Hermes Watch Bands is one of best straps we ever use, its good touch, strong and design make them widely use in some famous watch brand. However, it’s also very expensive to most of people, at least for most people that are not rich, their price ranged from $100 to $400, for me, it’s unafforabe. Today, i teach you how to make same hermes watch bands by only $15, maybe less！
By this way, you can make any size or any pattern leather craft you want to , if you have time.
Assumes you have the tools for working with leather. The main things you will need are:
- Leather
- Cutting mat
- Cutting tool
- Cutting edge
- Leather punch
- Needle
- Suitable thread
- Watch hardware (buckle and spring bars)
Leather can be stocked some different pattern if you like, in the future , you can make a new watch straps the same way when anyone damaged.
Natural | Thin Horween Leather Watch Band | Hemsut
$25.99
Ok, let’s begin!
Step 1 – Select The Leather
Chamonix calf is the material of hermes watch band, their strong capacity is 6-7 times of cheap leather, that must be one of the reason make it expensive. But Chamonix calf is calf, you can still get very good leather from leather market, cheaper and better. First thing, select the patten of leather you like,
Step 2 – Measure Your Lugs & Then Cut Leather To Size
You shall simply need to measure the inside size of your watches lugs. Typically this is done in millimeters. For example, the distrance of my watch lugs is 22mm, and 22mm watch bands are what i request.
Please note there is no standard as men’s watches typically range from 18 – 22mm (which on a strap is about a mile difference for strap size), and can be more or less. So always double check!
Cut two straps of leather, their size is about two times longer than each of the two-pieces watch straps, in additional to the fold part, the two strap must be extra 3cm. For example, if the two pieces watch straps size is 80*120mm, then two strap you cut should be 80*2+30mm and 120*2+30mm, can be longer if you want to make sure no issue when you process it.
Step 3: Cut the middle straps
In order to make the strap stronger and more thicker, we need to cut a smaller strap and then cover by the strap we just cup, the size can be half than the one you are going to put and less width.
Like the previous picture, clue this small piece in the middle of the straps and fold over, the glue must be average to every place of the straps, make sure the small pieces glue very good to the long straps, press it with tools if necessary.
Step 4: line the edge and Cutting the End
Press the edge line for the next steps by tool and then cut the extra leather, make sure the tool would not scratch the leather, Tracing the line for stitch hole and after then finish the edge.
Step 5: Stitching Holes
Determine how far apart you would like the stitches. Longer stitches should be used in larger projects, with the stitch distance scaling down with the size of the project. Mark the stitches using the tool you chose scaled appropriately to your project.
Place the points of the diamond hole punch along your stitching line. Hold it firmly in place with one hand, while you use the other hand to hammer onto the top of the iron to puncture holes in the leather to stitch through. If you need more stitching marks than the length of the iron, place the end prong in the last mark to keep the spacing even and continue hammering along your stitching line until you have enough marks to complete your project.
Step 6: Time to Sew!
Sewing is most important steps in watch band making, there is different sewing way. now the best and most stronger way is Double-Stitches
Push one needle from the front of the project to the back. The needle should fit easily through the hole you have created. Push it all the way through every layer of leather and draw it completely out the back side.
Center the thread. Pull both needles out the the side until the center of the thread is in the first hole. Draw both needles upward and match to points to make sure the thread is centered.
Begin your first stitch. Push the front needle from front to back through the second hole. Once the majority of the needle is through the hole, place your other needle below it so that you can grab the stitching needle with your thumb and forefinger the pull it the rest of the way through the hole.
Complete the stitch. Take the second needle which you had placed on the bottom of the other needle, turn it toward the project and push it back to front through the bottom of the same hole the first needle just came through.
When drawing this second needle out of the front, feed some of the original thread already in the hole out in the same direction you are pulling the needle. This will ensure that you do not puncture the thread.
If you do puncture the thread, draw the needle back out of the thread, then back through the bottom of the hole.
Pull the stitch tight. Gently tug outward on both ends of the thread to tighten the stitch before moving on to the next hole. You should have an even amount of thread on both sides. Pull slightly up on the back thread and slightly down on the front thread.
Repeat this stitching process until you have reached the end of your seam. Always start from the front of the project with the first needle.
At the end, leave about 1-2cm and cut the stitch, finish the end with lighter and then finish the sewing.
Step 7: Edge Finishing and hole punck
After finish stitch, you’d better finish the edge as well in order to better wear in the future, or it might scratch your skin.
In order to make a hole on the watch bands, a leather hole punch is by far the best tool. These typically cost less than $10 US at a craft or hobby store.
There are many option size by the punch tools, to compare the size of the punch with the size of the existing holes of the band you already have, you can use the suitable size. If you have many belts to adjust, look for a rotary model with a wheel of attachments in different sizes.
Steps 8: Finish another leather
Repeat the same way of the first straps, the only different place is how to open the place connect to the buckle, in this steps, the punch tools can be used again.
Here is finished leather craft:
After all, you only spend a small part of leather material and some clue to finish the band, in this way , you have to stock some leather material for use in the future, but in average to each watch bands, it will not cost more than USD$15. You can also decide the pattern and deisgn. There are still other way to make a watch band, after you learn all the way, you can handme many different leather straps for you and your friends, as well as nylon watch band and canvas watch bands.
