When making a watch strap, it is important to use the correct materials. You want a strong material that will hold up to wear and tear. You also need to choose a strap that is appropriate for your wrist size.
First, find a strap that is at least 7.5cm long and fits the band on your watch. You can make the strap longer or shorter if you wish. You can also change the width of the strap to fit your watch case.
Now that you have a strap that is the right length, it is time to assemble it. This will require the use of a strap keeper and buckle.
If you are using a strap keeper, cut a piece of leather at 1cm wide and 7.5cm long. Measure and fold the strip of leather to ensure that it will fit your watch band. Next, punch a hole in one end of the strap so that it will accommodate the buckle.
The buckle needs to be about 1.75-2cm long and will accommodate a rivet at the end. This will help to secure the buckle in place.
Once the buckle is ready, place it over one end of the 2mm leather strap. Then, fold the other end of the strap over so that the buckle is centered on the buckle prong.
Next, use a 4mm punch to drill a hole in the center of the strap. Repeat this step for each strap, making sure to punch the buckle holes as you go along.
Alternatively, you can use the buckle to help you cut out the strap pieces. If you do this, make sure to use a utility knife so that you can cut the straps out without cutting into the leather.
You may also need a spring bar tool to help you remove the spring bar from your watch. This tool has a forked end that you can insert between the watch case and the spring bar. The forked end will catch the ridge of the spring bar and guide the spring bar inwards to remove it.
The watch straps you see on the market today are typically attached to wrist watches with spring bars. These small metal bars have ends that are sprung. They are used to keep the watch strap from sliding off your wrist.
For this process, you will need a spring bar tool (available here) or another thin device that you can insert between the lug and the spring bar. The forked end of the tool will catch the ridge of the spring bar, and you can use your dominant hand to press it inwards between the lug and the watch strap until the end of the spring bar is pushed out of the lug hole on the watch.
After that, you will need to use the tool to compress the other end of the spring bar and thread it through the lug hole on your new strap. This will create an oblong hole that will allow the bar to adjust as you put the watch on your wrist.
