[TheTigerUK]

it's not often these days i am "amazed", i am often impressed and surprised but not "amazed"

I have 4 or 5 old GL831 which i believe are genuine, old being the operative word.

I tend to be a bracelet guy but i think rubber looks good on divers in pictures and the like and this last few months i have tried wearing mine on rubber and after initially feeling strange I have quite got into them and it dose make them quite a bit lighter and with my ageing years these little things help

Any way with them being old , stiff and a bit grubby it has kinda stopped me wearing them much hence this question

Over the years I have read many many posts were guys have boiled there straps to shape and make them comfortable but as i say being mainly a bracelet guy have never had the need.

Well i got this 7548 this week and thought/decided it really needed to go on rubber as it is very nice so i boiled one of the straps, I placed it in a old casserole dish after asking the wifes permission(she just rolled her eyes and left the room ).

So 45 mins in boiling water with a good dollop of fairy liquid, then rinsed it with clean warm water a couple of times, dried it and it's now so soft, stretchy and comfortable to wear, the difference is truly amazing, so today I gave the others the treatment.

Notice how in the first picture they are hard and formed into a rigid shape, the next picture shows them after the boiling, impressed.

 

[seikochrono]

Thats about time Mate!
BTW if you now rub Olive oil in them after the boiling process it brings the colour back & gets rid of the whitish bits caused by boiling. Works great John. Best Stefan

 

[chévere]

I was reading about this and there were a few suggestions about restoring rubber to its original pliability, one of which was boiling for a while! And the olive oil thing makes total sense!

 

[TheTigerUK]

Thats about time Mate!
BTW if you now rub Olive oil in them after the boiling process it brings the colour back & gets rid of the whitish bits caused by boiling. Works great John. Best Stefan

Note to me, Olive oil on Saturdays shopping list

Thanks Stefan.

Like i say i am amazed, the one i am wearing on the 7548 is just so dam soft i can't get over it, I am now depressed about the GL831's I have let go by over the years no making a wis happy is there ha ha

 

[jimmy1963]

Mmm I tried the boiling water trick on this one and although it initially made the strap soft and supple it reverted back to being stiff and brittle feeling overnight,maybe I'll have to try again and try a little oil as well.

 

[LongBike]

Thank you Sir

I was reading about this and there were a few suggestions about restoring rubber to its original pliability, one of which was boiling for a while! And the olive oil thing makes total sense!

I am the ...... " Olive Oil " Bandit. I learned that from my Grand Mama years ago when we wore those
famous old ......... " KEDs Tennis Shoes ".
She always told people to rub the oil into the inner part of the shoes when new to prevent blisters and soften them up.
Also worked on Boots, Shoes, and a lot of Rubber and Leather Belts
also.
Even works good to combat nasty foot Oder that stays in boots and shoes.
Rub on your .... " Hat Inner Brim's " and let sit for a little while then wipe with a dry cloth
to and it works wonders.
Also on those ... " Leather Watch Straps " and the icky wrist cheese does not smell.
Actually it will condition the Strap.

NOTE :
You got to be old to know all these things, before there was
not to much comfort things.

 

[jringo8769]

i love the old straps and this way makes them even better..

 

[mwbuss8]

I am the ...... " Olive Oil " Bandit. I learned that from my Grand Mama years ago when we wore those
famous old ......... " KEDs Tennis Shoes ".
She always told people to rub the oil into the inner part of the shoes when new to prevent blisters and soften them up.
Also worked on Boots, Shoes, and a lot of Rubber and Leather Belts
also.
Even works good to combat nasty foot Oder that stays in boots and shoes.
Rub on your .... " Hat Inner Brim's " and let sit for a little while then wipe with a dry cloth
to and it works wonders.
Also on those ... " Leather Watch Straps " and the icky wrist cheese does not smell.
Actually it will condition the Strap.

NOTE :
You got to be old to know all these things, before there was
not to much comfort things.

I haven't used it on rubber, but at a very young age my Dad thought me to take care of my baseball glove with mink oil. From the age of 8 when I started playing, until I stopped at 22 I oiled my glove several times per season. Teammates in college first wondered how I broke my new glove in so quickly. Then, a few years later, they wondered how it was in such good shape. I do the same with leather straps.

 

[Duketown]

Just realized that there's a hint of olive oil in my shower gel....tonght I will not part from my watch while taking a good scrub

Cheers, Matt

 

[TheTigerUK]

Well I did my weekly food shop tonight after a hectic day I might add !! this retirement malarkey is getting quite hectic and to top it all it's a bank holiday weekend here and the Sun is shining, wonders will never cease

Anyway I digress, got myself a small bottle of pure virgin (thats what it said on the bottle) Olive oil and rubbed a small quantity into the straps and they do look superb, great colour and clean, good tip.

 

[vynster]

I too am amazed !!! Just getting a rubber strap ready for my new citizen diver...the strap was old and stiff, ( bit like me really )so I did the 45 mins in water thing with some Fairy Liquid (other washing liquid brands are available ) I didnt have any olive oil, not something I keep, used some sunflower oil instead, seemed to do the trick...We shall see