap just as much as I wanted to own the expensive watch itself.
“It’s unlike any strap I’ve seen. You have excellent taste.” I replied as I handed it back.
After our little detour, we continued with the interview and then I shook his hand and left.
While I didn’t get the job, I left that interview with something more valuable… a seed planted in my mind that continued to grow into something bigger than I could have imagined.
I learned that day about the powerful impact our clothing has on other people and how it represents you as a person. I was simply moved by his entire ensemble.
A few days later while wandering through YouTube, I stumbled upon a video of a leather artisan making a brown alligator watch strap. “It can’t be the same one, surely.” I said to myself.
As he put the strap together step by step, the more it resembled that very strap from the interview, like when you’re anxiously waiting for the next lottery number to be announced where each number is yours. “It’s the same strap!” I exclaimed in disbelief.
And then it clicked. “Why not just make one myself?”
After numerous attempts, eventually, I managed to recreate that strap I saw on his wrist and make it my own. After all, that’s one of the wonderful things about bespoke: the freedom.
I now have written this article to share that knowledge and wisdom with you. This isn’t your average quick tutorial. This is a culmination of all the knowledge I have gained from extensive research and lots of experience over the last year, condensed into a single article. So you can skip skip past the countless hours I spent researching the craft, skip past all the mistakes along the way, and the dozens of slightly imperfect watch straps, and instead cut right to the end – make an excellently crafted watch strap on your first go.
First, I’m going to walk you through the basics so you will have a deeper understanding of the art, and then I’m going to show you, in detail, exactly how to create a gorgeous watch strap of your own.
So, strap in and let’s go!
Step 1: Contents
Step 2: Tools & Materials Guide
Step 3: What You Will Need
Step 4: Where to Buy Leather, Tools & Supplies
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Step 5: Setting The Stage
Step 6: The Beauty of Handmade
Step 7: Luxury Defined
Step 8: The Leather
Step 9: Watch Strap Styles
Step 10: Edge Finishing
Step 11: Hand Stitching
Step 12: What Makes A Good Watch Strap
Step 13: Leather Recommendations
Step 14: Colour Matching
Step 15: Tips
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Step 16: Making The Strap
Step 17: The Steps
Step 18: Initial Cuts & Assembly
Step 19: Stitching Prep
Step 20: Stitching
Step 21: Edge Finishing
Step 22: Making The Keepers
Step 23: Final Assembly
Step 24: Attaching Hardware
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Step 25: The End
Step 2: Tools & Materials Guide
The following is a list of all the common tools, materials and supplies used in leathercraft - what they do and how they are used. Below that is a list of the tools you will need for this project.
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Tool Guide
Pricking Iron/Diamond Chisel
Unlike when working with fabric, where the needle itself pierces the material, with leather the holes need to be created beforehand using a Pricking Iron/Diamond Chisel. This is essentially a glorified fork that has multiple prongs to create many holes at once. You simply line it up to the leather and hammer it through and repeat until you have a line of holes.
Edge Beveller
The edge beveller is used to round the edge by removing a tiny sliver of leather from the corner to essentially create a chamfer. This removes the sharp edges and provides a more finished look. Additionally, when sanding the edges of the leather, it causes it to mushroom out and so we must bevel the edges to neaten it back up.
Maul/Hammer
A hammer is used to hammer stuff. And a maul is used to… maul stuff? Actually, that sounds rather violent. A maul is used to hammer stuff. That sounds better.
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Knives:
There are quite a wide range of knives to choose from to cut your leather. The only thing you have to make sure is that it is razor sharp. The sharper the better.
Craft Knife (exacto knives)
A craft knife is probably the only knife you will need. I highly recommend Olfa’s Pro Art Knife. They are made in Japan and the blades are terrifyingly sharp. Do not let your guard down when handling it! Even the slightest pressure is enough to cut your skin. I speak from experience.
Rotary Cutter
This is a circular blade that cuts by rolling. Very useful for quickly cutting straight lines.
Professional Knives:
Head Knife
A head knife is a knife with a semi-circle blade and a wooden handle. This is the allrounder leathercraft knife. It can do pretty much everything you need it to. Straight cuts, round cuts, skiving, etc. They do have quite a learning curve though (no pun intended) and are trickier to sharpen so it’s best to buy this one when you’re serious about leathercraft.
Skiving Knife
A skiving knife is a smaller knife that is used to taper the thickness of the leather. Skiving is an extremely important technique to achieve a clean looking product. They reduce bulk and help control the final thickness of the leather. They are used to seamlessly bind one piece into another to create a smooth flowing profile.
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Leather Strop
A leather strop is used to polish a knife edge. When your blade begins to dull, these are used to bring the edge back up to peak sharpness again. It works by realigning the very tip of the knife edge to be perfectly straight again.
Ruler
Not much to explain about this one. Just a ruler. Though I would recommend a metal one with a non-slip base. This will be used to assist in cutting.
Vernier Callipers
Basically, a digital ruler. You’ll be using these heavily when making your watch strap. You’ll be constantly checking your widths at different areas to make sure you’re on target.
Hole Punches
These are used to punch the holes that the pin of the buckle will go through.
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Materials Guide
General:
Leather
The most important thing we’re going to need, of course, is actual leather. There are many types, but the best is Vegetable Tanned or Veg Tan, for short. I’ll go into full detail about leather in ‘The Leather’ section below.
Glue
Before we stitch, we often glue pieces together to ensure the stitches are perfectly lined up on both sides.
In leathercraft, we use a type of glue known as contact adhesive. This operates differently to the standard glues you’re used to. This glue needs to be applied on both sides of the leather and then pressed together, bonding on contact.
How it works is the glue sticks to the leathers, and then the glue sticks to the glue when the two leathers meet.
The pressure is what activates the glue, so we always press or hammer it after gluing.
Needles
Leather needles differ from regular needles. They’re not sharp but are instead rounded at the tip since the holes are already in the leather. They are known as “harness” needles and are specifically designed for leather.
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Thread
There are a variety of thread but there are 2 most commonly used ones:
Flat
The flat cable means that the thread will sit lower on the leather which can help with preventing friction wear. Flat threads appear bulkier and thus suit better for more casual applications.
Round
The round cable is basically the opposite. It sits ever so slightly higher but can be flattened down. The round cable gives a much classier look and pairs marvellously with fine leather goods.
Thread Materials:
Polyester
Polyester thread is basically thin strands of plastic woven into a thread. It is incredibly strong and resistant to wear.
Polyester has a natural sheen to it and can give the item a more rugged appearance.
Linen
Linen is a natural product and due to the structure of the strands/fibers, linen thread is a little weaker and less resistant to wear. With too much friction, the thread can fray.
Despite these drawbacks however, linen thread simply looks stunning on any item. It offers a finer look, and all the high end handmade leather goods use linen thread because of its classy look.
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Spring Bars
These are what allow you to attach the strap to the watch. They slide into the hole at the top of the strap and then the strap is inserted into the watch using a spring bar tool.
You can get the regular ones or quick release ones. The quick release is much newer to the market and are really useful for allowing you to change out your bands instantly. If you have 3 or 4 quick release straps, you can effortlessly change them out by the day to match your outfit.
Spring Bar Tool
As mentioned above, this is used to install the strap onto the watch.
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For The Edges
Burnishing Agent
Whether it’s water, gumtrag, or tokonole, these are burnishing agents that basically help fuse the exposed fibers of the leather together to create a perfectly smooth surface.
Edge Paint/Lacquer
Another way to finish the edge is with a nice layer of paint. The paint tends to be more elastic since we can’t have it cracking when the strap bends. Multiple layers are added one at a time until a perfectly smooth edge appears. This is a very time consuming step. Therefore, you only see this on the higher end of leather goods.
Sandpaper
Sandpaper is used to smooth surfaces to prep them for gluing, burnishing or painting.
Step 3: What You Will Need
You don’t need everything on the list above so I’ve made a list below of the ones you do need.
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Tools
➺ Pricking Iron/Diamond Chisel (2 Prong & 6-12 Prong)
➺ Edge Beveller
➺ Maul/Hammer
➺ Craft Knife (exacto knives)
➺ Ruler
➺ Vernier Callipers
➺ Hole Punches
➺ Spring Bar Tool
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Materials
➺ Veg Tan Leather
➺ Glue (contact adhesive)
➺ Harness Needles
➺ Thread (0.4mm – 0.6mm)
➺ Spring Bars
➺ Burnishing Agent (gumtrag or Tokonole)
Step 4: Where to Buy Leather, Tools & Supplies
UK:
There are numerous other sites you can buy from in the UK but for smaller pieces, these guys have the best selection.
Another excellent place is www.aacrack.co.uk but they sell their leather as larger hides and for a watch strap, you hardly need an entire hide.
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USA:
https://districtleathersupply.com
If you’re in the USA, however, then you’re incredibly lucky because there are tons of excellent sources for leathercraft. All the biggest leathercraft suppliers are in the USA.
A few of these places do ship internationally but shipping to the UK costs an arm and a leg, and then on top of that the import taxes cost another arm and a leg… leaving you with no arms, no legs, and no wallet. The sacrifice is yours.
I am typing this with my face.
Step 5: Setting the Stage
Why Make A Watch Strap? A Watch Strap is The Ultimate Test of Skill
Creating a watch strap is much more refined and intimate than a wallet. You have to be incredibly precise, you have almost no room for error and it requires a good amount of finesse to make an excellent one.
As of this moment, you might not be able to make an excellent watch strap now, but by the end of this guide you will know exactly how to achieve it. All that remains then is the execution. Take your time, follow these steps and you will have made something that will impress yourself and your friends and family.
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My First Straps Compared To A Cheap Strap From Amazon
As you can see in this picture, the left and middle were the first watch straps I ever made. You can compare the difference between the two. At first glance, mine look pretty passable!
Step 6: The Beauty of Handmade
About a month ago, I made an alligator watch strap for a friend of mine and whenever I bump into him and I see it on his wrist, I light up a little inside. It feels great to have someone wearing something you made with your own hands…
A handmade item is much more thoughtful and personal. When you buy a handmade item, it creates a direct connection between you and the person who made it; two people on opposite sides of the planet connected through that item. It makes you feel special, noticed, and appreciated because that person made it specifically for you.
It is just as special a feeling from the perspective of the artisan who made it. To create something from their bare hands for another person to proudly wear. Each time the artisan creates something, it contains a part of them within it, which is carried by those who purchase it. Knowing that they are walking around with a manifestation of your creativity and excellence. It feels comforting, appreciated, eternalising.
So, when you create something for yourself, it is all of these things combined. It gives you a sense of passion and a healthy pride to wear it. You know the effort you put into creating it and that is something deserving of a little celebration.
Step 7: Luxury Defined
Luxury is not a specific look, but a level of skill used to make the item. Nor is luxury limited to just formal wear. Even casual styles can be luxurious. It’s all about the execution. Something is luxurious when it is done with such great skill, that it becomes expensive because not everyone can do it.
With this philosophy in mind, we can create whatever we want and make it luxurious. So, it’s not so much luxury that’s the focus, but ensuring we apply our best effort to skilfully craft our goods.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the specifics of a watch strap.
Step 8: The Leather
Veg Tan
Veg tan, short for ‘vegetable tanned’, is a type of leather that is tanned using the tannins from natural sources like bark and other organic materials. It is a centuries old process and many tanneries today are still producing it the exactly same way as our ancient ancestors used to. I guess that’s where the colour tan gets its name from. Huh… never noticed that before. It must have come about from the light yellow-brown colour the leather turns when tanned this way.
Some leathers can take 6 months to tan, and some can even take 10 months!
Veg tan leather is preferred in leathercraft because it has the longevity and durability that we need. It also allows you to retain the natural character of the leather which really adds depth to the colour in a way that really pleases the eye.
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Chrome Tanned
Chromium tanned was developed as a way to mass produce leather. All your leather furniture, from your sofa to the car seat is chrome tanned. So is the leather jacket in your closet.
Instead of natural materials like bark, this method uses chromium to tan the leather. It gives a super supple feel to the leather which is perfect for car seats and sofas so your butt is comfy, but with smaller leather goods, it becomes as useful as a tent made with wet noodles. We need something sturdier for that.
One of the downsides of Chrome tanned leather is that some people are allergic to the chemicals used in the process.
Nevertheless, chrome tanned leather does have its uses and there’s a reason why its so much more prevalent than veg tan.
Step 9: Watch Strap Styles
There are 2 most common leather watch strap styles, the ‘Lined & Raised’, and the flat style.
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Lined & Raised
This is a much more challenging style of watch strap to execute. The inclusion of a filler piece for the top layer to mould around introduces a level of complexity. Aligning the filler to be exactly in the centre of the strap is particularly challenging, but with intelligent execution, it can be done easier and the end result is far superior.
This style is the only one you’ll find the top watch brands offering along with their watches. It is the most sophisticated and dressy look, especially with crocodile leather. The reason for that is the raised profile of the strap really makes it look more dynamic and gives it more life as the lights bounces off the gentle curves of the strap.
Flat
This is when there is no filler and 2 layers of leather are simply glued together. It’s much quicker to complete than the above and is a more casual option. Because there is no ‘3D’ look that the padded style above gives, this strap looks much plainer. It’s great for more casual watches where the main priority is functionality. This is the one we’re going to be making.
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The Taper:
Now we will take a look at the outer shape profile of the watch: how the shape changes from the top of the strap, down to the bottom. This makes a huge difference in the feel of the watch overall and the vibe it projects as it sits on your wrist.
Large Taper
A large taper is when the width at the top of the strap is noticeably larger than the width at the bottom.
This creates the most elegant look as it portrays a subtle curve on the sides of the strap as it narrows down and reduces the bulk, giving it a very sophisticated and classy appearance.
Small Taper/No Taper
A smaller taper is one that narrows less and makes the strap appear chunkier, width-wise. This tends to the casual side of things. It can offer a more utilitarian and functional look. Perfect for everyday wear.
Ultimately it depends on the style of the watch itself. If it’s a dressier watch with a cleaner dial, it would best be paired with a nicely tapered strap.
If it’s a utilitarian watch, such as a pilot watch or a field watch, then the no taper design would suit better. Both can be lined and raised. Personal preference.
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Clasps and Buckles:
The most common of the two is definitely the buckle.
The issue with the buckle is the tremendous wear and tear it imparts onto the strap each time you put it on and take it off. You’re constantly bending and stressing the leather as you pull it to put the pin in or out and over time this definitely shows. You can see a noticeable bend around the hole that gets used the most.
The deployment clasp prevents this entirely because you set it once and leave it there. You simply slide the clasp over the desired hole and click it in place. Done. You never have to deal with the holes again.
Step 10: Edge Finishing
The edge of the leather is like the cross section of the leather. You can see all the layers of the fibers from the top grain to the ‘flesh’ (fuzzy side). An unfinished edge looks like you gave up just before the end.
The edge of the leather is on display almost as much as the surface of it. A poorly done edge sticks out like a crow in snow. You can spot it from a mile away. That is why the edge is a big deal in the leathercraft world. On reddit, a lot of the top posts are just photos of a beautifully finished edge. It takes a lot of time and when you put that time in, people respect and appreciate that.
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There are 3 types of edges, in order of lowest difficulty:
The Burnished Edge
This is by far the easiest method and beginners always start with this one. It teaches you the basic discipline of acquiring a good edge.
The burnished edge is when the exposed fibers on the edge of the leather are sanded and then fused together using heat and friction. You simply get some spread some burnishing solution along the edge, grab a wood slicker and go back and forth until you get a smooth edge. the constant rubbing motion creates heat and presses the fibers flat. This also creates a gorgeous sheen and shows the actual leather because it’s not covered by the edge lacquer, if that’s what you’d prefer.
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The Lacquered Edge
This is when multiple coats of coloured lacquer or paint are applied to the edge. It can be quite tricky to get a clean edge with this method, especially when multiple layers are involved because the lacquer very easily shows any tiny imperfections on the edge.
You apply a first coat, wait for it to dry, sand it until it’s nice and smooth, then apply another layer, and wait to dry. You repeat this until you get a perfectly smooth edge.
This process usually takes hours because you have to wait for each layer to dry before you can sand it and apply another. It usually takes 30 minutes to an hour for each coat to dry.
The lacquered edge is usually only seen on higher end leather goods. Hermes, for example, use edge lacquer for their watch straps. Many high end leather bag manufacturers also use edge lacquer. It gives the best look, in my opinion. You end up with a gorgeous satin sheen and perfectly captures the light.
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The Turned Edge
This is the most difficult to do well. A turned edge is when the ends of the leather is thinned, folded back over and glued. This method allows the top grain to also be the edge itself, creating a very smooth and blended transition from the surface to the edge.
Step 11: Hand Stitching
Hand stitching is the final touch where the quality of a watch strap really comes out. How well the stitches are placed is everything. Consistency is the most important factor. You can stitch in whatever style you like, but if each stitch doesn’t look like the next, it’s going to look amateurish.
The goal is to create a perfect stitch as if it was done by machine but done by hand.
This is why handmade goods are so expensive. The people who make them are so good at what they do, that they make them as good as a machine could, and oftentimes even better. Not to mention how much longer it takes to hand stitch.
And that’s something to note about the “handmade” title. A handmade item that’s done poorly shouldn’t be marketed at the same price as true handmade goods, simply based on the fact that it was “handmade”. The value comes from the quality, not the title.
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This is really my favourite part out of the entire process. After the intense concentration during the cutting stage where the slightest slip can completely ruin your piece, you get to just relax and sink into the rhythm of each stitch like landing on a pillow of clouds. My mind quietens down and I almost enter a meditative state. It’s my reward for all the hard work before it.
Step 12: What Makes a Good Watch Strap
There are a number of details that can make or break the quality of a watch strap. When you think about it, a watch strap is a very small item. So, the small details become much bigger. A human compared to a whale is tiny, but compared to a dog, humans are much bigger.
The main thing that determines the quality of a good strap is how much attention the artisan paid on each stage of the construction. In particular, the cutting, edge finishing and stitching.
A good watch strap is one where the shape is perfectly cut; smooth curves and perfectly straight lines.
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Uniform Stitching
A good watch strap has uniform stitching. Machines can create the exact same stitch every single time, but if a person can achieve the same consistency, then they are truly good at what they do.
This all comes down to the amount of tension when pulling the thread tight, the angle it is pulled at, etc. all of this comes from countless hours spent stitching to find the perfect amount to pull.
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Glassy Edge
A good watch strap has a glassy looking edge. Whether it was burnished or edge painted, the edge should be completely smooth and should almost look like coloured opaque glass. It should have a lovely sheen to it. Creating the ultimate glass edge takes a lot of elbow grease and time.
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Precise Dimensions
Additionally, the precision of the dimensions also determines a good quality strap. If the strap is made to fit a 20mm lug width watch, then the strap should be within 0.2mm of 20mm.
Step 13: Leather Recommendations
I would recommend some veg tan leather for both the top and bottom side. It’s much easier to cut, sand, burnish and work with in general. Chrome tan is too soft to burnish and stretches with the knife, preventing clean cuts. I’ve found that unless you cut the initial cut 100% on the first go, you’re going to have a hard time trying to even it out. Chrome tan is better suited for other items, in my opinion.
I highly recommend Buttero leather from Conceria Walpier tannery in Tuscany, Italy. It is simply gold in terms of leather quality. It looks gorgeous, smells incredible, cuts like a dream and makes your watch strap look clean as hell.
It also has an 8/10 firmness level, so it’ll hold up really well at the thinner levels which makes it much easier to cut. The more supple leathers just collapse like fabric when you thin them below a certain thickness become stretchy and you lose some strength, which isn’t ideal for a watch strap.
If you can’t find Buttero, then find any veg tan that has a firm temper and is around 1mm thick. Avoid distressed leathers like ‘pull up’ since those tend to be stretchier since the fibres have been loosened so much.
You can buy some A3/A4 panels too if you don’t want to buy a half or full hide, and to save money.
Step 14: Colour Matching
Colours are an incredibly important yet overlooked part of the process. Different colours invoke different feelings within us when we see them. You can have a bigger impact depending on the colour you choose. It’s another way for the artisan to connect with whoever lays their eyes on it. It also speaks about your personality as you wear it.
The standard is to go dyed on the top in your chosen colour, and natural (undyed leather) on the bottom layer. The light beige natural offers a nice contrast with the top layer. It’s the industry standard because some people are allergic to the dyes in the leather, so it’s left completely untreated.
The two most important colours to consider are the top leather and the thread.
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Here are some good rules of thumb:
➺ If you want to go conservative, match the stitching to the leather.
➺ If you want to bring some subtle life to your strap, add a contrasting white or cream thread.
➺ If you want to go bold, use more striking colour combinations like black and red, navy and orange, or blue and red, etc.
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Colour Recommendations
Formal:
➺ Crocodile (brown, black or burgundy) with matching stitching
➺ Burgundy with matching stitching
➺ Black with matching stitching
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Smart Casual
➺ Crocodile (brown, black or burgundy) with Cream Stitching
➺ Mid Brown with Cream Stitching
➺ Burgundy or Wine with Cream Stitching
➺ Casual: Tan with Cream Stitching
➺ Sport: Navy with Orange Stitching
Step 15: Tips
Practice With Some Scrap Leather
You can buy low grade cheap leather, ensuring it’s at the right thickness, and make your first piece with that. It doesn’t even have to be a dyed leather.
Cut With Seam Allowance
A common cutting technique in leathercraft is to assemble and glue the pieces together, and then make your final cut. When you have multiple layers of leather to glue together, it’s extremely difficult to get a true perfectly flush alignment on the edge. You can sand it down but that requires extra work that can be avoided.
You can achieve a far better result simply by leaving an extra 10mm on each piece and then cutting it off at the end.
Use A Craft Knife
To go around curves, a craft knife offers the best control because you hold it like you would a pencil. With a utility knife, you hold it more like you would a sword or a tennis racket and that offers less dexterity.
Use Round Punches For Cutting Corners
To cut corners (both literally and figuratively) you can use a corner punch to get perfectly consistent results in a shorter amount of time.
Make Multiple Passes When Cutting
Instead of trying to cut through all layers of the leather in one go, as a beginner, it’s often easier to make multiple lighter cuts over the same section. A good way to think about this is: the less pressure you have to apply, the more control you have. The more pressure, the less control.
Roughen Areas Before Gluing
Before applying your glue to a smooth leather, rough it up a bit by scraping with a knife or with sandpaper so that the glue has something to grab onto.
Step 16: Making the Strap
The watch strap we’re making is a lined and flat strap with contrast cream stitching. The top is a ‘Glazed Harness’ in Burgundy from Wickett & Craig. A US tannery known for their veg tan leather since 1867.
The lining is ‘Buttero’ in Natural from Conceria Walpier. A tannery in Tuscany, Italy. This region is home to the absolute best leathers in the world and their Buttero leather is world famous.
The thread used is Fil Au Chinois Lin Cable from Sajou. A natural linen thread made in Lille, France since the 1800s. This thread is widely regarded as the ultimate thread and is a favourite of the best leather artisans in the world.
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Leather Thickness
Since a watch strap is such a small item, sizes become really important. They need to be precise.
One such size of importance is the thickness of the leather.
Ideally, you want both layers to be 1mm each. The final thickness would be 2mm. If you’re making a raised strap, then the filler can be 1.5mm thick, making the final thickness 3.5mm.
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The Pattern
In leathercraft parlance, the pattern is simply the template you use to cut your shape out of the leather.
The easiest method is to print the pattern off (onto card), cut the card to the shape, tape it to the leather, and start cutting.
If you don’t have a printer then you can use some grid paper to draw it instead which is what I do.
I’ve found that a nice shortcut when you don’t have a printer is to simply mark the corners of the shape using the round awl, then stick that sheet to the leather, and create the same marks on the leather through the paper. You can then remove the paper and use a ruler to join the dots on the leather itself. This saves you from having to cut the pattern out itself.
This trick is especially useful for watch straps which requires precision down to the 0.2mm. Even being 1mm out or in will throw everything off and make the following steps harder.
If you don’t cut the pattern from the card exactly, then when you draw it on the leather, it’ll also be inaccurate.
You can also download patterns:
Step 17: The Steps
Initial Cuts & Assembly
1a. Cut The Leather
1b. Cut Lining Side
1c. Cut Out The Keepers
1d. Cut The Strap Out Of Your Strip Of Leather
1e. Skive The Flaps (The Ends That Fold Around The Back)
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Stitching Prep
2a. Sand The Edges
2b. Mark Your Stitching Line
2c. Punch Your Stitching Holes
2d. Crease The Edge (Optional)
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Stitching
3a. Stitch The Watch Strap
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Edge Finishing
4a. Finish The Edge
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Making The Keepers
5a. Make The Keepers
5b. Measure The Keepers Around Both Watch Straps And Cut To Length
5c. Skive Edges And Glue Together. Then Stitch Together
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Final Assembly
6a. Fold And Glue The Top Flaps
6b. Attaching The Fixed Keeper
6c. Cut The Flaps To Length
6d. Fold And Glue Bottom Flap Over Keeper
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Attaching Hardware
7a. Insert Spring Bars
7b. Attach The Buckle Or Deployment Clasp
Step 18: Initial Cuts & Assembly
1a. Cut The Leather
This is how leather artisans cut our leather:
1. We begin by placing the pattern onto the leather and marking it along the perimeter using a scratch awl.
2. Once we have our outlines scratched onto the leather, we remove the pattern.
3. But we don’t start cutting away the outlines just yet, instead, we roughly cut out the entire section containing the outlines from the hide (unless it’s already a small piece).
4. Cutting outside the outlines gives us the ability to glue the pieces first and make one final cut at the end so that the glued edges are lined up perfectly (this is incredibly important for a beautiful looking edge).
5. Thus, once we have glued the pieces together, we then cut around the actual outline, ensuring we’re cutting straight down and not at an angle.
Now in the same manner, you’re going to cut out 6 pieces of leather in total:
Long Side: Top and Lining,
Short Side: Top and Lining,
And 2 keepers.
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1b. Cut Out The Linings
1c. Cut Out The Keepers
1d. Cut The Strap Out Of Your Strip Of Leather
Take your knife and cut along the lines you scratched onto them earlier. Take your time and go slowly, making sure your knife is perfectly aligned. You can also use a ruler to keep straight lines.
I find it easier to just freehand the cuts. Spend some time cutting straight lines on a scrap piece of leather. Grab a ruler and mark some straight lines onto the leather. Then cut along the line without the ruler. It only takes a few minutes to get the hang of it.
I find that the ruler can easily slip, and the cork backed rulers raise the ruler off the ground making lining it up tricker. You need the utmost accuracy and freehand can get you there.
Once you’ve cut it out, measure the width and make sure it’s 20mm at the top and 16mm at the end of the taper (or whatever widths you’re using for your particular watch).
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Alternative Method:
An alternative method is to cut the final shape after you’ve glued the top leather to the lining. This method is utilising the ‘seam allowance’ tip above. It means less time sanding but cutting thicker leather is more difficult and you need to cut at a perfect 90° angle to have a clean looking edge.
With practice this method is better, but for now, the above method will teach you the necessary discipline of sanding and proper alignment.
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1e. Skive The Flaps (the ends that fold around the back)
Now we need to thin the leather at the top so that they have a sleeker profile when folded over and blend into the strap. It should be paper thin at the edges. The simplest way to do this is to take an extremely sharp knife and slowly peel thin layers off until you reach the desired thickness.
This is quite a time consuming process so you can instead just skive the sides so that at least the edges of the flaps are paper thin and leave the middle.
An even easier method is using a French Skiver. This tool was specifically designed to thin leather and can achieve the same job in seconds.
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1f. Glue Lining to Top Layer
Now we need to glue the lining panels to the straps that we cut out. Line up the top edge of the lining to the start of the flap. This isn’t at the top of the very watch strap, because that is where the leather will fold over the lining. So the lining must be placed at the un-skived area.
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1g. Cut Final Outline
Use the edge of the top layer as a guide to cut the lining to shape.
Step 19: Stitching Prep
Before we can stitch, we must first do a few things to ensure the neatest possible stitching.
If we’re edge painting, then what we will do is mark our stitching line first because the next step would otherwise ruin the edge paint.
If you decide to burnish (much easier and cheaper) then it doesn’t matter as much, so you can stitch before you burnish.
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2a. Sand The Edges
Now you need to sand the edges. This step creates a smooth and straight edge. This is very important in achieving a clean looking stitch. If your stitch line is wonky, so will be your stitches.
So, grab a nail file or some low grit sandpaper (400 grit) and sand until it feels straight and smooth as you run your finger along the edge. Right now, we are only creating the base of the edge. Later, we will use finer sandpaper to get it ready for burnishing/painting.
You will notice that the corners start mushrooming. This will be taken care of later by bevelling the edges.
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2b. Mark Your Stitching Line
Take the callipers and set it to 2.75mm. Drag along the edge of the leather and mark the entire edge of the strap. I like to just use my vernier callipers to mark the line.
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2c. Punch Your Stitching Holes
You can then punch your stitching holes using the pricking iron/diamond chisel. Make sure that you hold the diamond chisel in the same position each time you punch a set of holes. If it’s angled slightly off, then the rear will look all jagged. The aim is to achieve the same 2.75mm distance on both sides.
This can be a tricky area because the pricking irons are pushing the leather out of the way and sometimes, even if you’re holding it straight, the teeth can shift sideways as you punch it through. The thicker the leather, the tricker.
Grab some thick scrap leather, mark a stitch line and learn how the pricking iron behaves. Make sure you strike it with the hammer as flat as possible.
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2d. Crease The Edge (optional)
This is an optional step and makes the watch strap look much better when it does have a lined edge. It’s like an accent line that gives the stitches more character. However, it’s not necessary.
In this case, I’ve picked a 1.5mm edge creaser. This gives enough room so that its visible enough while not running over the stitching.
Heat the creaser using a lighter, align it to the edge, and carefully drag along the edge.
If you’re not careful, the creaser will slip and create an unsightly horizontal line. If this happens, you can use the flat side and carefully press it out. The heat should mould the leather flat.
Step 20: Stitching
This is where the strap really begins to come together.
3a. Stitch The Watch Strap
Place the strap in the stitching pony and begin saddle stitching. Saddle stitching would require a tutorial in of itself, so I haven’t shown you how to here, but I recommend this video to learn how:
How to Saddle Stitch:
By J.H.Leather
The stitching I used here is called the Rope stitch which is an advanced stitch. I like the look of it better, but you should start with the classic saddle stitch before jumping to fancier stitch patterns.
Step 21: Edge Finishing
4a. Finish The Edge
Edge finishing is the final touch to really elevate your piece. There’s even a community within the leathercraft community solely devoted to edge finishing. Artisans will experiment with techniques to achieve the nicest finish and share it on reddit.
You can either spend a little time on it, or a long time. But the difference in results between the two is substantial.
Things can be sped up with electric burnishers, but it was classically done by hand.
As for edge painting, it was invented to speed up the edge finishing process, but today, it can take longer than burnishing and has become a luxury feature, only seen on the highest level of leather goods.
The Birkin bag by Hermes is one such example.
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To Burnish The Edge
i. To burnish the edge, bevel both edges to round it off. Sand with 600 grit to create a make it perfectly round and then polish with 1200 grit.
ii. Now dye the edge. You can either use leather dye or just use a marker. As a beginner, I’d recommend a marker because leather dyes are nasty stuff. You need proper ventilation and gloves to perform it safely. A marker saves all that hassle.
iii. Apply a light amount of your chosen burnishing agent, (water, gumtrag, Tokonole, or saddle soap), and then take the wood slicker and rub the leather back and forth against one of the grooves until you see a nice and even sheen develop.
iv. Then repeat with a canvas cloth or denim. The textured surface of the cloth creates a lot of heat which further fuses the fibers and increases the lustre.
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To Paint The Edge:
i. To paint the edge, bevel and sand the edges as above. Then thin add a layer of paint and spread it evenly across the entire edge. You can use anything really thin to apply the paint, such as an awl or bamboo skewer.
ii. Now let it dry.
iii. After 30 minutes, lightly sand the edge and add another layer of paint. Wait to dry.
iv. Repeat until you have a clean and smooth looking edge. anywhere between 3-6 layers, depending on the brand of paint.
Step 22: Making the Keepers
The Keepers
These are basically your belt loops to hold the strap in place. One of them will be a fixed keeper and the other one will be a floating keeper. You can have both of them floating but it’s more functional to have one fixed.
They will both be attached to the short side of the strap.
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5. Make The Keepers
For an alligator strap, the keepers are skived and then folded over, essentially creating a turned edge. This is because the skin is softer and won’t be rigid enough to hold up.
But for regular leather the keeper edges can simply be burnished, or edge lacquered and then attached. So, do that.
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5a. Measure The Keepers Around Both Watch Straps And Cut To Length
Now we need to find the perfect length for the keepers for your particular strap.
Grab your straps and stack them on top of each other. The long side over the short side.
Make sure the bottom ends of the two straps are facing each other, to replicate how they would sit once finished.
Now wrap the keeper over the straps and overlap the keeper by 10mm. Mark where the keeper ends.
Place the bottom end of the long strap over the bottom end of the short strap and then use the scratch awl to mark where the two intersect. Create the same mark on the underside.
Trim off the excess.
Repeat these steps for the floating keeper. Bear in mind that the floating keeper will be ever so slightly larger than the fixed keeper. This is because the fixed keeper is pressed flat against the lining of the strap and therefore sits higher.
You can gently stretch the keeper once it is constructed if it’s too tight.
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5b. Skive Edges And Glue Together. Then Stitch Together
You want to skive the top side of one end and then flip the keeper over and skive the flesh side of the other end. This is so the two ends can meet and sit seamlessly atop each other.
Now glue these faces together.
Then you want to create 3 stitching holes along that joint and saddle stitch to secure it.
Step 23: Final Assembly
6a. Fold And Glue The Top Flaps
Cut the top flaps down to 20mm. Except we can’t just glue it yet because is slightly too wide.
Dry fit the top flaps and then trim off the excess width so that it sits perfectly flush with the strap.
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6b. Attaching The Fixed Keeper
Once you have your loop created, slide it over the bottom flap and glue the bottom of the loop to the lining of the strap.
Place it 10mm in.
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6c. Fold And Glue Bottom Flap Over Keeper
You can trim the bottom flap down to expose the lining. It needs to be at least 25mm in length.
You can get creative with this step and cut out patterns and shapes.
I’ve gone for a shield inspired design.
Glue and fold the flap over the back and over the keeper. Use a bone folder to press the flap into the strap.
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6e. Punch the holes
Punch some 2mm holes into the long side. Place them 5mm apart.
Step 24: Attaching Hardware
Congratulations. The crafting portion of your watch strap is
now complete. All that is left now is to attach the hardware.
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7a. Insert Spring Bars
Slide the spring bars into the holes at the top.
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7b. Attach The Buckle or Deployment Clasp
They both attach in the same way, more or less. If you’re using a buckle, you’re going to need a small cut out in the end of the strap for the pin to fit through.
Simply slide in a spring bar and slide it into the holes on the buckle or clasp.
Step 25: The End
Welcome to the end. I hope you enjoyed this guide. You now know everything you need to know about making your own watch strap. A lot of the techniques used here can also be used to make other things. Wallets, bags, clutches, purses, you name it.
One of the reasons I love leathercraft is being able to make whatever I want. There’s a certain freedom in being able to create something that you can use on a moment’s notice. Going on a trip soon? Make yourself a leather weekender bag. Want a sturdier shopping bag? Make a leather tote bag. Want to organise your desk a little? Make a leather valet tray.
So go out there and make whatever you want, knowing that you’re following in the footsteps of our ancestors who first started using leather thousands of years ago.