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've had my large dark coffee brown briefcase for about seven months now, and I'm happy with it. I'm not going to repeat all the product specs and other good qualities here: it's all true. But I will share a little of my personal experience with the bag. I carry the bag to work with me everyday. I usually pack a 13" MacBook Pro, a book or two, a few file folders, a notebook or two, and pens & pencils. There's room for a lot more. Honestly, I have more space than I need. But's that's okay, because the extra space is there when I need it. I got it a 15% off Dave's Deals, and the only thing I can find that might be imperfect is that the big ring near the top handle appears to have been sown on slightly crooked. It took me a while to notice it I've read a lot of reviews of this bag, and I've notices three common negative criticisms. I will say something about each one. (1) It's too heavy. That could be true for you. The bag has some heft, and if you don't want a heavy bag, then you might not like this one. I admit that I didn't like the weight at first. But I got used to it quickly, and now I don't notice the weight. (2) It doesn't have good organization. This is also a legitimate concern. If you're looking for a bag with lots of compartments, zippered pockets, etc., keep looking. But this bag has enough organization to function just fine, at least for me. (3) It's expensive. Yes, it is. It is not, however, outrageously expensive. It's reasonable compared to some other designer briefcases. I'm not the judge of what anyone thinks is too expensive for their budget, but I think the price is fair. Overall I really like this briefcase. I can see why it might be not right for some people, but if it fits your budget, needs, and personality, then you've found something special.
After purchasing a ID wallet for myself, 6 more ID wallets for wedding gifts, a Dave's Deals Large bifold wallet, I pulled the trigger on a Large Chestnut classic briefcase. It was a Dave's deal and I can't find anything that wouldn't be noticed as a mark of character. I cannot wait to get this piece broken in and enjoy it for many years. The build quality is superb and it seems like it is as touch as nails. Thanks for providing a great product.
I love this bag. The style and handmade quality is exactly what I want from life. Still, this bag is like finding something in your grandparents attic - really cool, but not always practical. I bought this because it helps me organize my files, seperate my files from my computer nad stay organized. I origianally order the Extra Large ,and it was huge, way to big!!! I returned it and replaced it with the large which is a much better fit. The Good: It looks great. I have had this guy a year and received an enormous number of compliments. It is sturdy. I haul it every day and had previously worn through a briefcase ayear. This thing is bomb proof. The leather has softened and shaped, but not broken down and it looks better with age. The Bad; It is really heavy. I have a Tumi Balistic Bylon bag that weighs a fraction of this thing. My wife, who was a marine and rides her bike in lieu of a car through snow and sun, and who carries a 30 lb bag every day, commented on how heavy this bag is - when empty. There are too many rings hanging from it. One person asked me if I had turned a saddlebag from a motrocyle into a briefcase. Lastly, organization. This works perfectly for carrying files and a computer. But it doesn't have the pocket many brifcases have. I lose pens to the bottom of it and cords and everything else. It is not a bag for those looking for convenience. But like I said, I love this bag. I have created a system where everything I need fits in it perfectly, and I wouldn't give it up. But for all that the leather has shaped to me, I have had to shape to it. If you are looking for function look elsewhere. This bag is not for the faint of heart. If you are seeking a unique bag flush with eccentricities, you have found the bag for you.
I've been waiting to be able to get the large SBL classic briefcase in dark coffee brown [literally] for years and was finally rewarded with one for an early father's day gift this year. There's only one problem: my kids are already fighting over it and I'm still a few months away from my 40th birthday. [Should I be looking over my shoulder?] The bag is everything I imagined it to be and then some. It holds and protects the insane amount of IT and business gear that I carry around for my business and is designed so efficiently that it never seems to get heavy as I travel around the country. It's built like a tank looks awesome, and smells great. I love this bag...can't rate it high enough with 5 stars.
I originally ordered the Large Classic Briefcase, thinking it would be perfect for my law practice. When it was delivered, I tried putting an expandable folder inside (Redweld brand), and was dismayed to learn it would not fit. Dave's video doesn't even show the Extra Large size, but the screen just says something like it's good for litigators with huge case files. This led me to believe that the Large would be fine for normal use. Well, it is not. I would have appreciated a disclaimer on the size chart that says "expandable legal size folders do not fit in the Large case". So, now I am waiting on the delivery of the Extra Large. Oh, and of course I have to pay for return shipping. Had I known a normal legal folder would not fit, I would have ordered the Extra Large in the first place. That is disappointing as well. Once I take possession of a briefcase that actually can accept legal file folders, I will update this post as to how I like that case.
