Stinky

[Victoria]

(Mods, this applies to any strap, but if you feel it more appropriate please remove it to the Panerai section!)

I have a Strap Culture strap which smells of death. A mixture of turpentine, mothballs, and Clapham Common Filling Station.

I've tried absolutely everything on it, from Coach leather cleaner, to Lord Sheraton, to Chelsea "Leather Food", to Lexol. Nothing gets the stink out. So desperate am I, since it cost north of U$100, that I considered immersing it in water...

Any tips on getting this unbelievable strap stench out?

[capice]

let it soak in water for a night, maybe that will do the trick

[V]

let it soak in water for a night, maybe that will do the trick

If the strap is not waterproof then Water and Leather should never EVER be together. Strap will shrunk and deform and probably rot

Vic can you find the following? :

[swdivad]

There is no way... stop now, nothing will work.

I have an OEM carbon that I unfortunately went diving with...

I've tried everything after washing it with dish soap, detol, freezing, boiling (after the strap was totally [censored]ed LOL), baking soda, ad nauseum, and finally just ordered one from Don.

What a waste of a nice strap

... anyone wanna buy a stinky OEM carbon fiber cheap? LOL

[V]

... anyone wanna buy a stinky OEM carbon fiber cheap? LOL

Send it to me as a gift... i might be able to un-stink it and wear it

[gianton]

As Kostas said don't EVER put leather straps into water, unless it is waterproof. I had a bad personal experience...

let it soak in water for a night, maybe that will do the trick

[Victoria]

If the strap is not waterproof then Water and Leather should never EVER be together. Strap will shrunk and deform and probably rot

I know. I'm surprised at Capice for suggesting that.

Vic can you find the following? :

Ooh Dettol! I'm homesick now. That's still the best disinfectant I've EVER used.

But no, the US doesn't have that specific one here, but there are variations of it. Let me buy one -- I'll report back.

EDIT: Found this. Nearly identical.

THANKS, Mr. V!

[Victoria]

There is no way... stop now, nothing will work.

I have an OEM carbon that I unfortunately went diving with...

Wait, one can't go diving or swimming with the OEM carbon?? Swidivad, wow, if true that saved me big money, thanks!

What a waste of a nice strap

I'm so sorry. This stinkiness makes me stay far far away from Strap Culture. I can't afford to get a second bad strap from them.

[V]

Wait, one can't go diving or swimming with the OEM carbon?? Swidivad, wow, if true that saved me big money, thanks!

Nope.. because it is not the upper leather that it isnt waterproof. It is the lining that it is normal leather and not so good one tbo..

You can go though diving with the A or B series carbon strap with the rubber lining

[Victoria]

Nope.. because it is not the upper leather that it isnt waterproof. It is the lining that it is normal leather and not so good one tbo..

Wow, I think this applies to the Toscana one too, then. It's got leather backing.

You can go though diving with the A or B series carbon strap with the rubber lining

Just to be clear, since I'm a little unsure as yet about these things:

You mean the Coramid A-series carbon you have, which you showed on the Sardinia beach?

'Cause I have that.

[V]

Wow, I think this applies to the Toscana one too, then. It's got leather backing.

Just to be clear, since I'm a little unsure as yet about these things:

You mean the Coramid A-series carbon you have, which you showed on the Sardinia beach?

'Cause I have that.

No I mean the original A-B series carbon fiber strap made by Hirsch at that time and it had Rubber backing. After Panerai started making those in CHina they used leather backing and they stopped being waterproof. The Coramid diving strap is another story.

Best strap for diving (and one of the best straps value for money) is DON's carbon fiber. Same material as the OEM (SAME) with rubber backing and historic look and sewn-in buckle for 50$ something... Can't beat that!!!

My two diving straps:

[V]

Just to be clear, since I'm a little unsure as yet about these things:

To be more clear.. this is a A/B series carbon fiber strap. Check the back.. Its black and rubber like my Don's. This IS waterproof...

Now check the one you have (and David). That one IS NOT

[Bruce]

No I mean the original A-B series carbon fiber strap made by Hirsch at that time and it had Rubber backing. After Panerai started making those in CHina they used leather backing and they stopped being waterproof. The Coramid diving strap is another story.

Best strap for diving (and one of the best straps value for money) is DON's carbon fiber. Same material as the OEM (SAME) with rubber backing and historic look and sewn-in buckle for 50$ something... Can't beat that!!!

My two diving straps:

V, could you tell me how to look up DON's items? I am not familiar with that name.

[V]

V, could you tell me how to look up DON's items? I am not familiar with that name.

There you go:

http://rlx.homestead.com/don.html

[Victoria]

Best strap for diving (and one of the best straps value for money) is DON's carbon fiber. Same material as the OEM (SAME) with rubber backing and historic look and sewn-in buckle for 50$ something... Can't beat that!!!

Thanks so much. I will either use the OEM coramid or the Don carbon, which I also have.

You saved me a bundle!

[tootall]

What lexol product did you use?

And to be honest, you have probably used too many conditioners for the strap to get back to anything useful. Conditioners add oils back in, they DO NOT clean leather. Cleaning leather is about floating dirt particles until they can be retrieved. All those conditioners have added a mixture of oils back to the leather. Which in turn captures the scents and does let them go. You would first have to remove all the oils (or a large amount of them) then you could clean it. Otherwise you are just adding to the problem.

[V]

And to be honest, you have probably used too many conditioners for the strap to get back to anything useful. Conditioners add oils back in, they DO NOT clean leather. Cleaning leather is about floating dirt particles until they can be retrieved. All those conditioners have added a mixture of oils back to the leather. Which in turn captures the scents and does let them go. You would first have to remove all the oils (or a large amount of them) then you could clean it. Otherwise you are just adding to the problem.

Couldn't agree more... Leather conditioners do not clean the leather.

[LifterCatcher]

dang this stinks (pun intended) I was going to order a SC strap but don't want a stinky

[madasboot]

I have a Strap Culture strap which smells of death.

I considered immersing it in water...

Any tips on getting this unbelievable strap stench out?

You should try to roll it with cloth and give it a decent burial... but just for a week.

Earth will take the smell out.

[slai]

I have found when faced with a stink that won't go away, the only thing that will change the odour unfortunately, is to mask it with something else of greater stink. So the real question is, what smells worse than death? Perhaps some swedish fermented shark?

[The Mentalist]

Perhaps some swedish fermented shark?

Save yourself the trouble and p iss on it. That stuff is EVIL.

Actually, a pretty good idea to clean the strap is to immerse it in lighter fluid or methylated spirit or rubbing alcohol. It's a form of dry cleaning that will not harm the leather but will leach all the crud from it.

[slai]

Save yourself the trouble and p iss on it. That stuff is EVIL.

Have you tried it? I've only read about it and seen it on TV.

[Victoria]

Actually, a pretty good idea to clean the strap is to immerse it in lighter fluid or methylated spirit or rubbing alcohol. It's a form of dry cleaning that will not harm the leather but will leach all the crud from it.

If I go up in flames, it'll be your faults!

Tootall, V, Madasboot, guys -- thanks for all your help.

Yes, I've tried rolling it up and burying it with baking soda, the lot. Nothing works so far. Let's see what I can do, and will report back.

[The Mentalist]

If I go up in flames, it'll be your faults!

Tootall, V, Madasboot, guys -- thanks for all your help.

Yes, I've tried rolling it up and burying it with baking soda, the lot. Nothing works so far. Let's see what I can do, and will report back.

Leave it overnight in the solvent. Then wait for the solvent to completely evaporate, recondition the leather with lexol or similar and I'm 90% sure the nasty niffs will be neutralised.

Have you tried it? I've only read about it and seen it on TV.

Yes, I've tried hakarl. It is the most disgusting stuff ever to pass my lips. It's like eating old cheesy socks soaked in solidified urine. The memory of it makes me want to wretch. Nasty, nasty stuff. Forget waterboarding, the CIA should try it as a form of torture. 3 seconds of that and I was ready to give you any information you wanted.

[sssurfer]

Unsure about which kind of smell you mean, Vicky. Would you post a sample, so we can help better?

When no chemical agents work, one might take in consideration physical agents (heat, UV rays, X/gamma rays) and/or biological (bacterial cultures like yoghourt and the already mentioned burying the strap in earth).

But, as you talked of turpentine and mothballs (I have no clue of what Clapham Common Filling Station is, sorry), it looks more like a hydrocarbon smell. In this case bacterial agents are pretty useless unless you have access to those mutated bacteria they use to get rid of petroleoum tides after oil-tanker accidents.

So I would try heat at first, especially in combination with some solvents that you already tried at room temperature.

Naturally, better 2 hours at 60 (centigrade) degrees that 2 minutes at 1000.

You are guaranteed that the sooner or later you will find a temperature+solvent combination that will get you rid of the smell.

Probably of the strap too.