When collecting paths cross

[coolhandluke]

Found a great way to incorporate my love for vintage militaria into my watch strap collection...straps made from military surplus items. Just received this custom DaLuca Vintage Ammo strap today. They're fashioned from surplus Swiss rifle ammo pouches. This one being a 1965 dated piece, with some great looking stampings.

I also have a custom canvas strap on order from Dan at RedRockStraps that should be here in a few weeks. It will be made from a vintage USGI duffle with some nicely aged white painted stenciling on it. More pics to follow when it's received.

 

[Shadowrider]

How do you find this stuff?

If it's oddball and cool you'll be on it like a toad on a junebug.

 

[thor447]

I dig it!

 

[coolhandluke]

How do you find this stuff?

If it's oddball and cool you'll be on it like a toad on a junebug.

This one kinda fell into my lap. I ran across it in the marketplace on Watchuseek. It was being resold due to a sizing error. I had seen them before, but wasn't about to pay the full blown retail price that DaLuca charges. This particular strap was originally $224.99 + shipping.

 

[coolhandluke]

I dig it!

Thanks Adam! I couldn't pass it up. I'm not sure if I'll run across another one with a 1965 date stamp. If only the city was Holstein and not Zurich.

 

[coolhandluke]

My first RedRocks strap arrived today and I'm honestly blown away by Dan Barr's craftsmanship. This particular strap was made out of a surplus USGI duffle bag. I specifically requested something with stamps or stenciling and this is what Dan pulled out of his stash. The stitching used is butterscotch linen.

I currently have three more 20mm and 22mm straps on order from Dan that should be here in a couple weeks.

 

[coolhandluke]

Added another strap to the recent order yesterday. Sent Dan a message to see if he happened to have any Brittish or Canadian RAF blue canvas laying around and he pulled this gem out from his stash...

He also has a lighter blue Canadian bag on hand that I may have a strap made from some time in the future. Here's one of his straps made from a similar CRAF bag...

 

[coolhandluke]

Received four more straps from Dan at RedRockStraps yesterday. They are made from the following bags (left to right in photos below):

1. NOS 1972 duffle (US Army) with eggshell stitching, 20mm

2. 1951 duffle (US Army) with OD stitching, 20mm

3. British RAF duffle (50's era I believe) with butterscotch stitching, 20mm

4. 1951 duffle (US Army) with ivory stitching, 22mm

I had Dan incorporate the US stamps from the '51 and '72 dated bags on two of the straps.

BTW, if anyone happens to want a strap made from a WWII era USMC duffle, I also sent one to Dan for him to use. I just didn't have the heart to ask him to cut into it for me.