What's your favourite Manbag?

[NewPenMan]

another take on a home-crafted bag..

 

assuming one didn't completely wreck the materials or assembly, you would have a bag that is uniquely your own creation.

 

based on my other self-taught manual skills in comping and mocking up print pieces, or home-improvement carpentry, I think that I could do a decent job. It may not look worthy of $600.

 

On the other hand, it could be one of those one-off wonders that no amount of money could buy, much like those reiki pottery miracles produced by Japanese artists...

 

..not that I am even in the same realm as those master artists, but you see what I'm driving at..

Edited January 30, 2015 by NewPenMan

[Barkingpig]

There are NO wrong choices here. I have bought a bunch of" tote type" bags in my life & liked something about each of them. Sometimes they cost a lot & sometimes not. I even made friends with a Scottish lady leather "worker" & got her to duplicate & improve upon a bag I used most. It has travelled a lot with me & always provided what I thought necessary to be "at hand." I was able to share these as gifts to people who had admired my beat up old leather bag. She even made me a bag that was my own idea during one afternoon's visit! If you have any saddlery repair shops near you I cannot over estimate their value. Even if you don't need a horse halter repaired they can surely mend a well made bag.

 

"Store bought, custom or hand made" as long as it suits your needs it is the right choice. AND if you enjoy something it will usually feel like it was @ the "right price!"

[Caifanito]

In your last image, where did you get the two pen holder in your smaller notebook? I like!

[bogiesan]

 

In your last image, where did you get the two pen holder in your smaller notebook? I like!

 

That's a device known as a Quiver. They are available in one- and two-pen units for large and small notebooks. Try these:

 

jennibick.com

goulet pens

quiverglobal.com

jet pens

and many others.

[bogiesan]

personally, I would love to try my hand at making one. Not sure where to source the leather, and no experience with assembling leather items..guess an awl and a thick carpet needle? I simply can't get my head around spending $600 on a leather bag, even though the styling and craftsmanship might be fine. $600 is a lot of jellybeans..

You'll spend easily that much making your own because you will not grasp the craft till the fourth or fifth unit and then you'll want to keep refining the design till you get the perfect bag for you and your stuff. Couple of good hides and basic kit: $800-1,200.

 

Search your market area's school and continuing education systems for leathercraft classes. If you're in a larger market, there will be two or three craft shops that have extensive leather supply and tool sections that probably offer classes.

 

Leather is a tiny bit like sewing and a bit like building stuff out of wood. But you can't just buy some materials and start to craft. Takes some basic skills and experience and enough know-how to design your bag and then select the construction method and seaming style that will accomplish it.

 

Jenni Bick has an interesting bag for sale that does not use much stitching. It's elegantly simple but deceptively complex to build: (hope this link works. Jenni is having a sale during Feb 2015 and this inventory cannot last long)

 

http://www.jennibick.com/rustic-leather-explorer-crossbody-tote.html

[NewPenMan]

Thank you for the perspectives on diy bags.the bick bags look good; similar form factor tho the stickman bag I have

[JimCouch]

My experience on most do it yourself projects - if your motivation is just to save money pass on it. You will usually invest more in materials and tools, to say nothing of your time negotiation the usually steep learning curve than you would have spent just buying one made.

 

there is much to be gained by doing things yourself, and if you continue to use those skills and tools then you can begin saving money.

 

Jim

[NewPenMan]

Have any pennists here posted about their own home made leather bags?

[NewPenMan]

These comments are just the kind of thing that help motivate me to do it!

[NewPenMan]

These comments are just the kind of thing that help motivate me to do it!

[inkypete]

.........all sing together now.....this is the thread that never ends, it just goes on and on again...........

 

Love this thread - I have narrowed my search to 44 bags now.

[bogiesan]

.........all sing together now.....this is the thread that never ends, it just goes on and on again...........

Love this thread - I have narrowed my search to 44 bags now.

It is time, time to COMMIT!

[JKelly]

personally, I would love to try my hand at making one. Not sure where to source the leather, and no experience with assembling leather items..guess an awl and a thick carpet needle?

 

I simply can't get my head around spending $600 on a leather bag, even though the styling and craftsmanship might be fine.

 

$600 is a lot of jellybeans..

Find a Tandy Leather shop.for the leather and other supplies. You will need an awl, two needles, and waxed thread. Google "saddle stitch leather" to learn how to use them. All that's required is patience. Back in the early days of computers, I used to stitch things while waiting for the computer to finish a compile. I could complete four or five stitches while waiting.

 

The basic bag body consists of only three parts -- a front and a rear, and a gusset that goes between them to give the bag added depth. The front and rear are identical in shape, except that the rear has an extension that folds over and becomes the flap. The gusset is simply a strip of leather an inch or two wide, depending upon what depth that you want. It is long enough to go around the left, bottom, and right sides of the front. If you make a rectangular bag, rounding the lower corners will make sewing the gusset easier.

 

You can mock up your bag with paper and tape. Try out different overall shapes and arrangements of internal pockets. When you are satisfied, cut your tape and use the paper as patterns for your leather. Work from the inside out, sew your inside pockets first, then sew the bag together. It's not difficult -- just time consuming.

Edited February 1, 2015 by JKelly

[inkypete]

Hadn't heard of the Jaxk Wolfskin brand before this thread. Had a look at the range and like the gadgetary. I tend to carry an ipad, notebook, and a few FPs when I move around so a smaller bag suits. Anyone know this bag? Quite inexpensive too.

[NewPenMan]

Find a Tandy Leather shop.for the leather and other supplies. You will need an awl, two needles, and waxed thread. Google "saddle stitch leather" to learn how to use them. All that's required is patience. Back in the early days of computers, I used to stitch things while waiting for the computer to finish a compile. I could complete four or five stitches while waiting.

 

The basic bag body consists of only three parts -- a front and a rear, and a gusset that goes between them to give the bag added depth. The front and rear are identical in shape, except that the rear has an extension that folds over and becomes the flap. The gusset is simply a strip of leather an inch or two wide, depending upon what depth that you want. It is long enough to go around the left, bottom, and right sides of the front. If you make a rectangular bag, rounding the lower corners will make sewing the gusset easier.

 

You can mock up your bag with paper and tape. Try out different overall shapes and arrangements of internal pockets. When you are satisfied, cut your tape and use the paper as patterns for your leather. Work from the inside out, sew your inside pockets first, then sew the bag together. It's not difficult -- just time consuming.

[NewPenMan]

Thank you for those great thoughts and suggestions!

[Caifanito]

That's a device known as a Quiver. They are available in one- and two-pen units for large and small notebooks. Try these:

 

jennibick.com

goulet pens

quiverglobal.com

jet pens

and many others.

 

 

Thanks!!!!

[my63]

I have been interested in making a leather bag for some time now and was discussing it with a master saddler and he suggested that the best way to learn to make bags is to repair some first that way I could learn how they were put together.

So with that in mind would like to offer an option in between making your own bag from scratch and buying a really expensive one.

 

I bought a pre 1970s bag from a maker who used the trade name Pendragon this maker became part of the London maker Swaine ,Aidney, Brigg in the 1970s and stopped using the name.

 

Pendragon document case by my0771, on Flickr

 

Pendragon document case by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is how it looked when it arrived the gusset piece was coming away from the gusset piece which was only part of the problem as a section of the gusset was worn through.

 

I have cut out all of the old thread and re sewn the case with a new gusset I also added a red suede interior while I had the pieces apart

 

My point is to buy this bag new would cost almost £2000 I have paid a fraction of that and as the bag had been sewn together all of the holes were already there. I did use an awl to help get the needles through the holes.

So if you want to try a project this may be a better way to start off.

If you would like to see the progress it is here https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/270392-restoring-and-customising-a-briefcase/page-4?do=findComment&comment=3255855

 

I am happy to help anyone who wants to have a go

[dapv]

Just to add my $0.02, I have no affiliation with either other than being a repeat customer of both, take a look at Renaissance Art Leather and Gfeller Case-makers for their bags, etc.

 

http://www.renaissance-art.com

 

http://www.gfeller.us

[Blaine]

I'm afraid to look through this thread, because I may end up spending a lot of money.

 

For over a decade, I've still just been using the plain black canvas messenger bag emblazoned with a USAF emblem that I purchased from AAFES while enlisted in the Air Force at the turn of the century. I also have a tan canvas messenger bag that my grandfather purchased in the 1970s.

 

Oh heck, I'll look through the thread anyway.