Fabricating your own leather camera strap - what width and thickness?

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Forest_rain

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With some time on my hands with the quarantine, I decided to fabricate some camera straps with leather to replace some of my deteriorating or flimsy webbed nylon straps.

But I'm having trouble deciding on the width/thickness.

Using this leather:
https://tandyleather.com/collection...90-heavyweight-natural-cowhide-leather-strips

There are two thicknesses:
Heavy: 3.2 to 3.6 mm
Lightweight: 1.6 to 2.0 mm

I'm thinking of using the Heavy leather in 1 inch width (Cut length from 50 inch strap). Attaching some rings at the ends, and adjustable buckles. I have all the proper tools already.

I'd like to make some to give away as well.

But will this thickness/width be to heavy or fatiguing? It's difficult to determine without handling the actual leather, but I have no access to a local store where I live.

I want the strap to be durable and have a premium/high quality feeling. Perhaps a thicker leather would help with this. Will probably leave the natural un-dyed color.

Any experience with this or suggestions would be helpful.
 
Deardorff38 said:
Forest _rain I replaced the strap on my Rolleiflex with this https://tandyleather.com/collections/leather/products/leather-strings-12-x-48?variant=31977572040835. I examined the leather strips you showed and found them rather stiff and inflexible.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Yes I think that natural leather is probably untreated and less flexible. But I have plenty of leather conditioner that I could probably use to work the leather and I don't mind. I'd like to use the natural undyed leather.

But perhaps a lightweight strap like 1/2" thick like those strings would be better, perhaps at 5oz thickness instead of 9oz, would be sturdy and lightweight enough, I will consider that.
 
FR I also needed leather dimensions that would fit the Rolleiflex scissor attachments. Even with conditioner, stiff cowhide will be conditioned but still stiff. One of the other downsides is that the loop where you rivet the rings will be fairly thick. If you really want a fine quality but flexible strap, calfskin would be better. The original '60-'70 Leica black leather straps were said to have been made from the hides of stillborn calves.....they're still useable and flexible after 50 yrs.
 
Thanks, I already have some veg-tan cowhide on the way for a camera case... so I will have to see how it is. I guess veg-tan is known to be more rigid than chrome-tanned leather, but I'd prefer veg-tan cowhide because of lack of use of chrome and other chemicals.

Looks like this guy is selling veg-tan camera straps at 9 oz (!) leather, which is 3.5mm thick. Seems fine and has good reviews:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/722492659/brown-black-vegetable-tanned-leather

It seems like "milled" leather has been softened up and is really soft and could be good, but you have to buy a whole shoulder, which is expensive. Also I don't know if I'd be comfortable using calfskin, but to each his own.

I feel like just "working" the leather quite a bit and using it over time would make it more supple...

I guess I really should ask this on a leather forum and see what people say regarding this though.

Deardorff38 said:
FR I also needed leather dimensions that would fit the Rolleiflex scissor attachments. Even with conditioner, stiff cowhide will be conditioned but still stiff. One of the other downsides is that the loop where you rivet the rings will be fairly thick. If you really want a fine quality but flexible strap, calfskin would be better. The original '60-'70 Leica black leather straps were said to have been made from the hides of stillborn calves.....they're still usable and flexible after 50 yrs.
Click to expand...
 
Forest_rain said:
...I feel like just "working" the leather quite a bit and using it over time would make it more supple...
Click to expand...

The type and dimensions of the leather come into play as well. The leather that belts are made of for example do get 'somewhat' supple, but you couldn't tie a knot in them. The strap on my M4 (Harry Benz) is water buffalo, long enough to be worn cross-body, but i can tie a knot in it to hang the camera my shoulder, & soft enough to hitch it on my wrist.
To delve into the more nerd aspects, the stiffer straps seem to slide off the shoulder unless weighted down by a heavy camera like a Medium format or an SLR or DSLR w a big lens. If you're carrying your camera around your neck, the edge of a stiffer leather strap also tends to cut into your neck. Here's an example of a commercial strap that is well made and cheap but exhibits those characteristics. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr....m570.l1312&_nkw=canpis+camera+strap&_sacat=0
With leather I prefer to go to the leather shop or saddle maker and choose by how the leather feels in my hands. Good luck with your project.
BTW Here's a video review of a HB strap that mentions some interesting considerations
https://amworkshops.com/videos/harry-benz-camera-strap-review/
 
I'm watching this with interest as I've been thinking about doing the same. However I'm still thinking about the best design for the strap ends, which I'd like to be very supple, while I think the middle part should be stiffer, so I'll probably end up doing something with two parts.

I'd definitely go veg tanned. You will wear it one bare skin, and sweat may dissolve the nasties from the leather...

I don't understand the aversion toward calfskin (or veal), unless one is a vegan. To continue giving milk, cows need to give birth once a year and the calves need to "go" somewhere. In short, milk use kills calves, not the demand for calf products.
 
One thing you may want to also consider getting is a bottle of gum tragacanth for burnishing the backside and edges of the leather. It gives a smooth, professional look to the leather. You'll also need to get some kind of burnisher - usually a glass brayer or even a glass bottle might work, as you need to really work the tragacanth into the leather. If you look on YouTube for treating leather with tragacanth, you can really see the difference it makes.
 
Vince Lupo said:
One thing you may want to also consider getting is a bottle of gum tragacanth for burnishing the backside and edges of the leather. It gives a smooth, professional look to the leather. You'll also need to get some kind of burnisher - usually a glass brayer or even a glass bottle might work, as you need to really work the tragacanth into the leather. If you look on YouTube for treating leather with tragacanth, you can really see the difference it makes.
Click to expand...

Yes I was thinking about getting some tranganth and a glass burnisher. It would probably make a big difference in appearance and make the edges much less likely to bite into your neck/shoulder. Probably worth picking up.

Probably worth doing after dying if I do dye some of them, as I've heard it affects dye absorption.
 
Apparently the leather I ordered if of Italian variety (I just got the last of it, it's not long enough to make straps), but supposedly that kind is a little softer. Supposedly Wickett and Craig is also a little softer than the standard variety used to make the straps mentioned.

I'm thinking of buying the milled veg-tan cowhide (knocked about in a tumbler without heat or air), but I would have to buy a whole shoulder at $65, and cut 1/2" strips myself. But that is a huge amount of material and I could probably re-do the leatherettes on some of my cameras with the softer leather as well.

They also have sheepskin, water buffalo, and split leather (suede, extremely cheap) which seem like they are softer.

I will probably just end up calling the company and seeing what they suggest.

Deardorff38 said:
"I feel like just "working" the leather quite a bit and using it over time would make it more supple..."

The type and dimensions of the leather come into play as well. The leather that belts are made of for example do get 'somewhat' supple, but you couldn't tie a knot in them. The strap on my M4 (Harry Benz) is water buffalo, long enough to be worn cross-body, but i can tie a knot in it to hang the camera my shoulder, & soft enough to hitch it on my wrist.
To delve into the more nerd aspects, the stiffer straps seem to slide off the shoulder unless weighted down by a heavy camera like a Medium format or an SLR or DSLR w a big lens. If you're carrying your camera around your neck, the edge of a stiffer leather strap also tends to cut into your neck. Here's an example of a commercial strap that is well made and cheap but exhibits those characteristics. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr....m570.l1312&_nkw=canpis+camera+strap&_sacat=0
With leather I prefer to go to the leather shop or saddle maker and choose by how the leather feels in my hands. Good luck with your project.
BTW Here's a video review of a HB strap that mentions some interesting considerations
https://amworkshops.com/videos/harry-benz-camera-strap-review/
Click to expand...
 
To give an update, I ended up ordering a 50" long 5/8" width 2.0mm thick veg tan leather strap.

The cost/effort of fabricating my own sheepskin straps when I can buy precut veg tan cowhide makes it not worth it.

Asked on another forum and advised that it would be fine, that the leather would not bite too much.

I was advised to attach a pad to the strap (maybe I will make one with cloth or wider piece of leather) to make it less fatiguing and sit on the shoulder.

The leather can be worked to make it more supple.

Also bought a burnishing bone to smooth out the edges.

Looking at this page(RFF affiliate link), it seems like they use quite thick leather, perhaps 10oz, and it looks like the strap may be quite stiff:
https://gordyscamerastraps.com/products/neck-strap-adjustable

But mine will be much thinner, maybe 4.5 oz anyways, so it should be fine.

I think I like the thicker more rugged straps like this, but it seems like many people here prefer a softer more supple leather. I guess it's a matter of taste.

In the future I intend to buy a shoulder of milled veg-tanned leather, to make softer/more supple straps while avoiding calfskin, and cut my own lengths for straps. I think this would give it a nice rugged self-made appearance as well. I'm not sure if they will be more prone to breaking, but people have said here that supple leather holds up OK.

I think the milled leather is better for most people who aren't into veg-tan leather necessarily, so I'll probably dye it and use milled leather straps for gifts. Thanks for your comments as it helped me to determine desirable qualities.
 
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