Graflex.org

[djon]

I've never heard of a Graflex with a strap, but it makes special sense with a Century, which is so well-suited to handheld photography.

Thread 1" nylon strapping from a backpacking store thru your Graflex flash bracket slots: you get an excellent neckstrap. Wide, flexible, comfortable, super strong, and hanging sideways...more comfortable with a roll back than if it hung horizontally.

You need about 4ft of strap (it's sometimes sold by the foot) and you may be able to select from a collection of fittings if you get it from an REI store.

I distrust fittings, so I loop several inches of extra strap around thru the fitting as a backup, in case the fitting lets go.

[Henry]

I made a hand strap for my Century from 1" black nylon webbing purchased at a fabric store. This was to replace the original cheap plastic strap that Graflex furnished with the camera. I use plastic fittings, but in such a way that if they do fail the strap will not separate itself from the lugs.

Nylon webbing can be melt-welded with an ordinary soldering iron; I used an 80 watt iron. This is a very convenient alternative to sewing a loop with needle and thread whenever you want to fasten the webbing to a fitting. Simply loop the webbing over on itself and draw the hot iron across the contact area, and voila! the weld is instant and permanent.

[alecj]

Actually, a company called Banks actually made a strap for the Graflex. I am the proud owner of probably the only extant model left. I don't have a way to link to the pic, but it had clips to attach to the camera [both sides - remove camera strap on left, and hook into bracket mounted on right outside rangefinder], as well as an elastic band to go around the body to keep it from "bouncing".

The cover of the package even showed a guy with a 45 Crown on his chest, w/o using his hands! Weird.

Wouldn't be caught dead using the thing, but I can say "I've got one". Another of those "seemed a good idea at the time" things.

[ This Message was edited by: alecj on 2004-12-05 21:48 ]

[David A. Goldfarb]

I use an ordinary nylon camera strap on my Tech V. There are strap lugs on the top of the camera for a strap of about 15mm wide. I check it regularly for wear, but I think it's held up pretty well for a couple of years. My plan is just to change it as a matter of course every few years, before there's even a question of it breaking or coming loose.