Donegal tweed straps - any interest?

CarltonBrowne

Last year I had a couple of tweed straps made by Andrea at Martustraps; I bought the tweed from Kevin & Howlin in Nassau St and sent it off to her with the details of my order. Here are some pictures:










I've picked up some more cuts of tweed from K&H on my last few Dublin trips and I'm getting ready to send some more off with a few straps in mind for myself but there will also be some spare. Would anybody like to come on board and order some more? I've discussed this with Andrea and she can make the straps for $30 each posted to Europe - I'll co-ordinate the order but when the straps are ready then she will take payment by Paypal and post individually. I can't speak for the Irish Revenue but mine have always arrived in the UK without attracting any interest from HMRC.

As I'll be providing the tweed and I've already forgotten how much it cost I have an additional request that people stick a fiver per strap into a charity box somewhere; I've no intention of monitoring this and trust that your own conscience will be enough of an invigilator.

I've taken pictures of the tweed and then colour adjusted the photos in Lightroom on my laptop monitor with the tweed in my hand so as to try to get the best possible match. Here are the samples with the dimensions and my estimate as to how many straps we may get from each fabric swatch (these are conservative and I'm hoping we can get more).

Blue salt & pepper

74cm x 32cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Dark green "houndstooth"

72cm x 34cm 4 straps (1 already taken)

Mid-grey salt & pepper

72cm x 34cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Dark grey salt & pepper

74cm x 24cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Mid green salt & pepper

54cm x 23cm 2 straps (2 already taken)

Light-grey "herringbone" with a hint of green

74cm x 24cm 2 straps

Dark pink (I'm not expecting too many takers for this one)

74cm x 35cm 4 straps


The information that I need from you is as follows:

Type of tweed:
Lug width:
Buckle width:
Length of long bit:
Length of short bit:
Name and email address:

The straps Andrea has already made for me are a smidgen over 4.5mm thick and come with one fixed and one floating keeper.

Time-wise you'll need plenty of patience; the last time I sent some tweed out to Chile it took the best part of a month to get there. I'm pleased to say that Andrea normally turns stuff around fairly quickly thereafter and straps from Chile normally take just over a week.

Any takers?

Wibbs

That's a nice idea CB. And has given me food for thought regarding material.

I must be going senile as I can't remember seeing your JLC master quartz before. *brainfade* :-)

Mitch Buchannon

You can count me for the order. I'll pm you the details you require. It will be next week though as I'm away for the weekend.

For those who are interested and are wondering how to determine strap lengths, here are a couple of guides.

http://www.martuleather.com/how-can-i-know-my-strap-size.html
https://toshi-straps.co.uk/strap-width-length/
http://www.abpparis.com/Determine-the-size-of-its-strap-lengths_a245.html

art

That Dark Green Houndstooth appeals to me, I'd be happy to order one of those at least (excellent idea by the way)

CarltonBrowne

I've amended the thread on the basis of the responses so far. Art, please send me a PM when you get a minute.

CarltonBrowne

I've been asked a question about the mid-green and this is a picture against the original strap and a couple of reference colours; palmolive washing up liquid (it's actually a German equivalent but I swear it's the same colour) and a tin of beans. I couldn't think of any other reference greens to photograph and, as difficult as this might be to believe, we don't have any empty wine bottles knocking around.

art

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

Art, please send me a PM when you get a minute.

Yeah, sorry for the delay, was out of Dublin - PM'ed there now. Thanks.

Lex Luthor

CB, can you put me down for 1 blue salt n pepper and i'll get you details tomorrow, thanks

Ps think this is a great idea and fair play to you for the offer. Its something original and really looking forward to the final product

Lex Luthor

Fellas, just want to get your opinion on sizing.

Measured the wrist to confirm its still 6.75"
According to sizing charts I should be looking at a 120 or 125/75 strap

However measuring the strap that is currently on the watch its a 130/80 & I find it just right. Should I stick with what is currently on or size down slightly?

Thanks

Mitch Buchannon

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Fellas, just want to get your opinion on sizing.

Measured the wrist to confirm its still 6.75"
According to sizing charts I should be looking at a 120 or 125/75 strap

However measuring the strap that is currently on the watch its a 130/80 & I find it just right. Should I stick with what is currently on or size down slightly?

Thanks

My wrist is about the same. I checked it the other night. I went with 120/75 as per the Martu sizing chart. Hopefully it will be ok.

Lex Luthor

I've just checked the order that came with the watch and it has the strap as 135/80. I think I'll go for the 130/80 to be on the safe side, PM on its way

CarltonBrowne

Many thanks for the responses. The blue tweed is now fully committed (though, as I've been deliberately conservative with my estimates, there may be some wiggle room).

CarltonBrowne

Just a quick update to say that I have heard from Andrea and the tweed landed at the end of last week. As Dropbox have changed their file hosting arrangements you will note the pictures have dropped off the first post so I'm re-posting it here with the new hosting arrangements (I can't edit the original post).

*************************************************************
Last year I had a couple of tweed straps made by Andrea at Martustraps; I bought the tweed from Kevin & Howlin in Nassau St and sent it off to her with the details of my order. Here are some pictures:







I've picked up some more cuts of tweed from K&H on my last few Dublin trips and I'm getting ready to send some more off with a few straps in mind for myself but there will also be some spare. Would anybody like to come on board and order some more? I've discussed this with Andrea and she can make the straps for $30 each posted to Europe - I'll co-ordinate the order but when the straps are ready then she will take payment by Paypal and post individually. I can't speak for the Irish Revenue but mine have always arrived in the UK without attracting any interest from HMRC.

As I'll be providing the tweed and I've already forgotten how much it cost I have an additional request that people stick a fiver per strap into a charity box somewhere; I've no intention of monitoring this and trust that your own conscience will be enough of an invigilator.

I've taken pictures of the tweed and then colour adjusted the photos in Lightroom on my laptop monitor with the tweed in my hand so as to try to get the best possible match. Here are the samples with the dimensions and my estimate as to how many straps we may get from each fabric swatch (these are conservative and I'm hoping we can get more).


Blue salt & pepper

74cm x 32cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Dark green "houndstooth"

72cm x 34cm 4 straps (1 already taken)

Mid-grey salt & pepper

72cm x 34cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Dark grey salt & pepper


74cm x 24cm 4 straps (2 already taken)

Mid green salt & pepper

54cm x 23cm 2 straps (2 already taken)

Light-grey "herringbone" with a hint of green

74cm x 24cm 2 straps

Dark pink (I'm not expecting too many takers for this one)

74cm x 35cm 4 straps



The information that I need from you is as follows:

Type of tweed:
Lug width:
Buckle width:
Length of long bit:
Length of short bit:
Name and email address:

The straps Andrea has already made for me are a smidgen over 4.5mm thick and come with one fixed and one floating keeper.

Time-wise you'll need plenty of patience; the last time I sent some tweed out to Chile it took the best part of a month to get there. I'm pleased to say that Andrea normally turns stuff around fairly quickly thereafter and straps from Chile normally take just over a week.

Any takers?

Mitch Buchannon

I received my tweed straps today. They look great and are fantastic quality. I have to decide what to put them on now. I might try one out on the Speedmaster for the weekend.

Big thanks to CB for organising this.

art

Mine arrived yesterday. Very nice indeed! Very happy with it... it's cool the way a strap can really change the character of a watch, I'm trying it on different watches now, experimenting

CarltonBrowne

Mine arrived yesterday as well . I promise to get some pictures up soon.

Lex Luthor

Just got back from hols and mine was there waiting for me....put the strap on the watch last night...will get some pics up shortly

Thanks again CB

Lex Luthor

Pics in the links below...maybe somebody could figure out how to show them and resize them?

CarltonBrowne

The trick with the salt and pepper pattern is to get a fleck to match someing on the watch and I think you've nailed it with the Stowa. Here's the first one of mine.

Lex Luthor

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

The trick with the salt and pepper pattern is to get a fleck to match someing on the watch and I think you've nailed it with the Stowa. Here's the first one of mine.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I saw the tweed, it was only going to work on that watch

Blanchy90

They're some lovely straps.

Are they still available?

CarltonBrowne

Blanchy90 wrote: »

They're some lovely straps.

Are they still available?

There is still some tweed available - I'll need to check how much of which cloths. Give me a day or two.

CarltonBrowne

I've clearly been very conservative with the number of straps that can be had from the available cloth; I've had a response from Andrea and there's loads available.

Blue Salt and pepper 18 straps
Mid Gray Salt and pepper 20 straps
Mid Green Salt and pepper 8 straps
Dark Gray Salt and pepper 15 straps
Light Gray Herringbone 16 straps
Dark Green Houndstooth 19 straps

If anybody wants some more don't forget that I'll need the following information:

Type of tweed:
Lug width:
Buckle width:
Length of long bit:
Length of short bit:
Name and email address:

I'll give it a couple of days and then probably open it up with a thread on TZ.

893bet

Put me down for a blue salt n pepper with white stitch detail.

Will figure out exact sizes later!

Lex Luthor

Do you have the pictures of them still?
I'm considering one of the grey ones for the Steinhart O1B, with the bezel being the ceramic one and my current grey nato leather showing worse for wear, I'm thinking about one of the tweeds, but not sure if they would suit the watch...any thoughts?

Deep Thought

are they itchy?

Lex Luthor

The tweed is stitched to leather underneath, mines not itchy

CarltonBrowne

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Do you have the pictures of them still?
I'm considering one of the grey ones for the Steinhart O1B, with the bezel being the ceramic one and my current grey nato leather showing worse for wear, I'm thinking about one of the tweeds, but not sure if they would suit the watch...any thoughts?

Although the pictures have gone from the start of the thread if you look at the repost at #13 they have been re-inserted. It's only an opinion but I'm not sure they would work with an out-and-out sports watch but I'd be pleased to be proven wrong.

They are no more itchy than any other leather backed watch strap.

Lex Luthor

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

Although the pictures have gone from the start of the thread if you look at the repost at #13 they have been re-inserted. It's only an opinion but I'm not sure they would work with an out-and-out sports watch but I'd be pleased to be proven wrong.

They are no more itchy than any other leather backed watch strap.

ya that's what I am thinking aswell....might just get me a Bond Nato

Thanks

CarltonBrowne

The more observant of you may have noticed that I have now opened this up on TZ-UK

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?408460-Roll-up-roll-up-Get-your-Donegal-tweed-straps-here

Tyre-kickers will be singled out for special treatment :pac:.