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The Strap Butler

March 12, 2020

It all started with an idea to take the confusion and gamble of buying online watch straps. I had a stack of them in my desk drawer that were not what was advertised. When I received my first really good watch strap I was so happy with it I started to write a review to tell my friends who were also into watches. That grew and Strapsense was born.

The first prototype was a bit rough. But the idea of a place to store your watches and work on them turned out to be very functional.

I cannot begin to count the straps I have installed and removed from watches since Strapsense first began. But over the last 2-3 years, I have used many a strap changing tool and made every mistake imaginable when changing a watch strap. Whatever I managed to learn, I took to heart and tried to pass along to whoever would listen. Changing a strap or bracelet is like any other job in that having the right tools can really make the work not only pleasurable but dare I say easy. This was the driving inspiration to create the Strap Butler, and believe it or not, it all comes down to a simple piece of black foam.

I do not recall where it came from. But this piece of black foam was the inspiration behind the Strap Butler. That foam made strap changes easier, so I wanted to share it with with other people who want to change their own straps with some regularity.

I have tried many different surfaces to replace watch straps. From T shirts, to socks, to lint free cloths to cardboard (do not do this), to leather. All work to some degree, but nothing I found works better than foam. Further, not just any foam, but a nice piece high density open cell foam in at least 1/4″ thickness. Now I have no idea where I got my old foam, but it has served me well over 2 years now and it has the signs of wear on it to prove it. Finally one day, an idea for a product came to mind. A strap changing pad made of this particular foam would make strap changing a whole lot more enjoyable and easy. However, being an engineer, the temptation to add ‘features’ is not something I can pass up, so a bulleted list started to form:

One customer wanted rounded edges rather than squared off edges. This Red Mahogany paired with natural Chromexcel and a light coat of poly looks amazing.
  • Surround the foam with American Hardwood construction. Use only soft bonding means like glue or Oak Dowels so no metal screws or nails would ever be a threat to the watches on them.
  • Line one side of the foam with the best American Leather I could reliably source, Horween Chromexcel would be the best choice for durability and its natural tendency to pick up patina with the slightest touch. This way the end user can use one side of the foam pad to display jewelry, watches, keys, any EDC (Every Day Carry) items they wish and the other side to do some serious strap and bracelet changing.
  • Use rubber feet to keep the wood from scratching the furniture it is set on and to provide a non slip base to work on and prevent the Strap Butler from being knocked off the counter.
  • Provide an easy means to flip out the display/changing pad.
The hole in the base is so you can stick a finger or pencil eraser through and push the pad out so it can be flipped easily.
You can see the leather bonded to the foam pad in this picture.

Several prototypes were built and eventually I have distilled it down to something that I can make reliably and with some confidence that the end result will last decades. Full Disclosure, I am not a professional word worker but I have been building furniture for my house for 10 years, and love a new project. When I let a few of my watch buddies see these they were excited and that excitement convinced me to offer them for sale on Strapsense. Here is what you will receive when you order your own Strap Butler:

This more rustic version is stained in a color Minwax calls Honey. No Poly was applied to this version. It is shown with its black strap changing pad facing up.
The size of the Strap Butler was chosen carefully to allow plenty of room to work. It gives the bracelets room to stretch-out. The slight ridge keeps spring bars from rolling away as they are captive between the wood rails.

1-11″ x 11″ Hardwood Strap Butler frame with Birch base and Poplar side pieces which are held together by oak dowel pins. Hand sanded and stained by yours truly in Red Mahogany (If you prefer another color, I will do my best to accommodate). Polyurethane on top is an option. Some prefer a matte finish.

A reversible foam pad covered in Horween Chromexcel Leather custom cut to fit your specific Strap Butler (I use natural color leather, but I can get almost any color you prefer with a bit of lead time)

My gratitude and best wishes.

My goal with this whole project is to enjoy working with my hands and create something that makes working on and displaying your watches as enjoyable as wearing them.

Currently the turn around time is about 2-4 weeks depending on options selected and drying time between coats. I make these one at a time.

Oak Dowels are used to hold the whole thing together. No metal is used in making the Strap Butler so no errant screw heads or nails will harm your precious time pieces.
Have a nice desk or beautiful nightstand? Do not worry, the Strap Butler has soft sticky rubber feet to keep from scratching your work surface. Also serves to provide a non slip area to change your straps.

Price for The Strap Butler is $119.00 USD.

Free shipping in the Continental USA. Head on over the Strap Box to order:

https://strapsense.com/product/the-strap-butler-by-strapsense/

This is the first working prototype. I used cheaper leather and it was a bit rough all together, but this version taught me what to do and what NOT to do. . I enjoy the patina the leather picks up while working on straps, but if you prefer to keep your leather more pristine, then simply flip it over!

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