Briefcase finished this week

[leathersmyth]

Just finished off this week.

 5/6 english bridle , solid brass hardware. Just have to stamp initials before sending off...

[YinTx]

That looks truly impressive.  Would love to see more photos, maybe a higher resolution and/or up close so we can see some details?  backside? inside?  how does it open?  Awesome work!

YinTx

[geargarcon]

Very nice!  Did you do two rows of stitching around the zippered areas?

[bikermutt07]

Impressive piece. I wouldn't even know where to start on that thing.

[brmax]

Real nice work

[leathersmyth]

Thank you,

Will get a few more pictures...

 And, I lay the hide out and start designing/cutting/sewing/building as i go...

[Allan1972]

love it!!!!!!

[Jess Jones]

Fantastic work. Very clean. 

[Sompla]

Wow! looks superb!

 

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

Wow! That looks fantastic.

[leathersmyth]

Thank you ! Here are a couple more pictures as asked...

 

 The brass feet on edge, no one is making anymore so i turned them myself out of solid stock.

[gwitsil]

nice!! theres ohio bag and travel here in usa. check them out for hardware. witsil leathers!

[leathersmyth]

Thanks,

Been using them for parts for about 40 years...  They have not had those barrel feet for about 8 years,nor any other supplier that i have used. So only way to get was get 6 feet of solid brass stock, metal working tools and make up. In one way, a good thing because before there was only one size fits all. This way, i can make them to whatever the case is i am making up.

[Bogwot]

That's a nice bag , a couple of questions if you don't mind

how many hours do you think you have put in?

Interesting design where did you get your inspiration from ?

 

Regards Richard

[leathersmyth]

Good question on hours....

     If i have a design all ready made up and is one that have made in past ,I can make up a case in 5-6 hour depending how intricate it is.More things can take 10-15 hour to make up if lots of pockets etc. Someone sent me a picture of a briefcase and asked me if i could make up something like it. So to make up from scratch takes a lot longer to make as i go.

This one, had lots of other stuff going on with life so there were a lot of off and on times and never really took a look at time, more just to get it done.

   Someone once sent me a picture of one from the 1930's and asked if i could make up. That one was about 50 hours of time to make up. But if i had to guess i would say took about 30/35 hours to make up .

[Equiplay Saddlery]

Really well done.

[Sceaden]

Beautiful work!

[ricroy]

That is gorgeous, a lot of attention and detail ..

[MonicaJacobson]

Wow, awesome bag. 

[JamesR]

Very impressive!

 What did you do exactly with the handle attachment? Its looks like the dee rings are going through a rod covered with leather at the top.

 

 

[leathersmyth]

The handle rings do go through a rod. They are a screw pin type. So instead of being a solid ring the one spot is threaded so you take the pin out slip through hole and reinsert pin. I use locktight on threads to hold in place . I prefer solid rings but as long as the pins stay in place there should never be a issue. As well, sometimes you can not make solid rings work with designs.......

Some rings use a watch pin sort of. so instead of being threaded there is a spring loaded pin that you push in, place pin where it is suppose to go and then release. Those do work, but i prefer the threaded types of pins. if using the screw pin,you do see the screwdriver slot (usually phillips) where as the "watch pin type" both sides of the d ring are finished and look solid.

[JamesR]

I like the way the rod distributes the load evenly across the top. What is the rod made of? It looks like something I would like to try.

Thanks