Any tips on how best to change watch straps?

So I decided to change the strap on my old Vostok Amphibian after the keeper on the original strap fell off. I decided to go for a 2-piece nylon "real" Bond-style strap with the olive and red stripes. I'm sure it'll look awesome.....if I can get the dang thing on. The Youtube videos make it look so simple and I got the original strap off easy enough. The trick comes to putting the new strap on. No matter how I angle the springbar tool, I can't seem to depress one end of the springbars to click into the holes in the lugs. It's driving me crazy and I do NOT want to admit defeat and take this utilitarian Russian diver to a jeweler for a 15 second job.

Is the first strap change always the hardest?

A lot of the nylon straps are just a little too thick, so if you're not putting the in first that may be the problem. It will be a very tight fit, most likely but it will work.

Dripp said:

A lot of the nylon straps are just a little too thick, so if you're not putting the in first that may be the problem. It will be a very tight fit, most likely but it will work.

Click to expand...

Putting the what in first?

Well, i got it. Finally. I had to turn the watch on its side (not face down like in the how-to videos) and depress the springbar while holding the other lug and end of the strap securely. Not as simple as I thought, but I got it in the end. Now this has me thinking twice about changing the bands on my HMT's when they arrive from India...

A little perseverance goes a long way! Some bracelets can be a total pain, taking me 35 mins. Good thing about a G10 strap is you can change them in seconds without any tools and also keep your watch nice and clean without getting the band wet. The best G10 strap I've ever seen was from www.watchworx.co.uk These were miles better than the OEM original sent to me by MWC.

I've always used a jewelers screw driver to depress the ends of the spring bar. The blade is thin enough to fit between the strap and the watch frame.

Kevan said:

Putting the what in first?

Click to expand...

sorry about that, had a few too many when I tried to help. I meant to say if your not putting the springbar in first....