Emil Wojcik
1651
Thanks for the suggestions...
I just rubbed a good quality olive oil onto half of an old, dull strap and I'll use Armor All on the other half as soon as I get home. I'll subject the band to ware and see how they hold up.
The olive oil did make a big difference although the band's not quite as glossy as new. I'm surprised how you can't tell it was oiled. It really absorbed into the surface, but still maintained a nice gloss.
My concerns with the olive oil is that it may rub off on clothes and it may even turn rancid and start to smell, but we'll see!
I'll post the results in a few days, after some wear. Then I'll decide if I want to use either treatment for my AP band.
I'm still going to research into what type of varnish could be used since varnish is what the manufacturers use, but that may take some time.
Emil
Can you re-varnish an alligator band?
The band on my AP Millenary started life with a nice, high-gloss surface. Since I wear this watch quite a bit, it's no surprise that the band has begun to loose some of its original gloss. Other than that, the band is still like new. I do have a new repla...
I've had decent luck with paste wax (Butchers Wax)...
... I've also tried shoe cream and shoe polish. I haven't had such good results with those. I'm very interested in what has worked for others, and also how this shine is originally achieved by strap makers. I wonder if there's anyone who could do "strap r...
Shoe cream etc. is not ideal ...
... since the strap is subject of more physical strain than the shoes. Means that the wax/cream added will come off rater quickly, and stick to your shirt and/or skin. Some people are convinced about their panacea, Ballistol, a popular weapons oil, to be ...
I read somehwere
It suggested Armor all leather for your car can help to protect the strap and give it back its shine. Never tried it
Thanks to all for the advise...
I'll do a bit more research on what type of varnishes are generally used and maybe experiment with a few old, unneeded bands to see how it works. Emil
Never tried it myself, but: olive oil !
a collector friend who is even more addicted to croc straps than watches swears that's the easiest & best. even claims oil quality makes a difference, uses a good extra vergine. Fred
Thanks for the suggestions...
I just rubbed a good quality olive oil onto half of an old, dull strap and I'll use Armor All on the other half as soon as I get home. I'll subject the band to ware and see how they hold up. The olive oil did make a big difference although the band's not ...
Royal Leder-Balsam is what my strap maker
recommends; it is supposed to nourish the leather deep into its structure, not only on the surface. (He also discourages from using a shoe polish exactly because it tends to protect only the surface.) In order to revive the original glossy surface, you mi...
Results of olive oil test...
As I first posted, the olive oil gave the band a nice, glossy finish. I was beginning to think this would be an easy solution. However, even though I knew it wouldn't be a permanent fix, I assumed it would last longer than a few hours! It slowly soaked in...
I ordered some Ballistol...
... because I was inspired by this thread. When it arrives in a few days, I'll try to find an old strap to try it on. That'll be my biggest challenge right now -- finding a suitable gator or croc test strap.
