Gunny Straps, are they always this bad?

abuemily · Post by **abuemily** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 9:53 am

So, wanted a canvas strap for my Tudor Bronze, and as both Art and Drew are busy, I contacted Gunny straps and ordered one. I guess I should have done a little more research, as I didn't realize until after the strap was made that they are in Indonesia. I honestly thought with that name it was a former Marine. Really. So, strap arrives today and it might be the ugliest, crappiest looking strap I've ever bought. Shoddy work, bad dye work, etc. Anyone else ever used them, had a better experience? Or, is this just one of those life lessons? I should add that because it's a 23mm strap, my options were kind of limited--the other strap makers I checked with would only do 22 or 24mm.

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rockmastermike · Post by **rockmastermike** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:09 am

I've a few Gunny straps that were all pretty good....I think this one is meant to be roughed up and "distressed" ??
If it were a black 23, I'd take it off your hands, but I have a few old OD green ones.

hoppyjr · Post by **hoppyjr** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:16 am

His stuff has been pretty solid in my experience, although that was years ago when I wore leather.

He seems pretty responsive, have you tried to return it or get a different one made?

ericf4 · Post by **ericf4** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:17 am

id never heard bad stuff about them..

Post by **toxicavenger** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:22 am

I never wanted one of their straps. But I thought they were made by some old Marine in the basement making straps. Didn't they make a LE version for Arnold? I don't know, they always looked like they were 10mm thick so I never bought one.

abuemily · Post by **abuemily** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:32 am

toxicavenger wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:22 am
I never wanted one of their straps. But I thought they were made by some old Marine in the basement making straps. Didn't they make a LE version for Arnold? I don't know, they always looked like they were 10mm thick so I never bought one.

You know what's interesting, it's basically a thick leather strap with what looks like a veneer of canvas on it. It looks from the side like the canvas is about 1mm thick.

gamecock111 · Post by **gamecock111** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:35 am

I love my gunnies but my favorite ones are for watches I no longer have. There are a few that are pretty thick.

abuemily · Post by **abuemily** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:35 am

hoppyjr wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:16 am
His stuff has been pretty solid in my experience, although that was years ago when I wore leather.

He seems pretty responsive, have you tried to return it or get a different one made?

Just got it in the mail today and was really disappointed. I'm going to write him tonight. From my post order conversation, it looks like he just manages the strap making, has a workshop of people putting them together.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:35 am

i have one leather strap from them and it was really nice.

Post by **CGSshorty** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:39 am

I've always thought his stuff was complete crap. Someone posted some nice ones recently, though.

nweash · Post by **nweash** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:18 pm

Not into that distressed look but I can see the appeal to some. A clean rolled canvas is tough to beat.

Danny_T · Post by **Danny_T** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:20 pm

Email him and he will take the strap back. He will make sure you're happy. I've got a bunch of his stuff. Did he not send you pics of the strap before they sent it? He usually does. My last order I actually rejected the ones he made (based on pics he sent) and he redid them and then I approved and he shipped em out.

Danny_T · Post by **Danny_T** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:21 pm

Oh and forgot to add. You should request the strap is made with rolled edges not raw/frayed like you got.

You have to make sure to tell him exactly what you want.

giosdad · Post by **giosdad** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:30 pm

I found that once the communication was clear I was happy with his straps. I seem to remember having to e-mail a few times to make sure he understood me and vice-versa. He does make good on straps if you are not happy. He redid a strap for me once and let me keep the old one which I gave away. Based on what you received he must have though you wanted a weathered look to it.

dnslater · Post by **dnslater** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:57 pm

abuemily wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 18, 2017 9:53 am
I didn't realize until after the strap was made that they are in Indonesia. I honestly thought with that name it was a former Marine.

His name is Peter Gunny and he is in Indonesia. I think he is pretty up front about this. Never heard anything bad about him. Sorry about your troubles but I know many like that rough look.

abuemily · Post by **abuemily** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 4:44 pm

Danny_T wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:20 pm
Email him and he will take the strap back. He will make sure you're happy. I've got a bunch of his stuff. Did he not send you pics of the strap before they sent it? He usually does. My last order I actually rejected the ones he made (based on pics he sent) and he redid them and then I approved and he shipped em out.

Nope, not a word until it was ready to send. In fact, I waited 5 weeks after ordering and paying for the strap, and asked when it would be ready. It was 2 more weeks after that before he mailed it. Had I seen it beforehand I would have rejected it. I will contact him about it, as compared to the earlier Drew/Micah canvas straps I've purchased, this isn't even close in quality--for roughly the same price. He seems like a nice guy, so I'm sure there is no duplicity here.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:03 pm

odd that he didn't send you anything. it's been a couple of years, but he sent me pictures ahead of time, too.

Post by **CGSshorty** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:39 pm

That strap is absolutely terrible looking. He should be embarrassed to charge money for that level of work.

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 9:02 pm

CGSshorty wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:39 pm
That strap is absolutely terrible looking. He should be embarrassed to charge money for that level of work.

i agree. it doesn't look weathered, it looks sloppy.

watches503 · Post by **watches503** » Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:35 pm

Sorry to hear that. I've heard nothing but good things about Clover Straps for quality canvas straps.

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tattoo chef · Post by **tattoo chef** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 6:52 am

The canvas strap that comes with the Gruppo Gamma looks 100 times better than that.

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HapaHapa · Post by **HapaHapa** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:37 pm

The color is uneven, I'll give you that. However the dimensions are uniform as are the stitches. I think the rough edges were by design / choice of materials. I'd say the craftsman probably intended what you got.
If it were 22mm I'd consider buying it off of you. I don't have anything that's 23 mm lug width.
On that note is it really 23 mm, or possibly 22.5 mm?

abuemily · Post by **abuemily** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 3:01 pm

HapaHapa wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:37 pm
The color is uneven, I'll give you that. However the dimensions are uniform as are the stitches. I think the rough edges were by design / choice of materials. I'd say the craftsman probably intended what you got.
If it were 22mm I'd consider buying it off of you. I don't have anything that's 23 mm lug width.
On that note is it really 23 mm, or possibly 22.5 mm?

It's 23--was a tight fit getting it into my Tudor. Honestly, I wouldn't pawn this off on anyone. It really is a leather strap with only a thin layer of canvas on top. I thought I was getting a canvas strap like others I have purchased in the past.

HapaHapa · Post by **HapaHapa** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 3:40 pm

I've got one of those leather/canvas combo straps, from Halios or Helson. All canvas is so much better. Put in an order with Art or Drew to get into the queue.

shaneotool · Post by **shaneotool** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:58 pm

I think that strap is just his style.

kind of like the strap got drug around behind a truck for a few days.

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