# Which leather type is durable for watch straps?



## picard (Jul 1, 2006)

Do you know the best type of leather strap for automatic watch? I am refering to croc, alligator, ostrich etc....

Does anyone use those leather types? which leather is more durable?


----------



## wylde21 (Jul 2, 2006)

Based on my usage for homemade sheaths, and research: Good quaility cowhide is the best overall leather to use for these types of items. This catagory would include steer- and bull- hides, but those would probably be too thick for a watchband (at least the ones ive seen). Sheep and lambskin - "napa" leathers - are too soft and don't wear well. Beware "buffalo" hide, as it is usually cheaper water buffalo hide from Asia. I hear that american buffalo hide (really Bisonhide) is strong, but I've not worked with it, and it is also relatively think...like the bullhide/steerhide. Some goatskin is tough, but alot is cheap (from Asia), and good stuff is stiffer than good cowhide. Croc/aligator/caymen and some lizard hide are strong, but hard to get. Some (most?) lizard and snake skins are too weak and/or hard to work for sheaths....or watchbands, I think. Stay away from pigskin and bonded leathers....just too weak/cheap. I hear great things about kangaroo leather, but have never used it. I know it's illegal in California....not sure why.

So, I would recommend cowhide, overall. Croc is fancy, but much more expensive and doesn't breath as well as cowhide. Be sure to get good quality full grain leather.


----------



## Hans (Jul 2, 2006)

wylde21 said:


> I hear great things about kangaroo leather, but have never used it. I know it's illegal in California....not sure why.



Roohide is the best leather for that kind of application. Period. I think you can get roohide that has been legally imported into the US from David Morgan: http://davidmorgan.com/ 

The problem with roohide is that several species of kangaroo are endangered species and have special protection, so any roohides imported into the US must have appropriate documentation that they don't come from one of the endangered species. 

Hans


----------



## PhilipHudson (Aug 23, 2020)

[FONT=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]By the way, here is a very interesting article about leather watch straps. https://leather-toolkits.com/reviews/best-leather-watch-straps/There is a description of what types of skin are and what disadvantages and advantages they have, which ones are best to wear and not deteriorate strongly from water.[/FONT]






Kstati, vot zdes' ochen' interesnaya stat'ya po povodu kozhanykh remney dlya chasov. Yest' opisaniye kakiye yest' tipy kozhi i kakiye nedostatki i preimushchestva oni imeyeyut, kakiye luchshe vsego nosyat'sya i ne portyat'sya sil'no ot vody.




216/5000



​





​
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87)]By the way, here is a very interesting article about leather watch straps. There is a description of what types of skin are and what disadvantages and advantages they have, which ones are best to wear and not deteriorate strongly from water.



[/COLOR]


----------

