Tooled Briefcase

[Double U Leather]

Bob aka Hidepounder.....I put the closure strap underneath in order to not cover my initial on the top flap. I'm not sure how I'm going to like it. I'll know more after a few rodeos and miles. If I do wind up moving the strap, I will put it up high, right where the initial is, and have it be on top. Time will tell. Thanks for your feedback. When I win the lottery, I'm headed to your place to camp out for a couple weeks so that maybe by osmosis I can learn to be the leather hand you are. Your work amazes me.

[manfrommuc]

hi

this is a really nice leatherwork looks very good

where came the pattern from ??

can you show the inside?? please !

greez

Johann

Edited July 14, 2009 by manfrommuc

[techniques]

I love this case. It looks pretty good. I would also like to see the inside. Could you show us them, please?

Greetings

Gisela

Edited July 14, 2009 by techniques

[Pharmguy]

Wow! Really nice job. I would like to make a laptop/saddlebag case in the future. Nothing on the market is big enough and padded on the inside. Your pictures/description give me some ideas what to look out for.

Really nice job.

[lilrays]

That is a great lookin' case!! Keep up the great work!

Ron

[Double U Leather]

Thanks again everyone for all the positive comments. I really appreciate it. As for the insides, they're really pretty basic. It's simply a divider with a pocket for pens, etc., sewn to the gusset. Here was another construction issue I learned. At first, I cut the divider the same width as the case. Upon assembly, I realized the gusset would bow inward some, therefore the divider would be far too long. Of course, I had already sewn the divider to the gusset thinking once the gusset was sewn in place, the middle would already be done.....WRONG!! So, I unstitiched the divider, sewed the gusset in, and then had to hand stitch the shortened version of the divider. I'll try to get some pics of the insides up soon.

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. Best case scenario, the front, bottom, back, and lid should all be one piece. If that isn't possible, back and flap definitely should be one piece.

2. Middle divider needs to be 1-2" less than the width of the case.

3. Complete all finish things, i.e. oil, neatsfoot, antique, tan kote prior to sewing in the lining. (I've got a few antique smudges where they don't belong)

Manfrommuc......The pattern?! I used was just kinda looking at my old briefcase and duplicating the construction. (See Lesson 1). I think the guy who made my old one didn't have enough leather to do all of it in one piece, so he sewed the flap to the back. As for the tooling pattern, again, I just kinda winged it. I figured out where I wanted the tooling, drew the circles, and tried to fill the space. As Hidepounder pointed out, the leaves of the "whateverbacus" place were too wide. I needed to make my other leaves wider, and more of 'em. The grid work part was a combination of realizing I didn't want to tool that stinkin' many flowers, and the fact that I'd seen that somewhere else and thought I'd give it a shot.

Oh....some of the front part got a double tooling. On the first front, I put a stem in going the wrong way and didn't realize it until I began cutting and ran into the spot where leaves and vines were going two different directions. So I just took that fouled up piece and went to playing.

Anyway, if ya'll have any more questions, fire away.

[hidepounder]

Rookie,

Don't give up on making the case out of multiple pieces. I like that....it gives you the opportunity to make better use of your leather and to make the case a little fancier (therefore worth more money). The way you attached the flap was okay. An alternative is to extend the back of the flapdown a little farther and hide the seam behind an outside pocket which is handy to use. If you aren't going to add an outside pocket then, yes, the back and flap would be made from a single piece. Many briefcases are made where the gussetts acutally extend from the side, all along the bottom and up the other side. Again, this allows you to use smaller pieces of leather.

You did a great job on this one! Keep on strokin'!

Bob

Thanks again everyone for all the positive comments. I really appreciate it. As for the insides, they're really pretty basic. It's simply a divider with a pocket for pens, etc., sewn to the gusset. Here was another construction issue I learned. At first, I cut the divider the same width as the case. Upon assembly, I realized the gusset would bow inward some, therefore the divider would be far too long. Of course, I had already sewn the divider to the gusset thinking once the gusset was sewn in place, the middle would already be done.....WRONG!! So, I unstitiched the divider, sewed the gusset in, and then had to hand stitch the shortened version of the divider. I'll try to get some pics of the insides up soon.

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. Best case scenario, the front, bottom, back, and lid should all be one piece. If that isn't possible, back and flap definitely should be one piece.

2. Middle divider needs to be 1-2" less than the width of the case.

3. Complete all finish things, i.e. oil, neatsfoot, antique, tan kote prior to sewing in the lining. (I've got a few antique smudges where they don't belong)

Manfrommuc......The pattern?! I used was just kinda looking at my old briefcase and duplicating the construction. (See Lesson 1). I think the guy who made my old one didn't have enough leather to do all of it in one piece, so he sewed the flap to the back. As for the tooling pattern, again, I just kinda winged it. I figured out where I wanted the tooling, drew the circles, and tried to fill the space. As Hidepounder pointed out, the leaves of the "whateverbacus" place were too wide. I needed to make my other leaves wider, and more of 'em. The grid work part was a combination of realizing I didn't want to tool that stinkin' many flowers, and the fact that I'd seen that somewhere else and thought I'd give it a shot.

Oh....some of the front part got a double tooling. On the first front, I put a stem in going the wrong way and didn't realize it until I began cutting and ran into the spot where leaves and vines were going two different directions. So I just took that fouled up piece and went to playing.

Anyway, if ya'll have any more questions, fire away.

[Double U Leather]

Bob,

That flap idea is a gem. That never even crossed my mind. I still think real "blocky" I believe. Couldn't a guy even flare the flap down the back similar to a binding on a photo album or something? That might look kinda slick. Oh no.....now my wheels are turning again and I'm liable to start another project I know nothing about....LOL.

[Double U Leather]

Here's a quick pic of the inside of the briefcase. As I said, it's pretty simple. Just a divider with a pouch for pens, etc.