Our hope is that you’ll be proud of your bag because of the compliments you get and how long it lasts. But our deeper hope is that you join our community of those nurturing the vulnerable and loving the unloved. We do more than just quality leather bags; we do quality in all areas of our business.
Our purpose is not to change the world by loving orphans, single moms and ex-prisoners one at a time. It’s to work with a Love 41 community/family of loving and nurturing people to do it. If you want to but you’re not sure how, then join us on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter to learn more. We’ll help you get plugged in.
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The materials in our leather briefcase are full grain leather, pigskin lining, 316 stainless steel hardware, and German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. Our leather is tough and resilient, and our pigskin lining is super strong. Our hardware is 316 stainless steel and is rated to hold up to 750 lbs. Our thread is UV-resistant and German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. In addition, our hidden reinforcing straps ensure that the bag will never stretch and those straps will never deteriorate. This is over-engineering.
Full Grain Leather is the key to a quality leather briefcase. If you take off the top part of the leather (grain) it's like taking the shingles off of the roof. They get rid of the toughest and most resistant layer of the hide. When tanneries get a leather hide from the slaughterhouse, it's really thick. So, the tannery splits the top half with the grain from the bottom half. Now they have two hides to sell. The tough and beasty hide that still has the full amount of grain (full grain) is expensive, and that's what we buy. The bottom half is great for making low quality budget leather briefcases or laptop bags that will dry out and fall apart in a short time.
We glue and sew tough, strong pigskin leather to the cow leather. And the pigskin is even stronger than the cowskin. We've chosen this instead of using a shiny pretty fabric lining. We want all of our real leather bags to be durable, rugged, and sturdy.
Our custom hardware is 316 Stainless Steel. If you are a metallurgist, then I'm sure you just gasped. It's the metal you want to be used when your life depends on it. The testing laboratory told us that our clips were rated to hold up to a 750 lbs. bag of cats.
Our thread is unbelievably strong and UV resistant German industrial marine-grade polyester thread. It doesn't deteriorate when the sun hits it like nylon thread does. And we use the thick double ought version of it. It's the same thread used on ship sails and parachutes (things your life depends on).
Polyester is good and bad. The good is that it doesn't stretch and never deteriorates. The bad is that it never deteriorates. When it comes to polyester in your sheets and blankets, you won't sleep as well. But, when it comes to polyester straps sewn into the stress points of a bag, it's the best there is to get that extra strength.
The classic leather briefcase converts into a laptop backpack with a shoulder strap with two shoulder pads. Clip one end of the strap onto a d-ring on the bottom, run the strap through the o-ring, and clip it to the opposite side and you've got yourself a backpack. Now your hands are free to carry the wife and kid's luggage.
You can remove the side straps to use as an emergency size 36 full grain leather belt, tie-down, or tourniquet (hopefully you won't need that). But on the bag, they are great for holding wet umbrellas and blueprint tubes to the top of the flap.
The d-rings on the bottom are designed to strap on blankets, dirty boots, fly rod tubes, or blueprints. And you'll use these d-rings to convert your leather briefcase into backpack mode. The d-rings up top are great for clipping keychains, carabiners, or extra gear too.
The shoulder strap is adjustable (40" - 65") and it's removable. You can take it off to tie down the Christmas tree to the roof of your car. The shoulder strap comes with two strap pads for backpack mode.
There is a hidden flap on the bottom of this leather briefcase for hiding passports, extra cash, your collection of rubies, or whatever else you don't want anyone to know about. This false bottom can be a lifesaver in itself.
A small detail, but the main center strap has a hole all the way at the tip for closing when your laptop bag is really overstuffed. This gives you that much extra space in your leather briefcase, for "just in case." Comes in handy when you need it.
There is a pocket on the side, a pocket on the back, and pockets on the inside. From a place for your pens to a spot for your wallet in case you lose your pants. With two main compartments inside, you can take two laptops if need be, with room for chargers and accessories. These quality leather briefcases will protect your belongings and your reputation.
Classic Leather Briefcase Explained by Dave
Large Sized Briefcase Comparison
The Classic Briefcase in depth description and explanation on design
How to Knock Off a Saddleback Leather Co. Briefcase
I have wanted a bag like this before I even heard of Saddleback Leather. When I found Saddleback on Art of Manliness, I was amazed at the look and quality, but I couldn't imagine paying that much for a bag. However, I have been seeking to apply the principle of buying quality and using it for life. Knowing that I had wanted the bag for years, I knew I wouldn't get tired of it. So, I saved for several months and finally purchased my back in January of this year. Since then, it has been across the continent with me. I have taken it to business meetings, ministry appointments, and even converted it into a backpack as I hiked to work without my car one day. The bag is everything I hoped it would be. It fits my personality, communicating manliness, professionalism, and adventure. I get several compliments on it every day, and I can't imagine not owning it now. It already has a lot of stories. Can't wait to make more and hand this bag down to my son one day as a badge of honor.
This is an amazing product. The color, fit and finish is absolutely top notch. I was previously a tobacco guy, but after getting the classic briefcase in DCB, I'm convinced it is the perfect blend of ruggedness with sophistication.
and you won't be sorry that you spent the money. I've had mine for 18 months and I like the bag more and more as I use it. The one concern that every has is the weight of the bag, but I haven't found it to be that heavy. I went against the Saddleback sizing recommendations for my height and got the XL and I'm glad that I did. I wanted the extra space for when I use the briefcase as luggage for a weekend trip, a job for which this bag is also well suited. When commuting to and from the office, it isn't really all that heavy with a computer, notebook, phone chargers and other cables, and the few other things that I normally carry. It really only gets heavy when I load the briefcase down with a bunch of books and reference material that I sometimes use. I don't blame the briefcase for being heavy when I load a bunch of heavy things in it. Anyway, this is a great bag that's built like a tank with a classic design that's hard to beat.
I got this for my college graduation 5 years ago. Now, about to complete my Doctorate, it has been my trusty companion on every day of class and every day on the job. When I first got it I was concerned about the weight/stiffness of the bag. Let me tell you, after a few years it is PERFECT. The leather has all broken in and completely bendable and soft. Also, don't be afraid of the price. I have a few friends in grad school that had middle of the road bags when the came into school, then bought another one when their first one broke, and finally I talked both of them into getting this bag. It will pay for itself over time. ENJOY!
What a bad@$$ bag. I love the dark coffee color. In person, it's not as shiny as it is online. I love it. I got mine on dave deals and it looks like it may have been a return? Idk. But it's got scars on the front and I love it. Gonna use it every day. Love the sound it makes when you put it down and the way it smells.
