# How does Damasko let this happen?



## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

So I noticed in their website Damasko offer the DS30 Ocean with a Hirsh Performance Robby strap:









So it happens in my strap collection I had an unused Hirsh Tiger which is basically a variation of the same strap.
With extra time at home under lockdown I've been fooling around swapping straps around my watches and tried the Tiger on my DS30. Looks good, thought I'll keep it on for a while.









A day later I notice this:

















I know the gap tolerance is tight against the sharp lower edge on the DS30 and so far been careful about straps I've put on it but since the maker offers the watch with a very similar strap I thought I'd be safe. Turns out not to be the case and I now have a damaged Hirsh to show for it.

Damasko, how can you allow this to happen? Any DS30 Ocean owners see the same problem on their strap?


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## Sparrowhawk (May 22, 2006)

Sorry, but I believe that you are not justified in blaming Damasko for the marks on your strap.

It sucks that it happened, but it's on you.


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## MKN (Mar 27, 2012)

So you mounted a strap that doesn’t fit and then blame the manufacturer? 


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

No such blemishes on any of my Damasko watches.


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## Bonzodog (Oct 31, 2019)

I found the same thing with thick straps on my DS 30,went for aftermarket bracelet.


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## timefleas (Oct 10, 2008)

Different watches have different tolerances for attaching straps--find one that fits yours--pretty simple, really.


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## uperhemi (Nov 15, 2018)

Robby strap is made with silicone rubber, while yours is made with leather. Absolutely nothing Damasko did wrong with designing the watch.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

Sparrowhawk said:


> Sorry, but I believe that you are not justified in blaming Damasko for the marks on your strap.
> 
> It sucks that it happened, but it's on you.


Why not?


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## elbilo (Sep 11, 2011)

I have a black Tiger strap on my DS30. I also have a scuff caused by the edge of the case. Of course I wish Damasko made just a bit more room, but it's not a big deal for me. FWIW, the same thing happened to a brown Tiger strap on my Sinn 556.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

timefleas said:


> Different watches have different tolerances for attaching straps--find one that fits yours--pretty simple, really.


That's not really the point. I fitted a strap that is essentially the same as shown on Damasko's catalogue and the bottom case edge chews it up in short order.


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## fish70 (Oct 12, 2006)

I like a strap to sit right up next to the case so the rubbing wouldn't bother me at all.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

uperhemi said:


> Robby strap is made with silicone rubber, while yours is made with leather. Absolutely nothing Damasko did wrong with designing the watch.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk


Not quite true. Hirsh do not use silicone rubber, all their straps in their 'performace' range are in fact a thin layer of leather laminated onto a natural rubber base they call 'caoutchouc'. This includes the 'carbon' look straps which are actually leather with the embossed pattern. I have at least 6 or 7 Hirsh straps with 4 of them from the performance range.


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## uperhemi (Nov 15, 2018)

obomomomo said:


> Not quite true. Hirsh do not use silicone rubber, all their straps in their 'performace' range are in fact a thin layer of leather laminated onto a natural rubber base they call 'caoutchouc'. This includes the 'carbon' look straps which are actually leather with the embossed pattern. I have at least 6 or 7 Hirsh straps with 4 of them from the performance range.


Interesting, didn't know this. Thank you for the information. But my point withstands that the OP was putting on a strap that is much easier to get scratches on its surface than Damasko's offerings for the specific watch.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk


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## happyscrappyheropup (Feb 6, 2013)

Is it possible Damasko used curved spring bars to increase the clearance for the strap?

-- Wayne


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

happyscrappyheropup said:


> Is it possible Damasko used curved spring bars to increase the clearance for the strap?
> 
> -- Wayne


They do not. 1,8 ,0,9 tip. The factory spring bars are perfect for Nato and Zulu straps, just the right gap for the straps to pass between the case and spring bar.


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## Kjo43 (Feb 24, 2013)

The Hirsch Robby fits fine, no wear. I guess that's why Damasko uses that strap vs the one you chose.


























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## elbilo (Sep 11, 2011)

Wish Hirsch offered a Robby with lime green rubber/stitching to match my DS30. Even all black with white stitching (like the Tiger) would be nice. I like the sailcloth texture.


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## Sergeant Major (Dec 13, 2019)

So it is not the exact same strap dimesions? Appears to be owner error, close thread!


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## Acidstain (Jul 28, 2018)

The proper question should have been “how did I let his happen?” You should have felt the strap rubbing through the case as soon as you fitted it on. 


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

Kjo43 said:


> The Hirsch Robby fits fine, no wear. I guess that's why Damasko uses that strap vs the one you chose.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well that's interesting. It must be my mistake then to assume the Robby and Tiger are the same straps in a different colour.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

Acidstain said:


> The proper question should have been "how did I let his happen?" You should have felt the strap rubbing through the case as soon as you fitted it on.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's true. I felt a little rubbing but didn't expect the result to be as bad as it turned out. Should have been more cautious.


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## obomomomo (Nov 4, 2014)

Back to a plain brown calfskin strap. Still a great watch


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## elbilo (Sep 11, 2011)

Acidstain said:


> The proper question should have been "how did I let his happen?" You should have felt the strap rubbing through the case as soon as you fitted it on.


In my experience, the case didn't scuff my strap upon fitting it on the watch. It eventually scuffed as the strap moved around while handling. As you can see in the pics, there is clearance, but unless the strap is consistently taught, the springbar has room to move within the strap, which can result in the strap abutting the bottom edge of the case. I never noticed any sensation to alert me that the strap was rubbing the case. The strap appeared to move freely (without any sign of friction). Again, the scuff doesn't bother me. It scuffed to a point and doesn't appear to be getting any worse.


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## Lemon328i (Apr 16, 2009)

stuffler said:


> They do not. 1,8 ,0,9 tip. The factory spring bars are perfect for Nato and Zulu straps, just the right gap for the straps to pass between the case and spring bar.


Might have recently changed as the Robby I received last week came with curved spring bars.

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## 3dB (May 8, 2015)

stuffler said:


> They do not. 1,8 ,0,9 tip. The factory spring bars are perfect for Nato and Zulu straps, just the right gap for the straps to pass between the case and spring bar.


I'm going to refute this as well. The Windup edition DS30 I have came with a Damasko stamped strap secured in place using curved spring bars. Either Damasko shipped curved spring bars or Windup took the normal ones off and replaced them with curved ones. I think the former probably is the simpler and more likely option, though I don't know for certain.


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## Nidan (Nov 4, 2011)

Does this mean that if I buy an aftermarket Hirsch Arne or Robby (or Tiger) strap for my DS30, which has straight spring bars, I'll get scuffs on the strap?


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## Kjo43 (Feb 24, 2013)

Nidan said:


> Does this mean that if I buy an aftermarket Hirsch Arne or Robby (or Tiger) strap for my DS30, which has straight spring bars, I'll get scuffs on the strap?


My photos above with the Robby are standard straight spring bars. The watch came on leather, I added the Robby. No plans for curved bars here.

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## Rice and Gravy (Feb 7, 2014)

Had two stock straps on my DA44, both rubbed on the case and left visible marks. And check out the W&W review of the DS30, the stock strap rubs on the case and you can clearly see it in the pictures. The Damasko lug holes are very close to the case and the stock strap rubs. For those that claim that theirs don't, I am quite surprised to hear that, please post pictures.


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## drkien (Apr 1, 2020)

My DA36 is only 4 months old and I have the same problem.


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## MDNoobie (Feb 19, 2020)

obomomomo said:


> That's not really the point. I fitted a strap that is *essentially* *the* *same* as shown on Damasko's catalogue and the bottom case edge chews it up in short order.


Essentially the same, yet clearly not *the same*, and the size/shape if the two straps' connection end is among the differences.


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## CJ5000 (Mar 21, 2016)

I have had similar issues in the past with my DS30 Ocean, including with the OEM Damasko vintage brown strap. However, the Hirsch Blue Robby strap that came with the watch was fine. I just received a new DS30 Black with the vintage black strap and it came with curved spring bars. No clearance issues with the curved spring bars.

Also, I just purchased one of the new Hirsch Tiger straps with the quick release spring bars and it works fine. No clearance issues.


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## Nodyce (Apr 23, 2020)

drkien said:


> My DA36 is only 4 months old and I have the same problem.


Wow. I can see the argument that if you put an aftermarket strap on the watch and it scrapes, it's on you. But for this to happen with a stock strap? Bad form, and from a German company? Curious.


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## Weetabix (Jun 10, 2018)

stuffler said:


> They do not. 1,8 ,0,9 tip. The factory spring bars are perfect for Nato and Zulu straps, just the right gap for the straps to pass between the case and spring bar.


Well... thin NATO's and maybe some Zulus. I don't have any Zulus that will go on without undue shoving that makes me worry about the spring bars. And premium NATO's won't go on for me. I could wish they'd make the lugs just about 0.1 or 0.2mm longer.

My Damaskos dent straps as well, but I don't worry about it.

Where does one find curved spring bars? That might be a game changer for me.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Curved spring bars are offered almost everywhere. Ebay, Amazon, Uhrenarmband-Versand, strapcode, toxicnatos, watchstraps, watch-band-center and, and and..... 

Damasko acquired a tool (machine) for curved spring bars. New orders should be from now on equiped with curved spring bars.


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## Palettj (Mar 29, 2014)

obomomomo said:


> So I noticed in their website Damasko offer the DS30 Ocean with a Hirsh Performance Robby strap:
> 
> View attachment 15002293
> 
> ...


Oh common man, leather is a natural material that will get marred with friction. This post is misleading, I was thinking you had a problem with the case or watch itself.


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## Lornholio (Dec 13, 2018)

Weetabix said:


> Where does one find curved spring bars? That might be a game changer for me.


Bend a normal spring bar slightly between two teaspoons. Don't size up; the change in length is negligible.


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## MichaelDunford (Oct 1, 2018)

Aftermarket straps on my Sinn 556 can have similar effects. I personally don't mind. It shows character...on a tool watch. These things are meant to be used and abused IMO.


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## Greg H. (Feb 23, 2006)

As you see in the below photos, my brand new Barton Gaucho rubs on one side. The strap arrived today. 
The recently purchased Barton Sailcloth strap has plenty of clearance. No problem. It's the thickness of the leather of the Gaucho. It is only rubbing on the one side, however. 
I did go ahead and send photos to Barton. 
Regarding this strap; I really like the fact that it is 20mm from end to end. I'm not a big fan of straps that taper down.


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## nimzotech (May 17, 2020)

Lornholio said:


> Bend a normal spring bar slightly between two teaspoons. Don't size up; the change in length is negligible.





StufflerMike said:


> ...Curved spring bars.....
> Damasko acquired a tool (machine) for curved spring bars. New orders should be from now on equiped with curved spring bars.


The ingenious teaspoon tip by Lornholio worked for me.

Before:









After:








BTW,
My DS30 shipped May 19, 2020. With straight spring bars. The vintage leather strap was already showing slight marring when I unboxed it. I have been using the leather balsam which helped. I highly recommend it on all leather goods - works miracles in restoring all things leather. I've used it to great effect on leather straps, boots, wallet, and couch.









Cheers

I Sinn, therefore I am.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk, pardon any spelling errors.


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## TheIceMan93 (Dec 25, 2018)

I too wish Damasko had built in a little more space between the spring bars and the case. I'm worried that the tight fit will start to fray my Mankey hook strap over time.


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## lightspire (Apr 12, 2009)

It's not just Damasko. Check out this $20K Blancpain Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MilSpec after being worn on the OEM sailcloth strap ☹


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