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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 first became familiar with Saddleback through my brother who has owned a medium briefcase for several years and I recently purchased a medium coffee brown briefcase for myself (taking advantage of Dave's Deals 10% off). All I can say is that this is simply the best bag I have ever owned. The durability, the look, the smell and the versatility of this bag are clearly evident from the moment you begin using it. I have owned several nice (and expensive) bags/briefcases over the past few years and I can count on one hand the number of comments I have received. I have gotten more comments in the first month of owning this bag than in the past 5 years with those other bags. The bag is heavier than others I have owned, but the way the strap is situated and with the way it sits across my shoulder it is much more comfortable so it actually feels lighter. The inner design of the two large compartments and multiple pockets hold everything I need and use regularly (wallet, sunglasses, pens, USB drive). The key clasp is perfectly placed and my car keys slide right into the outer pocket. In the last month of using this bag every day it is beginning to acquire well-placed scuffs from daily use. Part of the reason I chose this color is because those scuffs look incredible. It gives the bag character and shows that its well used. It reminds me of my brown leather sofa...the more it is used, the more comfortable it becomes. My brother owns the light tobacco brown which has aged to a slightly darker brown...gaining a "patina", if you will. All of the hardware, rivets, straps and seams on this bag feel indestructible. My reason for needing new bags over the years was always because of tears at the seams. I doubt this will ever happen with this bag. The "100 year" warranty is probably a conservative estimate. I don't just buy things on a whim. In fact, I tend to research products for so long that I often talk myself out of buying them. With this bag I was trying to decide between the medium and large briefcases and eventually went with the medium. I am very ahppy with this choice and it works for me. I do not carry a laptop with me but I could easily fit my iPad or a 13" MacBook Pro in this bag. I can also fit two full sized textbooks along with my other daily items. It is ideal for a carry-on for airlines. It is probably a bit too small for a long weekend trip but would definitely work as an overnight bag. For a point of reference, I am 5'8" with a regular build and this bag fits me well. The large bag wouldn't be as comfortable and may look too bulky. I agree with Dave's assessment that a taller person should consider the larger sizes. I would not hesitate to buy any other products from Saddleback.
I agonized for over a year - trying to justify, not only to my wife, but to myself - the cost of getting one of these bags. The day it arrived, as many others have commented, the house filled with the intoxicating aromas that only a high quality leather can provide. Upon first glance, it was BIG, it was OVER ENGINEERED, it was AS PROMISED! Over the past 7 or 8 months that I've had it, I've (and just as importantly, the wife ;) ) got over the initial cost - like my Audi A6; our Wusthof knives; my Omega Seamaster and so many other material objects we're able to afford, quality is a key factor to enjoying Saddleback Leather products. I now know that this is the last bag I'll buy (sorry Dave and crew...) I took my bag on vacation to NYC recently and once we pulled up to the valet at the Intercontinental and proceeded to unload the car, the valet saw the bag and started asking all about it. He was so impressed with it that he asked if he could show his coworker who was about 15 ft away. The coworker came over and they both continued to praise the bag, asking where I got it, how much... all the usual questions. When the wife and I checked in, we couldn't help but be amazed by the fact that, here were two guys that handle luggage all day long, at a respectable hotel, in one of the largest cities in the world and they're impressed by the bag that I now own. Next, a strategic development retreat for the management of our company. Seated next to our president for the 2 day event, during a break, our president began a conversation about the bag. Much like the valets in NYC, questions about where, how much, etc ensue. When I get to price, he just nods his head, knowingly and points to his leather bag from another manufacturer that he bought 18 years ago and says to me - it's a wise investment that you'll carry well into the future. I agree with him completely - I've always compromised on notebook bags and they only lasted me a year or so (thanks to the macbook pro 17" that I lug around daily). So, in short, if you're on the fence about buying this bag and find that it's in your budget but questioning whether you need a bag of this quality - just do it, you won't be sorry.
The construction of this bag is remarkable. Expectations will be exceeded and not by a small margin. Get used to hearing: "What a beautiful briefcase." Because you will hear it often. Overload it, toss it around, beat it up, it does not matter. The bag just keeps coming back for more and looks better and better as the days go by. If you appreciate fine craftsmanship, timeless style, and exceptional utility, this is the bag for you. Cry once and buy this bag, you will be happy that you did.
The XL looks like it could handle the necessary paperwork from all three of my jobs. And it looks great, too.
I love this bag, I purchased this bag from a private owner off of ebay and let me tell you it was well worth the money. I have several briefcase but none like this. I carry this bag everyday , my MacBook Pro, ipad, files, and saddleback notebook fits in this bag without any problems. I have received so many compliments about this bag and I have so many beautiful pieces of saddleback leather products I will not buy a,nothing else .If your looking for a quality bag, purse, wallet, or notebook. I highly recommend saddleback leather. Don't waste your money on knockoff buy the real thing and save yourself money and the heartbreak .
