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
So I have had the classic briefcase in chestnut for just over a year now. It is a fantastic bag, and I use it just about every day. I have had numerous conversations with people about what a beautiful piece it is. People do stop me about it. So, expectation-wise, that's all accurate, and it was a fantastic and very treasured gift from my wife. When it first showed it did have faulty clips on the shoulder strap that would unloosen on their own (of the screw variety). This was a very rare occurrence, but as an expectant father I was concerned. One email to Saddleback service, though, and they sent a new shoulder strap at their own expense right away. The bag is roomy, and fits a work laptop, cords, a notebook, moleskin and a few other things without issue. It's also good for storing things like water bottles and coffee mugs in the side pockets. If I had any criticisms, and they are few, it's that the interior pockets could use flaps with closures of some kind. Or perhaps they need to make a version of the bag with interior closures. I find that because the interior pockets are open, if you turn the bag on its side or upside down (overhead compartment on the airplane, bad car packing jobs, etc) the contents of the interior pockets get dumped. Not really a big deal for me, but it might be a consideration for habitual long-distance travelers. The bag is heavy, especially when loaded with laptop et al, as well, but you get used to it and it shouldn't be an issue if you are in decent shape and aren't made of paper. I would buy another if I needed it. I am thinking of buying a satchel because I find while the briefcase is great for work (I work in marketing), and for travel out and about, sometimes I wish I had a smaller bag with less bulk when I'm just out and about on weekends. I also own a number of other SBL pieces -- two tow belts, a wallet, a moleskin holder. Happy with it all.
Just got my Classic in chestnut about a week ago. I previously had bought three briefcases in the last 18 months and was not happy with either of them. My wife said I was as bad about my briefcase as she was a pocketbook. Now I'm happy and she is to. Thanks Dave for making such a beautiful briefcase.
Micah I just wanted to drop you a note to commend you on your incredible products. I first discovered your company in 2005, and instantly drs on love with your extra large chestnut briefcase. I drooled over that bag for two years!! Then, for my birthday in 2007, my beautiful wife got me the large chestnut wallet. I was floored. I carried that wallet all over the globe. In 2007, my word shocked me again when I returned from Africa with my dream briefcase. I loved the looks that it drew and loved passing out your business cards when asked about my bag. I carrieeverything in that bag, which is why it was devastating when two men in Houston ambushed me, stuck a gun in my face and got away with my beautiful bag and wallet. All of the other stuff was recovered, but not my bag or wallet. I'm saving up to replace them, and will soon. Just wanted to share my story...keep up the great work!
After weeks of obsessing over whether or not to buy one, my wife put me out of my misery and gave a gift cert. for a large briefcase (Tobacco). Having used it every day for the past 15 months, I have not regretted choosing this as a daily carry brief case. As such, I routinely beat the crap out it. The stuff I regularly carry in it includes; two (2) ThinkPad laptops, a leather zippered portfolio, a mini mag flashlight, a Leatherman â"Juiceâ", a large ring of spare keys and a loaded DB-9 semi-auto pistol. I also use the bag as a valise/backpack when traveling and jam it with as much stuff as it could hold + have lashed two (2) travel fishing rods to the bottom of it. Without a doubt the bag is heavy, but if it was made out of cheap, light weight pieces of leather it would have fallen apart by now. As it stands, Iâ"m still breaking mine in. Iâ"ll finish by adding that my wife thinks my briefcase is too bulky and looks justâ"¦OK. Good! At least, it will never be mistaken for a â"Murseâ".
I bought this, because there are days when I needed a large briefcase. This bag is awesome, and has turned into my main bag for work and travel. It can hold a weekends worth of summer clothes, or a 14" laptop and a bunch of work files. My only slight regret is that I bought the medium and not the large, only because my laptop won't fit in it. It's OK though my old leather briefcase holds that one. The medium will work quite well though. Awesome bag Dave.
