Round handles with a chrome leather - like on a vuitton bag

[Thatone]

I love the handles on a speedy bag by LV, but I am only successful at making them with a thicker veg tan leather - i have a beautiful chrome leather and it seems so thing and flimsy to make the tip of the handle. Any proven methods at how to do that without a fancy skiving machines and laser cutters?

Thank you!

[motocouture]

What weight is the chrome leather? I'm a complete novice at round handles, but just did these on my first bag (thanks to tutorial by Nigel Armitage). No laser cutters or fancy skiving machines , just my head knife to thin out the ends. Leather was 4-5 oz Horween Essex. If your chrome leather is too thin, could you line the end with either the same leather or another thin leather?

[Thatone]

YOu did this as a novice!!?? My hat off to you..... Is it lined?

[motocouture]

On 8/4/2017 at 10:56 PM, Thatone said:

YOu did this as a novice!!?? My hat off to you..... Is it lined?

Thank you! Reading the forum here helped a lot!

No, not lined. Wasn't ready for that just yet ; ) and the leather was nicely finished on the flesh side as is

 

[NVLeatherWorx]

On 8/4/2017 at 4:56 PM, Thatone said:

I love the handles on a speedy bag by LV, but I am only successful at making them with a thicker veg tan leather - i have a beautiful chrome leather and it seems so thing and flimsy to make the tip of the handle. Any proven methods at how to do that without a fancy skiving machines and laser cutters?

Thank you!

These handles on all LV bags are actually a thin veg-tan style leather that is wrapped around a braided nylon cord (much like a rope) and then stitched together.  I have replaced/repaired the handles on LV bags for about the past 7 years and was quite surprised at how simple and cheap quality they were when you take into consideration the price of one of these bags.  I have probably done repair/replacement work on over 200 LV bags in the past few years and I have accidentally become the local go to repairman for these things; I keep getting contacted by people who were referred by previous customers.  These bags are nothing really extraordinary once you get into their construction and are very easy to work on.

I would say that you can replicate this style handle with any thinner leather; all you need is the right sized core (cord/rope) and some adhesive and away you go.

[Thatone]

On 8/5/2017 at 9:31 PM, NVLeatherWorx said:

These handles on all LV bags are actually a thin veg-tan style leather that is wrapped around a braided nylon cord (much like a rope) and then stitched together.  I have replaced/repaired the handles on LV bags for about the past 7 years and was quite surprised at how simple and cheap quality they were when you take into consideration the price of one of these bags.  I have probably done repair/replacement work on over 200 LV bags in the past few years and I have accidentally become the local go to repairman for these things; I keep getting contacted by people who were referred by previous customers.  These bags are nothing really extraordinary once you get into their construction and are very easy to work on.

I would say that you can replicate this style handle with any thinner leather; all you need is the right sized core (cord/rope) and some adhesive and away you go.

That encouraging and disappointing in the same time!:) I know the theory behind, just never succeeded  in recreating it myself. I will persist! thank you!

[RockyAussie]

You said this leather is thing and flimsy. I assume you mean thin and flimsy? If it is thin how thin? I myself would be looking to back it with a firmer substance but keep the thickness in total down to 2 or so mm depending on the size and weight of the bag your making.

[NVLeatherWorx]

19 hours ago, Thatone said:

That encouraging and disappointing in the same time!:) I know the theory behind, just never succeeded  in recreating it myself. I will persist! thank you!

Basically you just need to remove one of the handles and then disassemble it entirely.  Use the leather piece as a general template guide to base your new handle off of (I actually made the replacement handles about an inch longer and have had requests to make  then up to six inches longer) and then cut a piece of your cord/rope and cement it into place on the leather strap.  After about an hour add some more cement on each side of cord/rope and roll the rest of the leather into place on the cord until you have the edges to be stitched set.  Use a diamond awl to punch your stitching holes and then saddle stitch away until done.  They really are quite easy.

[RockyAussie]

I had a customer this week not wanting this purple croc bag any longer and instead wants me to cut it up and make up a few other pieces instead. As the handle is a little similar to what you are wanting to do I thought I'd take a few pics as I go. My own method is not quite the same but in most respects it is. You will notice in the pics that the cord is not attached to the outer and that is something I found to be important as if it is, the handle does not flow and move very well. I do mine by putting a thin interfacing layer around the cord glued only on the interfacing where it touches onto itself when wrapped around. The glue in the outer layer then can contact the interfacing without affecting how the cord moves within it. I just find that a bit easier to do. Often I don't bother to skive and fold the edges in and prefer to make the join to be stitched about 3/8" wide in order to sew easily on the sewing machine. Once it is stitched I just slice of the excess up close to the stitching and then edge.Last picture shows an example of that method. Hope that this helps a bit.

[motocouture]

@RockyAussie Thanks mate, the pictures are great! Always love seeing the inside of how things are made

[RockyAussie]

@motocoutureYour welcome. Its not often you get to cut one of these up and compare techniques.

[Thatone]

You are guys are awesome! Great work on those bags!! 

NVLeatherWorx i some what succeeded:) thank you for the instructions!!

 

 

 

[alpha2]

If you're surprised at the construction of these uber-stylish major designer bags, you have remember, their target demographic wouldn't be caught dead with one of these bags "next season". I hate to imagine how many of these my "oh-so-trendy" sister-in-law has in her closets, because they are not the latest style. They couldn't care less how long they last. The secondary market isn't going to be spending any money with them anyway.