How to mend a Broken ROLLEIFLEX Strap Rivets

[pentaxpete]

My Lovely 1960 Rolleiflex 2.8F Planar nearly fell to the ground yesterday on a trip as the STRAP BROKE but luckily I was sitting at a table. Does anyone here know HOW to loosen the Rivets and fix the Good Part of strap back please ? I DID put some Neatsfoot Oil on it a couple of years ago to preserve the Leather.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Snapping like that indicates that the leather is old and dried out. You are lucky you were at the table. I lost my first Rolleicord to it crashing to the street as I stepped off a curb.

Get new leather. Find a horse tack shop or a shoe repair shop and see if they can help?

 

[OAPOli]

Happened to me too. Luckily I managed to catch the 3.5F. Get a new leather strap (please!), drill the rivets outs and attach new ones.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Oh, I now use the Op/Tech pro loop connectors on Rolleiflexes. The loop can be pushed through the lug opening. They don't fall away from the hood as cleanly as the Rollei clips, but they do move away.

The connector on these is standard Op/Tech. I've taken the clips off of a neoprene strap and sewed up a strap using 3/4" webbing, like used for sleeping bag straps. I find it much more comfortable than the sweaty neoprene, but that's your call of course.

Pro Loop Connectors

The Pro Loop Connectors offers another convenient way of attaching a camera to an existing strap by using 1/4" tubular nylon webbing. Loops fit easily through tight connection areas and are interchangeable with many OP//TECH straps.

www.optechusa.com

 

[OAPOli]

In my case I took a short loop of leather, riveted it in the strap clip and put a metal ring in the loop. I use it with Peak Design quick release anchors.

 

[Dan Daniel]

In my case I took a short loop of leather, riveted it in the strap clip and put a metal ring in the loop. I use it with Peak Design quick release anchors.

Photo?

 

[OAPOli]

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I tossed mine and picked up a nice leather strap off of ebay.

 

[bdial]

The rivets will need to be drilled to get the remains of the strap off.
Watch some the episodes of Repair Shop featuring Suzie Fletcher for a complete demo of how to.

 

[GregY]

As mentioned, drill out the rivets and don't reuse the old leather. I got a strip of kangaroo hide (thin, strong & flexible) from Australia and built several straps. The only leather straps from the 60s I've had survive are the very fine black leather Leica M straps that were reputed to be from unborn calf hide.

 

[pentaxpete]

WoW ! So HELPFUL ! Today I went to the traditional Shoe Repairer in Brentwood High Street and showed him. He said he canot do RIVETS but the leather strap is all perished - so need a new one -- still considering what to do --

 

[Truzi]

I have a similar issue with the strap from my Great Grandmother's case for her Polaroid The 800 camera, but haven't done anything yet.

Presently, it's more like a family heirloom, and hadn't been used since the late 60s, early 70s. Since 2012, though, I've used it a few times - occasionally throwing a sheet of 4x5 in it, or finding a roll of appropriate film on ebay and sometimes actually getting images.
It would be nice to keep it "whole."

I've toyed with the idea of taking the strap to a cobbler and having it sewn onto a new, slightly wider, strap. That way it'd have a suitable strap while keeping the nostalgia.


Oh, and if you want the look of rivets, you can probably find a cheap tool online. Place the rivet in the die, place a shaft on the other side, and strike it with a hammer.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Oh, gawd. It's not difficult. Drill out the old rivets. Buy a new leather strap. Attach with small screws like m2 or m3. Use loctite. Done.