One of my old film cameras came with a velvet lined camera strap. Someone had sewed elastic to one end to hold film canisters. I love the retro look of the strap but somethings bugged me.

I didn’t want my cameras to get scratched up with the old clips on the strap. The leather was stretched out and I didn’t know how long it would hold up. I was given some Peak Design Anchor Links for xmas so I ordered up some leather and rivets from Springfield Leather Company. I got out my leather punch got to work.

Here you can see how stretched out the leather was. Who knows how long it had left. I didn’t like the clips because they were hard to change to different cameras and were noisy and over all I didn’t like them.

My new Peak Design Anchor Links ready to live on a vintage strap.

Springfield Leather company has a small anvil that you can use to pound the rivets together.

I very roughly approximated the shape of the old leather. I used the natural color leather because it was the thinnest in the pack of the bridle I picked out.

I creased the leather bits up a bit so they would be easier to fit on the strap and the links while installing the rivets.

First couple of holes punched. I bought the small black 3mm rivets and I could have used the medium and been fine too.

Anchor Links installed.

First end of the strap finished I could have gone longer on the length of the leather. I’ll fix that on the next strap 🙂

Both sides of the strap done.

Here’s how the strap looks on a Nikon F2.

Sitting pretty. I like the contrast with the natural leather and the black rivets. I’ll be on the lookout for more straps to upgrade when I’m vintage shopping.