Does anyone make their own accordion straps?

[Javthedog]

I'll give that a go if the leather attachments don't work. Thanks

 

[MasonHerb]

One of the original, leather shoulder straps that came with a 1950s Scandalli cracked through the leather. I riveted a suitable scrap of leather to bridge the crack, as a temporary measure.
It's been temporary for about 30+ years already!

It is as they say! "The most permanent fix is a temporary repair." My old sation wagon (premier accordion hauler) knows this concept well. I will have to keep this in mind.

 

[JCarl]

I think I would be afraid of the strap snapping on me because I didn’t do a good enough job making it but that’s just me

 

[Alan Polivka]

I think I would be afraid of the strap snapping on me because I didn’t do a good enough job making it but that’s just me

You may have greater risk of that happening if you use some of the inexpensive straps currently available on the market. The place where most straps snap is on the end pieces that wrap around the brackets on the accordion. These usually snap because either: a) they were made of thin/poor quality leather or faux leather, or b) many years of age/use and drying out. Many low quality straps I've seen suffer from issue a). If you make your own straps, you can choose heavier strong leather for the end pieces. If you do that, and rivet them to the main part well with hollow-end rivets, they won't snap. In fact, most old straps only need those ends replaced, and they can be "good for another 100,000 miles".

 

[Pipemajor]

When I altered the straps on one of my accordions a while back, I used rivets which come in two parts and just screw together.
They are ideal and very strong.

 

[Snoopz]

When I altered the straps on one of my accordions a while back, I used rivets which come in two parts and just screw together.
They are ideal and very strong.

In German, these are often called "Buchschrauben", in English it's "book screws"

 

[Tom]

In German, these are often called "Buchschrauben", in English it's "book screws"

…..and all this time I thought “book screws” were the people who ban books to gain political points…..

 

[Alan Polivka]

When I altered the straps on one of my accordions a while back, I used rivets which come in two parts and just screw together.
They are ideal and very strong.

Those are great rivets as long as they don't come unscrewed while playing. I recommend using thread locker and tightening the rivets very tight.

 

[Ffingers]

Those are great rivets as long as they don't come unscrewed while playing. I recommend using thread locker and tightening the rivets very tight.

A touch of nail varnish/polish seems to work well enough.