Making NATO work better for me (and maybe you)

I've had a couple of watches with a NATO strap now and while I would like to like it, I'm afraid that I just don't like the unnecessary thickness under the watch. This is more pronounced with a slim watch on a slim wrist. 

Now its worth mentioning that the very design of the NATO places two thicknesses of strap under your wrist:

In reality one is completely enough and the other as a keeper is only really needed if you have either a military watch with fixed and large spring bars 

or if the band too small for the watch (say, you've got an 18mm on 20mm lug width) and there is concern of the watch slipping off when you're taking it off. If you get the right size for your lug width then it won't slip.

Remove the Appendix

The solution often suggested on the internet is to cut off the (vestigial) keeper. This surgery looked painless enough, so I did it.

which has now made only a single pass of fabric under the watch and still holds the watch firmly.

My next concern was that the cut (and heat sealed carefully with my soldering iron) would be a slight skin irritant (because its rough), but this has proven not to be an issue because the spring bars keep it away from the skin.

As it happens I like to wear my straps "buckle down" or "Grand Seiko" (GS) style, because it is easier to control where the watch sits, and keeps both the tongue and the buckle facing me. I find its easier to fit, as well it keeps outside of the watch looking smoother (and snags on less things).

The watch can also then sit on my desk easier too

... although now with this band I feel I no longer need to take the watch off when using a computer at my desk.

If you do this yourself I recommend that you use a sharp blade (such as a box cutter with a fresh blade)  and 

1. clamp the strap down by the end (away from the buckle)
2. pull the keeper back and keep tension on it (folding it back against the stitch point)
3. cutting just above the last row of stitching removing the keeper strap
4. seal with a hot tip (I don't recommend flame)

Sharp scissors also work if you are careful too.

A quick and dirty video

So now it looks like this, clean on the back:

and the clutter of the strap on the inside (rather than both sides as before) ... where its less likely to catch on things.

and note that the watch is now sitting much nicer.

There is still of course one layer of fabric between me and the watch, and since this is a work watch (yard and other sweaty work) that may just help to keep the watch (my SNK805, which isn't highly waterproof) cleaner and less gunk infested.

 voilla ... win win

PS: this is actually almost a Bond pattern strap now, with the removal of the keeper and the almost correct Bond pattern (oh and no Bond wore a NATO until the 21st century).