Cool. I think in the long run you should get excellent service from the nylon strap, especially if it is replacing a leather spring. smile

FWIW, new replacement leather straps are available on e bay, and most of the sellers on the French auction site NaturaBuy seem willing to send small parts across the pond, and all the retractable parts/mechanism are still available. You can even buy another set of barrels in the white for your newly acquired No. 5.

Don't ask. smile

Tolerance: the abolition of absolutes

Consistency is the currency of credibility