Yes, each and every one of my straps is built completely by hand. In my opinion there is no substitute for a quality hand made, hand stitched watch strap. No machines are used in the production of a Toshi Strap, it’s just me, my hand tools and top quality leather – as it should be.

The cost of a strap depends on your choice of leather and buckle (the base cost of a strap includes a free spring bar buckle, but you can upgrade to a sewn in or screw bar buckle when you order for a small additional charge). All prices are published on the pages showcasing the specific leathers, which can be found via the Store page.

The price of any Toshi Strap includes a free buckle of your choice. You can choose to receive the strap without a buckle (by selecting "no buckle" from the buckles drop down), but you are not charged more for choosing a buckle when you order a strap.

The buckles available to you are determined by the strap width you have selected. The buckles page has information on which buckles are available, and in what finishes & widths.

No, my straps never taper. Toshi Straps are built using traditional techniques in the vintage “Pre-V” style, which means they are ti-fold, parallel width straps. This means that if you choose a 24mm wide strap it will be 24mm parallel, and will therefore require a 24mm buckle fitted. Over the years this is the style of straps I’ve become associated with and it is the style of strap I wear myself.

No. All the leathers I have available are shown in the website store section. The selection of leathers I use does change, but at any time all the leathers I have available are shown in the Store.

Unless requested otherwise, my straps will not have tubes in them. I do stock tubes for 22mm, 24mm and 26mm straps however, so if you want me to fit them to your strap please be sure to mention this in the “order notes” field on the checkout page when ordering. There will be no additional charge made if you request tubes fitted to your strap when you place your order, but please be aware that tubes are only recommended when the strap is to be worn on a Panerai Luminor watch. Fitting a strap with tubes is not a good idea unless the watch is a Panerai Luminor!

This blog post explains what tubes are, and what function they perform.

Regardless of the thickness of the strap, I always shave the thickness of the leather to around 1.2mm at the point of attachment so my straps will fit most watches. Some watches are well known for having very tight clearance at the lugs (eg. Anonimo and Bremont), so if you are concerned please be sure to let me know when you order and I will thin the leather slightly more than I would normally when I build your strap.

I have done everything I can to make sure that the colour you see on your screen is as close to that of the product you will receive as is possible, but the colours we perceive are affected by many things. Changes in the ambient lighting temperature and brightness can change the way our eyes see colours, and of course all monitors are not calibrated equally. For this reason, although I am confident of the photographs on my site, I can’t guarantee that the strap you will receive will be the precise colour you see on your screen.

No. My straps are bespoke and are always made to order. I know it can be frustrating having to wait for your strap, but I will make the wait as short as possible and I am confident you will be delighted with the strap when it arrives.

No, I’m afraid my workshop is private. In the past, allowing people to visit and have a look around proved be too disruptive to my schedule, and I think it is more important that I concentrate my time on the straps that I am making – ensuring they are always built to the highest standards and meeting the deadlines I set myself.

Yes, I’ve collected watches for many years, and it’s why I started to make straps. I consider myself more of an enthusiast than a collector nowadays though, as I’m happy with the watches I own and so I’m not as active in collecting circles as I once was.

Yes, Toshi Straps is just me. It’s true that I do have a supervisor, my cocker spaniel Dave who is here with me most of the time (and likes to think he’s the boss!), and occasionally one of the two cats we share our home with may have fallen asleep on my work bench, but generally speaking it is just me.

Yes, there is a “standard” specification I work to. Unless you request otherwise at the time of ordering, your strap will come with open stitching and a single 15mm wide floating keeper. This is how I prefer my straps, and it is the way I always present my straps on the store pages.

If you want something non-standard (e.g. closed stitching, or two narrower keepers) please remember to mention it when you place your order (either put a comment in the “additional Information” section when you get to the Checkout page, or send me an email).

My recommendations for strap length are based on a strap having my standard hole configuration, but I am happy to alter that to your specification.

As standard, the number of holes in the strap tail depends on the length of the strap tail. Strap lengths of 130mm and longer will have 7 holes, those shorter than 130mm will have 6 holes. The holes are spaced approx. 7mm apart (centre of hole to centre of hole), and the first hole is positioned at 50mm from the watch lugs.

If you want to specify how many holes are punched in a strap tail, you will also need to give me a measurement for the position of the first hole. Please make sure to comment in the “additional information” field when you get to the Checkout page to let me know (or send me an email with the order number and instructions as soon as you have placed the order).

My straps are made by hand so I can make a strap any width you like, however my straps are parallel width and I only keep a stock of buckles in 18mm, 20mm, 22mm, 24mm and 26mm. This is why, when you place an order, the options for strap width are limited to 18mm, 20mm, 22mm, 24mm and 26mm. Most watches have lug widths that fall into these standards, but there are some that don’t. If you want a different width strap I can make it for you, but you will need to source a buckle for it yourself (or I can fit the next size up i.e. a 22mm wide buckle on a 21mm wide strap).

Correctly sizing a strap is not as complicated as it might seem, and is explained on the strap width & length page. This shows what information I need when you place an order, but feel free to email me if you want me to help, or have any questions.

When you place an order you will be asked to enter a length for your strap in the strap length drop down. The 6 options listed are lengths chosen to reflect the suggestions I make on the strap width & length page, but there is also an option for “custom”. If you want to request a length that I haven’t listed, you can select “custom” from the strap‑length drop down and specify the exact length you want in the order notes at checkout. When I email to confirm your order, I’ll confirm the length with you.

No, the stitching in my straps is not only aesthetic, but functional too. Over the years I’ve been making straps I’ve tried a variety of different adhesives and found that while there are some that are strong enough to bond leather so stitching isn’t necessary, the stronger the adhesive the higher the possibility that some people will suffer allergic reactions to it. I’m yet to find a glue that is strong enough and yet hypoallergenic, and so I continue to hand stitch all my straps.

Yes, of course. As standard, my straps come with a single 15mm wide floating keeper as shown in the store photography, but if you want a fixed keeper I can do that for you. I feel that 15mm is the perfect width for a single floating keeper, however in my opinion it is too wide for a sewn in keeper, so if you want a sewn in keeper it will be made 9mm wide. A strap made with a sewn in keeper will also have a floating keeper (also 9mm wide). This blog post goes into more detail, and shows photographs of a strap with 9mm wide sewn in & floating keepers.

If you want a sewn in keeper with your strap, please remember to let me know (either by commenting in the “additional Information” section when you get to the Checkout page, or by sending me an email immediately after placing your order). Unless you inform me otherwise, your strap will be made to standard spec i.e. with a single 15mm wide floating keeper only.

Yes. If you prefer to order a strap without a buckle, you can select “no buckle” in the buckle dropdown, but the price remains the same. You are not charged for a buckle when you order a strap from me, so ordering a strap without a buckle does not reduce the cost of the strap.

My straps are made to be used with a traditional tang buckle, but it is not impossible that a clasp you own will work with my straps - it depends entirely on the clasp (and there are many different types). If you own a deployant clasp and want to wear it with one of my straps, please be aware that my straps are parallel width and can be quite thick (the thickness of strap is dependant on the leather selected), so your clasp needs to be able to take the width & thickness of strap you order.

An explanation of the order process can be seen on this page.

If you are confused by any of the choices you have to make, then by all means contact me and I will do my best to help. Once an order is received I will confirm everything back to you by email before starting work on your strap, so if there are any aspects of your order that need clarification we can discuss them at that time.

Please note – I only schedule the build of your strap/s once payment has been received.

You don’t need to create an account to place an order — you can check out as a guest with no restrictions.

However, setting up an account can make future orders much quicker and easier. Your details are saved securely, you can view your full order history, track current orders, and reorder straps without having to enter everything again. It’s optional, but it gives you a faster and more convenient experience.

My preferred method of payment is by credit or debit card, but I also accept PayPal, Shop Pay, Google Pay and Apple Pay. If you have a UK bank account, you can also pay by bank transfer. (Due to high fees and long delays, I’m unable to accept bank transfers from non‑UK banks.)

All credit / debit card transactions are processed for me by my bank through their secure payment server, and so I don’t see or have access to your card details. I receive notification from the processing bank that your payment has been received, but I’m never made aware of your card details.

I don’t like an inbox full of spam or unsolicited telephone calls either, and so I assure you I will act with integrity at all times. Any information you give me will always be treated confidentially, but I do need certain information from you in order to fulfil an order. I will always communicate with you by email when possible, but your telephone number is requested so that in the unlikely event that your email isn’t working properly (or you’ve made a typo when placing your order – which does happen sometimes) I can still contact you if I need to e.g. to tell you that your order has been received, or inform you of the tracking number for your package.

Also, there are some national mail carriers that insist on a telephone number in order to facilitate a delivery (e.g. USA).

Yes, when you get to your shopping cart you will find a text block for “Order special instructions”. Anything you type in this section will automatically be attached to your order, and I will see it when your order comes through to me.

I understand that mistakes can happen when ordering something and I am a fair person, so if I can help I will, but it please remember that when you order a strap from me you are not ordering an off the shelf item – you are commissioning a bespoke watch strap to be made for you to your specification. As such, once work has started on your strap, cancellations are not possible, and only certain changes can be made (this depends on what work has been done so far e.g. if the strap has already been cut & stitched, it may be possible to change the buckle or the hole placement, but not to change the choice of leather, the width, the length or the colour of the stitching).

When I email you to confirm your order I will always give you a date that the strap is scheduled to be posted to you, and also an indication of when work is going to start on your strap (usually this is between 2-7 days after the order is received, but it could be sooner depending on certain factors). I would therefore strongly recommend that any deliberation about the strap specification is made prior to you placing an order. This reduces the risks that you will need to request changes, and it saves me a lot of time that I would rather spend making straps, but if you do decide to change something after you’ve placed your order please email me as soon as you can and I will let you know if it is possible.

In most circumstances it’s not possible to make changes to your order once you’ve placed it, but if you want to add something else please place another order for the additional item/s and ask me if I can post it with your previous order. If this is possible I will be happy to post multiple orders together.

For custom made watch straps, the lead time varies depending on how busy I am when you place an order, but it is normally between three and five weeks from the time I receive your payment before your order is ready to post. When I receive payment for a strap, I schedule the strap build, and I will always give you an anticipated posting date when I email you confirming receipt of payment. I take responsibility for making sure I post your strap on the quoted posting date, or earlier if I can get it finished sooner.

For non-custom orders i.e. accessories, I post the next time I am at the Post Office. As I work alone, and because a round trip to the Post Office takes about an hour, I only post mail once a week (usually on a Wednesday or a Thursday). Again though, when I confirm your order I will give you a firm posting date.

I will always try to get all strap orders finished and posted as soon as possible, but please remember that you are not buying an “off the shelf” item. All straps are made to order, and I do have other customers. I always give a firm posting date when I schedule the build and confirm an order, and I am confident that when your strap arrives you will feel that it was worth waiting for.

No, I’m afraid not. Because you are commissioning a bespoke watch strap to be made for you, there will be a waiting time.

Yes, I have customers all around the world and I am happy to ship to anywhere. Worldwide shipping is free of charge with any order over £80

Postage and packing is free of charge on all orders of £80 or more, so whenever you order a strap from me you won’t be charged a penny for postage and packing – regardless of where you are in the world. If you are not ordering a strap, and the value of your order is less than £80, there will be an additional charge added at the checkout stage to cover the cost of post and packing – this will depend on where you are in the world, and is as follows:

UK customers – your order will be sent with Royal Mail First Class Recorded Delivery, and the charge is £5.50

International customers – your order will be sent by Royal Mail International Registered Airmail, and the charge is £12.95

As standard, I use Royal Mail to ship my straps to you. If you are in the UK your strap will be sent using Royal Mail “First Class Recorded Signed For”. If you are outside of the UK I will use “International Tracked” to get your order to you. Both these services will confirm delivery, and allow me to insure against loss. For more info on the Royal Mail Services I use please go to Royal Mail’s website.

If you are in the UK and want me to send your order using RM Special Delivery (next working day guaranteed) please let me know when you order. There will be an additional £6 charge which I will invoice you for separately.

If you are outside of the UK and want me to arrange for your order to be delivered by a courier (e.g. DHL Express or Fedex) I’m happy to sort out the necessary paperwork and arrange that for you. Using a courier service can be substantially more expensive than the standard registered airmail service I use, but if you are happy to pay the additional cost please let me know when you order by putting a comment in “order notes”. I will get a quote from the couriers to send to you, and you can then decide whether to pay the additional cost and upgrade.

I always ship using a registered service, and it is possible you will need to sign to receive the package. Policy may differ slightly depending on your country of residence (it is your national mail company that will make the final delivery), but normally if delivery is attempted when no-one is home to sign for a package, you will be left a card with information which will allow you to arrange a re-delivery on a convenient day, or to collect it from their offices.

Leather watch straps are considered consumable items, but a well‑made strap should still give you many years of service. Every Toshi Strap is built from premium, full‑thickness leather, not the thin leather veneers commonly used in mass‑produced straps. Many factory straps are padded or lined with cheaper materials that look good when new but often break down within a year.

A Toshi Strap is a tri‑fold construction made entirely from premium leather — no fillers, no cheap padding, no compromise. With basic care, they are designed to last.

Keeping your strap clean and dry is the most important thing. Beyond that, a light application of a good leather conditioner every 4–6 months should be all it needs. Under normal wear, I fully expect a Toshi Strap to last for years.

It’s not unusual for customers to tell me they’re still wearing a strap I made for them more than ten years ago.

It sounds obvious, but cleaning the strap regularly will help to keep your strap in optimum condition. Sweat and dirt can eventually cause a strap to deteriorate, so a regular wipe with a clean, dry (or slightly damp) cotton cloth is recommended.

If you intend to buy a specialised cleaning product you would be advised to avoid any that will strip the natural oils from the leather. Also, a leather cleaner should not leave an oily residue (which can make the strap susceptible to bacteria and can break down the stitching). A leather conditioner is something that should be used only occasionally. Conditioners contain fats and oils to help replenish the leather, but I avoid any containing petroleum or mineral oils as these ingredients will damage the leather in the longer term. It is always a good idea to test the cleaner / conditioner on a small area at the back of the strap first – many products can change the colour of the leather.

One final point to mention – please remember that leather is a natural material and should never be stored in plastic (it can encourage the growth of mildew and bacteria and can damage the leather).

Although I wax and oil my straps during the manufacturing process, I do not consider them to be waterproof. Personally I advise against getting my straps wet, and certainly would suggest swimming or showering while wearing a strap is not a good idea.

Any screw will loosen in time. With a watch buckle the vibration from wearing the strap and lateral movement of the leather strap against the buckle means there are a lot of forces acting against the bar, so a screw bar buckle needs to be checked often, and tightened when necessary.

If checking and tightening the screw bar is too much trouble you can use a thread locker – this is a specific adhesive which locks the thread of the screw to prevent it loosening (without locking it permanently). The one I recommend is Loctite 243. Thread lock adhesives come in a variety of strengths. Loctite 243 is medium strength – designed to form a bond that is strong enough to inhibit the loosening of a metal screw but weak enough to allow the screw to be undone using a screwdriver.