AndrewWR Report post Posted April 22, 2020 OK. So the UK is on lockdown and a month ago I got a couple of shoulders of Bridle Leather (2.5-3mm & 1.5-2mm thick)... The plan: to make myself a new briefcase. Three weeks of lockdown should be enough. Cut, glue, sew, burnish... repeat as necessary. To be continued... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewWR Report post Posted April 22, 2020 Part 2. I wasn't planning to put a slip pocket on the back but there was a natural blemish in the leather and I didn't have the luxury of cutting around it so I covered it with another piece. A big shout out to the lovely people at Rocky Mountain Leather who supplied the lock. It's made by MMC in Italy but RMLeather are pretty much the only retailers of these palladium plated beauties. You may recognise them from Marcellino's bags. This one has travelled far to end up on my bag: Italy to Utah to North Wales. The large Sam Browns under the buckles are just an alternative to loops. I find loops a bit fiddly but the studs work fine. 8mm studs and 8mm holes so there is no stress on the leather to push it over the stud our pull it off, hence no wear & tear. The holes were punched a little high so the strap naturally pulls up behind the ball of the stud, retaining it but easily releasing it. The silver screw on the end of the case is the back of another Sam Brown. This one allows the attachment of my pen case to the gusset. I never liked pen loos on the dividers of briefcases: Why make a narrow space half an inch narrower when there so much more length than width? I find it's far less intrusive at the end of the bag and, being removable, it can still go in a pocket if I choose. There's no shoulder strap because I never use one. It's a fraction over A£ size internally (not by accident) with three compartments (1",2",1"). Now they've extended the lockdown I'm planning a laptop case to match / fit inside. Stay Safe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcuk Report post Posted April 22, 2020 Very nice work JCUK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retswerb Report post Posted April 23, 2020 Excellent briefcase! Thanks for posting all the pics. Your stitching around the lock looks sharp and I like the selfie there too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HaloJones Report post Posted April 23, 2020 Very smart! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Smartee Report post Posted April 23, 2020 Nice! Very "clean"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoutmom103 Report post Posted April 23, 2020 Very nice. Love the detachable pen case. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blink1688 Report post Posted April 26, 2020 This looks exceptional, thank you for sharing. Makes me want to get back into making some larger projects. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted April 26, 2020 You did a fantastic job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alden Report post Posted April 26, 2020 Beautifully traditional. Love the lock too, Is it British made? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewWR Report post Posted April 27, 2020 20 hours ago, Alden said: Beautifully traditional. Love the lock too, Is it British made? The lock is Italian, palladium plated CNC machined brass (not a casting), manufactured by MMC (https://www.mmcolombo.it/en/catalogue/patented-articles.html), but I bought it from Rocky Mountain Leather in Utah and had them ship it to Wales (an expensive way to buy it - paying import duty and all). MMC don't retail their products and have a high minimum order value. They're beautifully made and feel very precise and solid in their operation. The dials are hours and minutes so the combination is a time of your choosing (such as the birth of a baby). I'm planning an attaché case on a carbon fibre frame and I want to use MMC locks on that. They'll only sell me a minimum of 10 pairs of locks so I'll have nine spare pairs to shift on Etsy to recover the costs. They're likely to be about 68 Euros per pair in palladium or gold plate and they'll work for wooden boxes too, being only about 6mm deep (shallower than key locks). If I get enough interest in these locks, I'll talk to MMC about stocking more styles so hobbyists like me can have access to them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
battlemunky Report post Posted April 28, 2020 Really beautiful work that all clicks together nicely. Excellent job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stetson912 Report post Posted April 28, 2020 Well butter my butt n call me a biscuit. That is beauteous. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzShooter Report post Posted April 28, 2020 Most excellent project. Your work is superb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alden Report post Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) On 4/27/2020 at 7:19 PM, AndrewWR said: The lock is Italian, palladium plated CNC machined brass (not a casting), manufactured by MMC (https://www.mmcolombo.it/en/catalogue/patented-articles.html), but I bought it from Rocky Mountain Leather in Utah and had them ship it to Wales (an expensive way to buy it - paying import duty and all). MMC don't retail their products and have a high minimum order value. They're beautifully made and feel very precise and solid in their operation. The dials are hours and minutes so the combination is a time of your choosing (such as the birth of a baby). I'm planning an attaché case on a carbon fibre frame and I want to use MMC locks on that. They'll only sell me a minimum of 10 pairs of locks so I'll have nine spare pairs to shift on Etsy to recover the costs. They're likely to be about 68 Euros per pair in palladium or gold plate and they'll work for wooden boxes too, being only about 6mm deep (shallower than key locks). If I get enough interest in these locks, I'll talk to MMC about stocking more styles so hobbyists like me can have access to them. Wonderful! Nice plan on the lock too. So did you pearl the hardware firm or is it screwed tight and glued? I'll be keeping an eye out as I'm still finding money to buy tools and supplies. Cheers Edited April 28, 2020 by Alden Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewWR Report post Posted April 28, 2020 9 hours ago, Alden said: Wonderful! Nice plan on the lock too. So did you pearl the hardware firm or is it screwed tight and glued? I'll be keeping an eye out as I'm still finding money to buy tools and supplies. Cheers The lock is riveted on. It was supplied with plated rivets and solid backing plates for both lock and hasp. The wrench shaped thing is the tool for setting the combination. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alden Report post Posted April 29, 2020 Very nice! Hermes uses riveted fixtures to last the test of time. Thanks for sharing that Andrew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HaloJones Report post Posted April 29, 2020 If you get surplus locks I would be interested in buying one Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pauls Leather Report post Posted May 21, 2020 I guess no one is going to mention the absolutely amazing skill it took to paint that face onto the buckle. It looks so real!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrmCa Report post Posted May 26, 2020 Clean work! Stay safe! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toxo Report post Posted January 30, 2021 Great job on the bag and a great workshop also. I too have a habit of trying things just to see if I can. Trouble is once I've proved to myself that I can do it, it doesn't always get finished. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sheilajeanne Report post Posted January 31, 2021 That's beautiful, beautiful workmanship... but what the HECK is this doing in the 'Off Topic' section?? It should be in 'Show Off Your Work'! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MsEdna Report post Posted February 1, 2021 Beautiful, thanks for sharing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bogwot Report post Posted February 1, 2021 Very nice work, and from N. Wales too great stuff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nailbanger Report post Posted February 8, 2021 Very nice briefcase! I like the pen case Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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