How to Change Watch Straps With Dental Floss

Want to change out your watch strap but don’t have the right tools? Here’s how to do it with only some dental floss and some determination!

I love everything about my Timex Marlin, except for the strap that is. 

The faux alligator strap is ok, but it feels cheap. Also, being black leather, this strap makes the watch quite formal.

So, I decided to buy a replacement stainless steel mesh band to make this watch a little easier to dress down. 

While I don’t have the specific watch mod tools to change a strap, but that’s ok because I have dental floss.

Here’s how to use your third favorite dental hygiene product to swap straps! 

Be sure to read the whole process before starting. 

Step #1: Get Some Dental Floss

Get your trusty floss from the medicine cabinet and cut off a section that’s two feet long, or so.

Personally, I think it’s a little easier with the flat, wide kind of floss, but this thin stuff I had works too. 

Step #2 Insert the Floss

Now, take the floss and feed it into the space between the watch dial and the watch strap like so:

Pretty easy so far. 

Step #3: Slide the Floss

Next, slide the floss to the small gap between the top of the strap and one of the watch lugs and pull tight.

When I did it I heard a tiny “click” sound. 

Step #4: Yank Off the Spring Bar

Now, keep tension on the floss and get it into position by moving down and out. 

Now, yank the floss. You read that right, “yank.”

“Woah! My spring bar went flying!!”

Yup, that’s how you know it worked 😄!

It might take a few tries to get the right angle, but the spring bar will come off. 

Step #5: Repeat With the Other Side 

Now repeat the same process with the other side of the strap. 

Step #6: Insert the Spring Bars Into the New Strap

Now, after you’ve located any rouge spring bars, slide one of them into the new strap.

Again, pretty easy. 

Step #7: Attach the Spring Bars

Now, for me, this is the hardest step.  

After sticking one end of the spring bar into the hole in the lug, carefully push down on the spring bar with your fingernail and gently slide the other end of the push bar into the other lug hole. 

To avoid spring bar mayhem, I’d recommend putting one of your fingers on the lug near the floss directly in the bar’s potential flight path. 

I learned the necessity of this technique when one of my spring bars almost landed in the big pile of ashes in my fireplace. 

With any luck, the spring bar will pop into place and your strap will firmly be in place. 

Now repeat with the other side.

There you go — a successful strap swap!

While this process might take you 10-15 minutes, it’ll get the job done. 

If you tend to change straps frequently, I’d recommend getting the right tools, or, better yet, opting for quick-release spring bars. 

Having trouble getting this process to work? Have any other questions? Let me know in the comment section, and I’ll do my best to help you out!