Safety stopper for binocular strap (1 Viewer)

NoSpringChicken · Jul 4, 2011

For some reason which I don't understand the strap on my binoculars became detached on one side yesterday, which resulted in them hitting the floor with a sickening thud and damaging the eye cup. I assume the tail of the strap must have slowly worked through the buckle and then suddenly let go. The bins are off being fixed at the moment but when they return I would like to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

I have been giving the matter a little thought and at the moment the simplest idea I have come up with is to burn a small hole in the tail of the strap with a hot pin or nail and then thread a small split ring through it. I would be able to remove the ring if I want to detach the strap but, hopefully, it should prevent the tail from passing through the buckle if it slackens off too much.

Anyone got any better ideas?

Ron

Steve Dudley · Jul 4, 2011

Hi Ron. If this is the problem I think it is, I'm amazed just how often this comes up. As a tour guide I'm always re-strapping folks bins the way I've been doing mine for years which is a 100% anti-slip method.

I've attached two images below (sorry, rush job so not 100% sharp). The bins are to the right and the main strap to the left. I hope you can see how I thread through the plastic loop. The main strap is at the bottom going to the right to the bino, it passes down through the lug on the bino itself, then passes back up through the loop (to give you the first of the two images no. 869) before finally doubling back and passing back down through the loop for a third time (to give you the second image no.870).

Very simple and no need to start burning/punching holes and making some sort of securing pin solution.

NoSpringChicken · Jul 4, 2011

Thanks Steve. That does look like a neat and simple solution. I have just had a go with the strap (which is all I have left from my Minoxes at the moment) and it definitely feels more secure.

Thanks for posting this as it is a simple thing but it is surprisingly difficult to find details of how to do it properly. Now to do it to all my other binocular straps.:t:

Ron

Ingle1970 · Jul 4, 2011

Steve Dudley said:
Hi Ron. If this is the problem I think it is, I'm amazed just how often this comes up. As a tour guide I'm always re-strapping folks bins the way I've been doing mine for years which is a 100% anti-slip method.

I've attached two images below (sorry, rush job so not 100% sharp). The bins are to the right and the main strap to the left. I hope you can see how I thread through the plastic loop. The main strap is at the bottom going to the right to the bino, it passes down through the lug on the bino itself, then passes back up through the loop (to give you the first of the two images no. 869) before finally doubling back and passing back down through the loop for a third time (to give you the second image no.870).

Very simple and no need to start burning/punching holes and making some sort of securing pin solution.

SNAP!!, yep thats exactly the way i do mine :king:

Mono · Jul 4, 2011

I find that simply stapling the two sides of the strap together the other side of the gripper works well. I have had the double back through method come undone more than once.

Steve Dudley · Jul 4, 2011

Mono said:
I find that simply stapling the two sides of the strap together the other side of the gripper works well. I have had the double back through method come undone more than once.

Wow! Thats the first time I've heard of this method coming undone. In 25 years of using this method I've never had it come undone on any of my bins.

NoSpringChicken · Jul 4, 2011

I don't know if it is relevant but the tails of my Minox strap are only 6mm wide and quite soft and smooth, so there is not much webbing against webbing friction. I have just tried the doubling over method with the rougher and wider straps on my Swifts and it was harder to get the tail through the buckle but there does seem to be more friction to keep it in place.

Ron

Steve Dudley · Jul 4, 2011

NoSpringChicken said:
I don't know if it is relevant but the tails of my Minox strap are only 6mm wide and quite soft and smooth, so there is not much webbing against webbing friction. I have just tried the doubling over method with the rougher and wider straps on my Swifts and it was harder to get the tail through the buckle but there does seem to be even more friction to keep it in place.

Ron

Thats probably quite important Ron. The straps on all our Leicas are all thick and only just get through the loop on the third pass - I have to tug hard to pull them back through. Singeing the cut ends also adds to the bulk and difficulty in passing the strap through the third time.

Mono · Jul 4, 2011

Wow! Thats the first time I've heard of this method coming undone. In 25 years of using this method I've never had it come undone on any of my bins.

No two straps are the same! my Opticrons have been safely doubled through for years, but a new pair of Vortex kept coming undone, doubled back, even doubled back with a bight of strap. That's when I resorted to the staples.

John Russell · Jul 4, 2011

Steve,

Many thanks for the tip. Every so often I've had to remedy the creep on the straps of my bins. I'm sure your method will put an end to that.

John

Hermann · Jul 5, 2011

Steve Dudley said:
Hi Ron. If this is the problem I think it is, I'm amazed just how often this comes up. As a tour guide I'm always re-strapping folks bins the way I've been doing mine for years which is a 100% anti-slip method.

I think the problem in your photo is that the end of the strap that goes through the lug on the bins should pass *under* the strap, not over it. More fiddly, but much more secure, because the first strap exerts some pressure on the strap that passed through the lug. I've been doing it like that for years, and I think Zeiss even had some illustrations that that's the way you should attach the strap. I never had any problems at all.

BTW, if you want to absolutely sure it it doesn't slip or are using a very slippery strap, the easiest way is to stitch the end to the strap A couple of stiches should do.

Hermann

Steve Dudley · Jul 5, 2011

Hermann said:
I think the problem in your photo is that the end of the strap that goes through the lug on the bins should pass *under* the strap, not over it. More fiddly, but much more secure, because the first strap exerts some pressure on the strap that passed through the lug. I've been doing it like that for years, and I think Zeiss even had some illustrations that that's the way you should attach the strap. I never had any problems at all.

There isn't anything wrong with the method in my photos - its served me for over 20 years with countless pairs of bins (I have half a dozen strapped up like this at present) for both me, my wife and many others I have passed this on to.

Your method is simply an alternative others may with to try if my easy threading method doesn't work.

pete_gamby · Jul 6, 2011

We got asked the question so many times we made a movie about it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqyG9cymiYQ

Looks like the same process that Steve has detailed in his post.

Enjoy!

Cheers, Pete

NoSpringChicken · Jul 6, 2011

Nice one Pete. I wish I had watched that before my bins ended up on the floor at the weekend.

Ron

WilsonsWarbler · Jul 6, 2011

Very nice tips on how to keep those straps from undoing!

NoSpringChicken, very sorry to hear about the accident. I hope they come back better than new!

This is close to home too... I almost lost my Minox APO HG's the same way a week after I got them when I was using the supplied strap. I caught them just in time.

Right now, I'm using the Tamrac N25 strap, which has an extra lug with little teeth so hope that helps as well.

ceasar · Jul 7, 2011

Duct tape works. (It works on anything!

)

A thin strip wrapped around the end of the strap after you put it on the binocular will keep it from working back through the buckle. Or you can also wrap it around both the end and the strap. That won't come loose for sure. Use a colored piece of tape as a personal ID mark.

Bob

NDhunter · Jul 7, 2011

ceasar said:
Duct tape works. (It works on anything! )

A thin strip wrapped around the end of the strap after you put it on the binocular will keep it from working back through the buckle. Or you can also wrap it around both the end and the strap. That won't come loose for sure. Use a colored piece of tape as a personal ID mark.

Bob

Bob:

Duct tape, you must be joking !

Jerry

ceasar · Jul 7, 2011

NDhunter said:
Bob:

Duct tape, you must be joking !

Jerry

No, tear off a strip about 1/4 inch or so wide by 1" or so long, or cut it if you wish, and just wrap it around the end of the strap sticking outside the buckle and also around the long hanging portion of the strap next to it. It works. Chose your color.

Bob

Sancho · Jul 7, 2011

Hermann said:
BTW, if you want to absolutely sure it it doesn't slip or are using a very slippery strap, the easiest way is to stitch the end to the strap A couple of stiches should do.

Hermann

Agreed, and this is my favourite method. A few stitches on either side. The more expensive the binoculars, the more stitches they get

.

Alexis Powell · Jul 12, 2011

A couple of stitches through the end is my favorite method as well--super secure but easy to undo if necessary.

With pocket roofs I use a different method. Typically, these bins have very tiny strap lugs and the straps thus have very narrow ends (or else the whole strap resembles a thin shoelace). For these, I do away with the tiny little buckles and simply thread the strap through the bin's strap lug on each side and then knot the end of the strap so it is too thick to pull back through. If the strap is very thin (e.g. for Leica Ultravid) use a double overhand knot. This way of doing things results in complete security and a much simpler look (plus eliminates the hard little buckles which can scratch lens or body finish).

--AP

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