Tapered NATO straps?

Modified SKX033 on a tapered leather RAF style strap

Is there a reason why I don't see many tapered slip-through straps? I love slip-through style straps: NATO, ZULU, perlon, RAF you name it. But I really don't like how they look on my wrist when they are 22mm and above. So for a while, I have been trying to come up with a pattern to make one tapered. This is the first successful test piece I made 20mm tapered to 18mm.

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That looks really nice - how does it looks on the wrist??

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Chunghauphoto

That looks really nice - how does it looks on the wrist??

Thank you! 🙏

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ManCaveLeather

Thank you! 🙏

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Thanks - looks good

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Thank you so much, man! And it fits better than I thought.

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Dude, that looks amazing!  And welcome to Crunch 👍. This guy makes top notch stuff

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Max

Dude, that looks amazing!  And welcome to Crunch 👍. This guy makes top notch stuff

Thank you so much, Max! That really means a lot!

Watch crunch is amazing!👏👏👏

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 I’ve wondered about making a tapered NATO… Looks great!  Think you’ll sell them?

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wow how is it working out

the concept is very cool

💪

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I think the reason why pass-through NATOs are not tapered is that you can wear them quite a few different ways. And if you make the NATO taper, you commit the user to having the watch in a certain place on the strap which may prevent certain styles of wearing the strap.

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circleT

 I’ve wondered about making a tapered NATO… Looks great!  Think you’ll sell them?

Thank you! 

I will, just need to figure out the sizing. Average NATO is like 25cm long? Need to make few shorter and longer options.

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William

wow how is it working out

the concept is very cool

💪

Thank you mate!🙏 It actually works well. It has a wider 20mm part where the watch will sit and tapering to 18mm at the buckle and tail. I should probably add more he's for more flexible adjustment.

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Richierich

I think the reason why pass-through NATOs are not tapered is that you can wear them quite a few different ways. And if you make the NATO taper, you commit the user to having the watch in a certain place on the strap which may prevent certain styles of wearing the strap.

Thank you! That is very interesting. Thought it may force user to keep the strap in certain position. But I'm totally not aware of different NATO wearing styles.

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ManCaveLeather

Thank you! That is very interesting. Thought it may force user to keep the strap in certain position. But I'm totally not aware of different NATO wearing styles.

I have purchase a couple of straps from you and I love your work

you are not shy about tapering straps and I love it

keep up the great work💪

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William

I have purchase a couple of straps from you and I love your work

you are not shy about tapering straps and I love it

keep up the great work💪

I really appreciate it!

Thank you very much for your support, William 🤜🤛

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The concept is interesting. Tapered single-pass straps actually used to be a thing, back in the era of fixed lugs. A tapered strap amounting in length to that of a watch with an ordinary two-piece strap is something I'd love to have.

However, a tapered NATO would have two disadvantages, one a matter of aesthetics, the other of practicality.

First of all, the excess to be tucked into the keepers would be more narrow than the part by the keepers, and that'd look odd.

Second, you'd have to plan the tapers for exact distance between the spring bars of a particular watch. If you'd want to use the same strap with a watch that has spring bars positioned at a longer distance from each other, the taper will start before the lug tips, and it'll simply look too narrow, with ends of the spring bars showing. Let's say you make such a strap for a Dan Henry 1970, and then want to wear it with a Longines Legend Diver. Uhhh, well, not gonna pull it off, even though both have a lug width of 22mm. Unless the taper will start at a point quite a bit away from the lug tips, if you're OK with a not-very-even taper.

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MrBloke

The concept is interesting. Tapered single-pass straps actually used to be a thing, back in the era of fixed lugs. A tapered strap amounting in length to that of a watch with an ordinary two-piece strap is something I'd love to have.

However, a tapered NATO would have two disadvantages, one a matter of aesthetics, the other of practicality.

First of all, the excess to be tucked into the keepers would be more narrow than the part by the keepers, and that'd look odd.

Second, you'd have to plan the tapers for exact distance between the spring bars of a particular watch. If you'd want to use the same strap with a watch that has spring bars positioned at a longer distance from each other, the taper will start before the lug tips, and it'll simply look too narrow, with ends of the spring bars showing. Let's say you make such a strap for a Dan Henry 1970, and then want to wear it with a Longines Legend Diver. Uhhh, well, not gonna pull it off, even though both have a lug width of 22mm. Unless the taper will start at a point quite a bit away from the lug tips, if you're OK with a not-very-even taper.

Yep, totally agree about NATO. They are a tactical tool and the functionality is above all. I will need to research those vintage tapered single pass straps.