Hello everyone,
Thought I'd show off some restorations/conversions that I have recently done. While not as impressive as making my own stuff, this was my first foray into larger leather items outside of watch straps which I started making about 6 months ago for myself.
While looking for material for watch straps I came across some beat up old swiss saddlebags in a box under a table of an old military surplus store. This first set was from 1939 and were in pretty rough shape. The bags were so nice that I decided I wouldn't reuse the leather for straps and instead put them away and began a slow process of softening up the stiff leather. Fast forward a few months and I bought another set, these dated 1941 and 1942. These were slightly different from my previous set and in much better condition. It was with these that I decided to try my hand at converting them into something different. For this first bag I did the following:
Removed all threads and rivets
Cleaned and flattened the leather pieces
Conditioned the leather
Put it all together again by hand using Tiger thread that was a good match for the original thread and custom made aluminum rivets
I also added some additional pieces:
Handle (used the original connecting strap between the bags)
A back pouch for papers (this used one of the original saddlebags that wasn't restorable)
a lower luggage strap (used a 1942 K31 swiss rifle sling)
An upper luggage strap (this used the pieces/hardware from a 1946 Swiss canteen)
Shoulder pad (used more leather from the 1939 nonrestorable saddlebag)
Should strap (2 K31 rifle slings from 1945 and 1952).
A Swiss Army dog tag
A center strap using swiss army accessory straps
Modified single ammo pouch from 1944 (also torn apart, cleaned and restored)
A large ammo pouch from 1962 (same as the rest)
The 2nd bag is one of the originals from 1939. Unlike the 1942 bag that had 2 straps on the interior for horseshoes, this one only had a single pocket for one horseshoe. In the process of restoring this bag I again took it apart, cleaned it up and restored it. At some point in it's past a connecting bar had been poorly riveted to the back that I had to remove. It also had its original D-Rings for attaching to the horse saddle removed so I had to add new square rings to accomodate the shoulder strap.
When I put it back together I decided to add an additional pouch to this one and installed it between the front piece and the gusset and the welt. I also added a pencil pouch from a Swiss Army Officer's Bag from 1970. I also installed one of the straps from the unrestorable bag and moved the interior pocket to the side.
I also decided to make a sleeve for my Macbook Pro just for a bit of added protection and used the same leather that was used for the handle wraps of both bags.
Modifications done to this one:
Removed all threads and rivets
Cleaned and flattened the leather pieces
Conditioned the leather
Put it all together again by hand using Tiger thread that was a good match for the original thread and chicago screws
I also added some additional pieces:
Handle (used the original connecting strap between the bags)
A pencil pouch (from a 1970 Officer's bag)
Shoulder pad (used more leather from the 1939 nonrestorable saddlebag)
Should strap (2 K31 rifle slings from 1943and 1944).
A front center strap using swiss army accessory straps
A large ammo pouch from 1962 (same as the rest)
Thanks for looking.
