How to restore an old suitcase

[@lynnjasen9727]

You could restore a pickle jar and I would watch! There is nothing more engaging than watching an expert craftsman work. Thank you so much for your channel.

[@ruthfleming6238]

I'm old so I have seen a wooden suitcase. My mom had one until I bet my brother he couldn't fit into it. He proved me wrong so I shut it. The clasp closed when the lid went down and I couldn't work it(I was 5). He kicked his way out and that was the end of that. It's truly a pleasure to watch you work. Thank you.

[@ATRestoration]

Good story and thanks!

[@sraa1952]

What!!?!??.....what on earth is that got to do with restoring the suitcase....which is what this video is about.

[@akenjah]

I doubt your even around sraa but damn have some manners! 🤬

[@davidfredman1749]

I could watch this guy all day...its absolutely incredible how he restores various items in his care....a true professional

[@ИнгаПрохоренко-ы1ф]

Вы лечите старые вещи,максимально оставляя,их родные части и детали! Это прекрасно! Золотые руки! Привет из Москвы!

[@raywood8187]

I don't think I've ever seen a wooden suitcase before. Beautiful piece of history. That would never survive to the luggage carousel these days!

[@wholefoodplantbasedmama5398]

Yep you would have to put it in another suitcase to protect it!

[@MtnBadger]

These and others were made of Luan, the same stuff your bathroom door panels are. The depression was a tough time and people couldn't afford leather or textile cases (hence making bags out of old carpet). But, there were a lot of transient people who were trying to get to or away from one situation to another and needed viable luggage so, these inexpensive cases were made. You carried your bag with you and there were no luggage carousels so, it was a better option than "waltzing Matilda," which was actually referring to a cloth like a bandana (but a little larger) holding your personal possessions, tied on the end of a long stick that you slung over your shoulder. Walking down the road made the bag swing from side to side... Thus the "waltzing" movement. But, I digress... This was a very acceptable, reasonably durable option for carrying your goods that could be stacked in storage or out of the way and used to hold things like sewing supplies and other items when you got where you're going. Simple to make, of nominal materials yet fully functional. Good stuff. 👍

[@TheEvilEve2012]

@@MtnBadger wow! That Was very interesting. I was wondering what material this was. Thanks!

[@bookmouse2719]

You would be surprised that the interior of suitcases made in the 1960s had wood, covered in material or vinyl and lined in fancy material and trimmings. You could buy replacement hardware to fix it or replace locks and handles.

[@bruceyap3905]

I’ve seen cardboard suitcases!…..Flying wasn’t common before 1970.

[@evelynedeen]

My mom carried a suitcase almost identical to this one when she came from Finland in 1928. In order to restore it, I'd have to replace the deteriorated leather handle. It's left me thinking that it would be perfect for storing family memorabilia. Thanks for the video and good idea!

[@orscrub3161]

you choose the strangest things to restore!! i love it!!

[@drjekyllmshyde]

Truly amazing that anything made out of plywood lasted this long! I was holding my breath during the sanding that it wouldn’t just crack all the way through! Great work

[@petejohnson8590]

This old Grandpa, would love you to restore him to look more like a grandson ahhhhh, with your talent, may be it’s possible, but joking apart, you are a great inspirer, you do amazing work, thank you, Grandpa Pete 👍 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@shellydehart8217]

That turned out so beautiful, like it was brand new. You do beautiful work. Funny, I never knew they made suitcases out of thin plywood. Amazing. ♥️♥️😊👍👍

[@cathyng8092]

Bravo, this suitcase's final destination should be displayed in the museum.

[@chandarussell]

I’ve never seen a wooden suitcase before. This is great.

[@pchelka_c_chelkoi]

Я видела, но подобную модель - нет. Я бы себе такой заимела

[@mandycoleman1394]

That makes two of us !! Lol

[@gabrielemagnabosco8926]

wait until you see cardboard ones (I have two waiting for restoration, I just lack this guy's discipline and knowledge)

[@mandycoleman1394]

@@gabrielemagnabosco8926 I’m sure you can do it !

[@heatherinparis]

@@gabrielemagnabosco8926 I've got a couple as well. They are relatively easy to find at flea markets here in Canada. But I've neither seen nor ever heard of a Wooden Suitcase before!

[@khamilton7537]

Husband's nightgowns.... good one!!! I cannot imagine it would hold anything too much heavier.

[@tereamerine470]

That looks so nice. So interesting I have never seen a wooden suitcase. Great job.

[@GenXamerica]

Wow beautiful craftsmanship. Good job! Patience is a virtue!

[@jewelarender2451]

Very satisfying to watch. INCREDIBLE JOB! THANKS FOR SHARING!!

[@bookmouse2719]

My Father use to repair luggage, interesting how you fixed the leather. He would have used Saddle Soap. Modern ways to fix rivets is amazing. Thank you for the video, what a good job.

[@TheJcs555]

Terrific restoration of a suitcase that is almost 100 years old. I really enjoy watching your videos! Thanks for sharing your expertise! :-)

[@persephoneblack888]

I have in my possession a couple of big plywood trucks from the 30s and 40s. I love them a lot because they still have the travel stickers and dates from the ports they visited. They're all intact. Handles and everything. There's something really lovely about wooden trunks. ♡ I used them for blankets and documents. :)

[@Princesita2O]

Wow, I’d love to see these. Sounds very interesting to me

[@jasmins.7446]

This is so wonderful! Thank you for showing us this restoration. ❤ I found an old suitcase and I want to restore it, too! Beautiful job! ❗

[@rosiegutierrez6907]

Beautifully done, i have never seen a plywood suitcase, now im on the hunt for one 👏⚘🍃

[@alicekarelicki7763]

YOU ARE A MAGICIAN...... LOOKS GEORGEOUS....... GOOD JOB...

[@rokelle_2012]

I have no idea why but this is one of my favorite restorations of yours. Maybe it's because you glued the little stamp you found inside to the inside of the lid. I don't really know. Fantastic work as always though.

[@ATRestoration]

Nice to see that people still watch my old videos!

[@envitech02]

Expertly made with lots of love and passion! Great job!! With best regards from Malaysia!

[@ronaldlapointe1219]

Great restoration!

[@chloebelle4923]

fantastic work! I *love* the finished suitcase and your choice of details/hardware is perfect!

[@emya098]

Beautiful! You are a true Artist!

[@SallyBuskey]

Amazing restoration!!

[@maretteschulz8898]

Brilliant job👌👍👏

[@dianeadams9537]

WELL DONE!!!💜💜💜💜💜

[@seemonster77]

Wow. You show great respect for preservation of original work. Restoration vs rebuild. Well done sir..

[@ginaburgess9759]

What a transformation! You have great skills and I really enjoy your channel.

[@turbo.panther]

That went from awful to awesome! You've made me go and dig out an old leather suitcase I've been hiding from view to see if I can spruce it up a bit. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@dianna3157]

Try a little saddle soap. I've been watching some cobblers restore shoes and was surprised he used furniture polish on the leather.

[@turbo.panther]

@@dianna3157 I finished that project ages ago!! But thanks anyway I guess lol.

[@thinking-monkey]

Great job! Looks better than new!

[@idawilson7724]

Can you imagine what the airport would do to that case??? It is beautiful

[@RissaFirecat]

Beautiful! You can do ANYTHING Ahti!

[@arlenelamont5610]

A plywood suitcase? Well, thats a new one for me. Bet there are not very many around. Looks really good.

[@ivoke103]

A tip: If the leather strap is very hardened, simply use a greasy hand cream after cleaning. Nivea or Neutrogena hand cream, great for softening skin, no matter how thick it is. Great job!

[@D_e_n_i_s_e_B]

Beautiful job

[@judithcatlett8518]

It actually looks like it’s smiling.

[@peanutgallery2634]

These suitcases look flimsy to start with. They can’t carry much weight so, how did people use these? . If one is in this condition after so long, they must have been fairly careful with it. So happy to watch you restore it!

[@robinccc]

Why didnt you fill up the holes and polished the hatch?

[@synthiacathcart7937]

Very nice.

[@imochiexe5056]

Unusual piece. Nice.

[@pedroantoniollamas4206]

Espero y deseo se lo traduzcan bien. “Es usted un verdadero artista; hace unos trabajos maravillosos y todo queda a la perfección. Con usted, me entretengo mucho y paso momentos felices”. Muchísimas gracias.

[@hoperestoration5595]

really amazing restoration dear i love this

[@lj5801]

A wooden suitcase: this is a first for me. Looks great now.

[@laikatravels]

Nice 👍

[@chrislewis2792]

I wouldn't use it for a suitcase, but it sure would make a great case for my art supplies.

[@rhiannadelerres7500]

Love the stamp addition. 🙏🏽❤️🇺🇲

[@АльбинаЩербакова-й6и]

Замечательно что вещи с историей приобретают вторую жизнь

[@dianagusterson]

Is it possible to restore a very old dough trough. In good condition but needs the inside looking at 😊

[@ЕленаКазакова-х2ж]

Какая прелесть, хочу такой!

[@cintiafreitas7699]

Beautiful work! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@Lia2222]

Beautiful! Great job

[@ako456]

What if I had the equipment and resources. I could make these and sell them. Your video gives good instructions.

[@caille3319]

J'adore !!!! Superbe ❤️

[@thebeardedchad]

I like what you did here! Another good option for the leather would be a leather conditioner that restores the moisture to it. the wax does make it look good and helps waterproof it but doesn't actually add any moisture back to the leather.

[@ATRestoration]

Good to know!

[@BUTCH0120]

@@ATRestoration saddle soap. also used for leather shoes.

[@anullhandle]

@@ATRestoration be careful with water repeated wetting and drying weakens leather. If you want to clean it use a small amount and don't saturate it. If it's stiff and dry it's most likely because it has lost oils not moisture. Doesn't matter too much for this piece since it won't function as luggage. Turned out well. If leather is siff it's probably a good idea to condition it in place without bending it causing further cracks then disassemble. A good conditioner is 7 parts lanolin 1 part cedar wood oil (a fungicide) and a light solvent like hexane or diethyl ether to loosen it up for penetration. You can add some beeswax in the last application for appearance/protection. I found Lanolin (sheep grease) in tubes from a machinist supply shop. (edit) Thinking out loud, the beeswax might help lube the stiching in the handle or moving pieces.

[@MegaCharlottebrown]

Beautiful work!

[@marcelozabala1086]

Muy buen video, corto, pero, muy bueno, saludos MAESTRO DE LA MADERA, desde Argentina, 🇦🇷🙋🏻‍♂️

[@celinamariabernardiwilbert5037]

Ficou linda belo trabalho gostei da cor também.

[@Cyberpuppy63]

Very interesting restore. Unique challenges - and no special tools required ( unless you want it done quickly ).

[@melodieneil712]

I sure love watching your work. It’s inspiring to me. Thank you! Also, I’m wondering how you are and if you’re ok with the nightmare happening over there🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🤬😢

[@morganmeehan5991]

Beautiful! Very well done

[@jobkneppers]

Nice work as always. The modern rivets could be different for a perfect match but that depends on the amount of time you could spend on this piece and still earn some money too. In other words with a tight budget I would choose the same solution. Like to hear your thoughts and I'm enjoying your work and approach big time. Thank you for taking the extra time for sharing with us. Best regards, Job

[@davidroosa4561]

the wood looks amazing.

[@mikekorsak373]

Amazing restoration, great job!! 👍🏼

[@Crazyexgirlfriendlol]

Just curious... why not make it more stable with a liner... seems wobbly to me. But that's just my opinion... I still think you did a great job!

[@maurice_mores]

Shabby to shiny!!

[@nancyantrim3130]

Looks nice.

[@tinamarieparker1851]

That looks wonderful

[@michealafton1]

Beautiful job!

[@kenhughes2809]

Do you live in Russia? You do amazing work. ❤️

[@tanyaangelis5248]

Awesome!!!

[@DoroHiro]

@.36 seconds. I am curious what you can do with this article! It will be a masterpiece in the end! I’m sure….. I was right!! 👍🏻You give Louis Vuitton a run for his money!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@jaimegomezgarcia7599]

How beautiful!!

[@fayedewitt4183]

Fabulous!

[@mydaughtersusquehanna1188]

how strong is this suitcase? I mean how heavy can you put things inside it?

[@wholefoodplantbasedmama5398]

Is this Newt Scamander’s suitcase and are there likely to be any Nifflers hiding in it?

[@rhondajules7647]

Never saw a wood suitcase before….cool

[@EyeWYT]

Fantastic!! Did it have a musty smell when you started? I know sanding can help but I thought it would need some kind of sealer inside to help get rid of it? I love your videos!!!

[@callas1991]

That was great. Love it❤

[@dawndyreed8031]

Looks nice. Dose the leather give it more strenght?

[@maggielepe6235]

Hermoso su color natural!!! 🇨🇱☘️🐝👍🏻

[@rgauchosma]

Não tinha como tirar a ferugem do metal da fechadura e das partes de metal?

[@chruutunuchruut8188]

Da warst Du beim Schleifen aber mutig 😂 Für Leder nehme ich Bienen-Schuhwachs.

[@lucasb1324]

Does not the wood need oil it seems very dehydrated? I really like the bag the blen top. 👍 From me Carsten Sverige

[@pteddie6965]

This is a beautiful antique suitcase. Is this a rare piece? It would seem that plywood suitcases like this one would not commonly survive the test of time.

[@ATRestoration]

Cant say that its very rare, but its appreciated. When its restored, it costs about 200-300€ when restored but you wont see them on sale too often.

[@imahiredhand]

I will give this person a B- for fit & finish --- that is if the intent was to bring the suitcase back to it’s plain, unimaginative, institutional, appearance. But, I might make a couple of suggestions for raising a similar project to the next level. Think about staining the exterior and then giving the stain a high gloss finish. Replace the leather straps in kind or with a top grade of man made material. Use small Chicago screws to reattach the latches and handles. And replace the lock with a new lock and key with an internal backer plate. And lastly, line the interior (top and bottom) with some type of well wearing material. Then again, if you are pleased with the pictured finished product, then I am pleased for you.

[@lynnjasen9727]

I think the idea is to restore as much as possible, but not to go so far that it’s a flat-out renovation.

[@paleozon]

What the heck is a "husband's nightgown"? Great job!

[@ЮлияПолякова-к8с]

Очень понравилось!

[@tron3entertainment]

Looks nice, but I wouldn't have minded some protective leather on the front and back panels.

[@pou618]

Always interesting projects. I remember cardboard suitcases but not wood. Was it a European thing?

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Awesome. What a cool piece. Personally I have found compressed air to be a very effective way to get an even coat of PVA right down into the smallest nooks and crannies. Cheers Stuart 🇦🇺

[@annann4786]

You could tell us what you doing?

[@Cyberpuppy63]

Will a steamer kill termite infected wood - or do you just use insecticide? [ or replace the damaged wood sample with a new replacement? ]

[@ATRestoration]

The steamer doesnt kill the insect inside the wood I think. If needed I use insecticide. When its too far gone then I repair it with new wood.

[@ladytron1724]

Lovely job,but why did it take so long for people to invent wheels on suitcases?

[@Clavel688]

Maybe because to have and to carry such amount of clothes as today it was unthinkable years ago.

[@gglp2457]

They had servants to carry their luggage

[@jais327]

I wish I had your No How & your Tools

[@jmsmom67]

Can you imagine what would happen to that if you took it to the airport!

[@eileenie3101]

😂😂😂

[@carlosfreitas3401]

Acho que deveria ter um capricho a mais...