[vlin219]

Dear all,

Over the last couple weeks, I have read some posts in this forum about the treatments, techniques, etc... for maintaining our beloved "watches". Some of them really don't make sense to me, due to mostly my lack of knowledge to these things.

One example is the treatment of Seiko rubber straps. I read like treating GL831 straps with olive oil??? I am totally not here!! Can some one explain in plain English how it is so?

Another example is boiling GL831 in hot water will return the supple-ness of the strap. I also do not understand why at all.

Boiling in hot water for curling the strap to make it fit better is something I can understand, but the same treatment makes the strap more supple? It's beyond me.

Do you guys know of any other this kind of treatments to any part of our beloved Seiko watches? Do you care to share and educate me about how it is so? Any snake oil tricks?

Thanks,

Vincent

 

[Patrinos2003]

I have put a thin layer of pure vaseline onto a couple of my GL-831 straps, optically they look much better than before but I am not really sure if this is good for the rubber though!
I won't take the risk of boiling them because I am afraid they may dissolved as they are quite old...

 

[vlin219]

I have put a thin layer of pure vaseline onto a couple of my GL-831 straps, optically they look much better than before but I am not really sure if this is good for the rubber though!
I won't take the risk of boiling them because I am afraid they may dissolved as they are quite old...

Thanks.

OK, vaseline for cosmetic effects.

I thought vaseline rubs off easily. How dose it last? Do you apply it frequently? Have you tried that on newer/modern Z-22? Do you apply on both sides of the strap or just the upside? GL831 seems to have a smoother/shiner upper side than Z-22. I wonder what's the difference a thin layer of vaseline will produce.

You see, I have this many questions for this kind of treatments.

Thanks again.

Vincent

 

[TheTigerUK]

I have put a thin layer of pure vaseline onto a couple of my GL-831 straps, optically they look much better than before but I am not really sure if this is good for the rubber though!
I won't take the risk of boiling them because I am afraid they may dissolved as they are quite old...

Mine were very old and in poor condition but no problem and the Olive oil made them look superb (imo).

 

[Patrinos2003]

there is a member here that posted this about pure vaseline so I gave it a try, I washed it and removed the dirt and applied a very thin layer on both sides, it worked great, I will take some photos tomorrow.
I guess next time olive oil will be my choice, natural product so less harm on the original rubber.

 

[vlin219]

While I was expecting the ideas from you guys, I happened to have my 6309 on a very dirty GL831 with me today and I tried olive oil stuff just now.

I cleaned it with hand soap and toothbrush. It is now clean, but a bit faded, very dark gray color with washed light grey inside venting groove. Then I soaked the whole strap into a cup of olive oil for about 30 minutes.

The result? Well, after cleaning out the messy oil, it actually looks good.

Like this:


Don't know why, but it seems to work. Very dark black color now. Smells good too. I don't sense any difference in feels, about the same.

So olive oil works for cosmetic purpose. Definitely I will keep on monitoring if the dark black fades in days or weeks to come.

Vincent

 

[scubarob99]

Boil them! Mine were so hard I was afraid to wear them...boiled them once and they are as supple as the day Seiko made them. Got my all original 6309 and 7548 on them.

Rob

 

[Patrinos2003]

you did a good job there, olive oil does the trick!

 

[TheTigerUK]

Boil them! Mine were so hard I was afraid to wear them...boiled them once and they are as supple as the day Seiko made them. Got my all original 6309 and 7548 on them.

Rob

I was amazed

 

[Selym]

I have put a thin layer of pure vaseline onto a couple of my GL-831 straps, optically they look much better than before but I am not really sure if this is good for the rubber though!
I won't take the risk of boiling them because I am afraid they may dissolved as they are quite old...

Are they natural rubber or polyurethane? The modern Seiko straps (e.g. Z-22) are made from polyurethane. If the GL-831s are made from natural rubber, petroleum-based products (such as Vaseline) will have a deleterious effect. I suspect, but don't know, that polyurethane is more resistant to petroleum.

Best wishes,
Myles

 

[jringo8769]

boiling so works...you will be surprised just like we all were...the olive oil i have yet to try but will be trying this next

 

[toxicavenger]

Boil the strap in a soup can so it has the same curve as your wrist.

 

[marvin]

How long do you boil a Z-22 ? 1-minute or 5-minutes or longer?

Thanks
Marvin

 

[vlin219]

How long do you boil a Z-22 ? 1-minute or 5-minutes or longer?

Thanks
Marvin

What I did with my Z-22:

Curl the strap and put them (two pieces) inside a coffee mug (you might need to use rubber band or something so that they stay in the mug nicely and and curly)

Heat up water to like boiling

Pour boiling water into the mug

Wait, wait, wait, until water is cool enough so that you are able to touch the strap. Let it cool down to like room temperature

Take them out, install on watch, comfy like gloves.


Vincent

 

[LongBike]

I posted the Olive Oil, it should work.

I posted the .... " Olive Oil " . You have to clean the strap real
good. I use ......... " DAWN " dish liquid.
NOTE: Do not use ....... " Tooth Paste on straps because it has (Fluoride )and it will
crack the straps. )
( Use a good scrub brush. )
What has to be done is :
You can just ........ ( Rub It On )
or
_____________________________________________________________
If to old and stiff do this also.
Use some thongs to hold the strap for dipping the strap.
Use very, very low ..... " CONTROLED HEAT ".
_____________________________________________________
Don't let the oil get ( Boiling Hot),because it will cause the strap to get hard and to crispy.
________________________________________________________
Boil it in a very, very, slow way (Dipping It.... into the Olive oil )........
NOTE:
Don't drop it into the oil and let it stay in it,
( You control the boiling by touching the oil as you do it, if it get hot
and you cant touch the oil, turn down the heat, wait a little while, and repeat the process till it gets hot again.
Repeat this for a .......... ( Couple times as you want the Stiffness to be
done on the strap. )
______________________________________________________
You can test the ......... " softness as it boil's as you go,
but ........
REMEMBER :
( Do not place it in cold water after you boil it, it will cause it to
crack later on. )
After you do all that you can .......... " Rub the same type of oil on to
it as you use the watch . It should give it a very clean new look when done and all that's needed is an ( Occasional wiping ) to maintain its looks.
Olive Oil works great on any ......( Leather ) too but ....."Occasional rubs" ,because it will ..........
( Over soften ) it to much.
__________________________________________________________________________________
NOTE: My friend the Chemist told me that the original Seiko straps have a lot of
( Original Rubber in them. ) So that's why they seem to last long and are ply-able
for many years he would say.
He says testing the Poly straps they resist many ....." Treatment Chemicals " ,
because it is ( NON - POROUS ) to except the chemicals used. )

 

[Patrinos2003]

^^^
interesting, this is how it looks 2 weeks after a very thin layer of pure vaseline applied.

 

[Camu]

SEIKO GL-831 and XGL-831 divers straps ...
NATURAL RUBBER

Natural rubber is made from the sap of the rubber tree, which is drained off, heated, and formed into rubber parts. Rubber has many uses; it is water-resistant, flexible, strong, and elastic. That said, over time natural rubber will tend to dry out, stiffen, and crack.

Restoration / Reconditioning of ur GL-831

First gently rinse with warm water and a mild soap cleaning off any excess dirt improve the strap aesthetically and will help prevent future wear and tear as dirt chafes the rubber against surfaces over time.

SECOND boil some water in the saucepan, when at a boil turn of the stove and submerge the strap in the boiling hot water. Every 5 minutes or so, remove the strap using tongs and test its flexibility and condition, Dry off excess water and let the strap sit submerged in some ALMOND OIL for 15 minutes to help in reconditioning and restoring lost flexibility ... wipe off excess oil and Ur diver strap should be back in business.

Photos below of end result of what i suggested above on my GL-831 strap from 1972 that was stiff, hard, and rigid into a soft, flexible and pliable almost new diver strap feel and look