40 year old Swiss satchel gets makeover // full restoration

[@78a67h]

About half way through the vid, I realized that you are demonstrating a professional job, not something that a layman watching the video could subsequently attempt at home. Still very interesting including the comprehensive list of links to tools and products.

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah I'll take this as a compliment :) I work in marketing and am absolutely not a professional leatherworker. All I know today I learnt from KZbin and forums, so I sincerely believe these skills can be acquired by anyone who is patient enough. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@FidelCashflow_YT]

A well made leather item thats properly cared for will last decades. Thats what drew me to it. It smells good, looks good, and only gets better with age.

[@hanifmckagan4448]

well made using only non-corrected grain leather, not all leather are made the same

[@FidelCashflow_YT]

@hanifmckagan4448 If we're talking about top grain vs full grain, I usually go with full grain for the better patina it tends to develop. Most the stuff I make, I use veg tan tooling leather. Course I make knife slips and belt pouches. Some wet forming, some stamping, and a bit of branding even, tho I really don't like branding, it never goes well for me. Favorite thing to do is paint it. Dyes are fine and all, but the vivid colors you get from paint really open things up design wise.

[@erikzorger3311]

next time you need to drill a rivet out, you should get a punch and use it to hammer (one sharp blow) center on the rivets. this will make an indent that will make it much easier to stay centered.

[@JamesBerry]

That's an excellent tip, thank you for sharing :D

[@Shfuwpqcb]

God I am so obsessed with these videos

[@JamesBerry]

Glad you enjoyed this :)

[@robertbeckman2054]

Would you PLEASE update your 9 euro-priced patterns for this item? 1) The two halves that make up the front are not made clear that they should be cut as ONE PIECE. 2) the two back halves have the same problem. I guess I wasn't smart enough to notice this and made the cuts. My bad, but won't be making this mistake again. 3) The pencil pouch is clearly not thicker than 3-4oz. Diesel Punk, not only makes two of his patterns free each month, but lets you sell up to 10 of the items you made from his patterns per year without any royalties. Plus, I've never had to question any of his patterns. These are just a few suggestions. You're welcome.

[@hanifmckagan4448]

wow youre so considerate to do this deep of a research and bringing this for the public!

[@topiheimola69]

I have a Swiss army leather belt, yeah the leather is just incredible. I find myself constantly fiddling with it. A tiny bit of leather oil along with several thin layers of leather vax (also Swiss army hehe) did miracles for the belt. I love it!

[@Emrzkn]

That's inspiring. You gave new life to leather.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you! So glad you like it :)

[@Emrzkn]

@@JamesBerry :)

[@DavidDiNatale]

Impressionnant ! le rendu final est vraiment top, j'étais curieux de voir le résultat et bien ... Bravo une belle réussite !

[@JamesBerry]

Merci beaucoup David :D Oui je suis étonné de voir comment ce cuir à changé !

[@samueldougoud3289]

6:10 The Army would give its specifications and buy the finished goods from contractors. This satchel was not issued to the privates but to the NCOs for them to store geographic maps published by the Swiss Topographic Office. Those have a precise folding pattern, and the satchel has been designed accordingly.

[@JamesBerry]

Ah thank you so much for this information! It's really hard to find any real insight online, so having this type of comment is really helpful :D

[@LuficariusRatspeed]

Technical/Process Question, dear sir: A horse saddle restoration company did a two-part restoration series on cleaning and restoration. According to the owner, saddle soap puts glycerin and lanolin and beeswax into the leather. The soap is meant to dry in the leather. He said it is not a cleaning soap. For cleaning, he just uses Dawn detergent. "Saddle soap is not a soap. It's a soap by definition, but it is not a detergent for cleaning. [...] If it's good enough for baby ducks, it's good enough for leather." This would stand to reason. Indeed, I checked the directions on the Fiebings I just purchased, and it states: "[...] apply to leather surface. When dry, polish with soft cloth for light luster." If saddle soap puts glycerin into the leather, wouldn't using alcohol afterward remove all the glycerin? Therefore, why do you do it this way? 🤔

[@JamesBerry]

Hi there and thank you for your comment/question. You raise some very interesting points here about the proper use of saddle soap. I've always used it as a detergent, my idea being that this will help give the leather a light clean and moisturize the leather before I go in for the alcohol deep-clean. I am not a professional so I really cannot say this is the best way to do things, I can only speak to what I have tested myself and this works for me (even if it may be an improper use of saddle soap). Moving forwards there are two things I will want to try: 1. Switch to using the alcohol first, then use saddle soap 2. Try out some other leather cleaning products/detergents to see how they differ from saddle soap in the result Sorry I can't offer a definitive answer on this. I do really appreciate your input :)

[@LuficariusRatspeed]

@@JamesBerry Yeah, totally! Might save you some money! Just to clarify, I think the end result looked great! I just questioned the method is all. I'm totally new to this. About to restore and condition a 30 year old Dutch bike saddle of similar leather thickness to this bag, and so I'm sifting through endless videos to get various points of view. When I ran into his I was like... 🤔 Hmmmmm.... Also, everything I've found says neatsfoot oil is great if you don't mind the oil permeating and darkening the leather time after time over the years. Also there was an advisory some gave about neatsfoot continually bleeding due to the weight and friction of a rider, so I will not be opting for that for my purpose. There are some beeswax/oil creams I found that I'm mulling over. The feeling I'm getting is: more beeswax = less oils, therefore more waterproofing and less permeating/bleeding. The creams with more oil are deeper and darken colors. Makes total sense. Funny enough, most of the horse saddle restoration videos are giving me much better information than the bicycle saddle restoration videos, which seem to be more like project highlights than informative. I know you weren't doing a bike saddle! Just thought I'd toss that info out there in case anyone happens to run across my comments. :)

[@barbarakinsey2789]

That’s how l learned how to clean (horse) tack. Neats foot oil also every so often

[@chronicfish]

And I thought this was going to be a simple, "soap and lather" type of makeover 😂.. Awesome job. you are a true master of your craft.

[@JamesBerry]

Why do something simply if you can do it the long and complicated way :D Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@DoctorWessamAtif]

Excellent work and craftsmanship. Thanks!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for your comment :)

[@Tammy-un3ql]

Great video James.👍👌❤✔

[@nathandkreosote9917]

Excellent work James!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Aodhan, glad to see you again here :)

[@laurasmall8300]

Thank you so much for this video. I rashly purchased a WW2 German map bag for my son, which was very dirty/dusty and very dry leather. I purchased your recommendation of Saphir renovatuer cream and applied it after cleaning (very gently) using your technique and was pleased to find the bag much improved. Gave my son the rest of the pot of renovateur as part of his Xmas present, as I think it needs another application. Perhaps you can suggest how he should store the bag e.g should it be padded out to help maintain its shape, and if so what with?

[@0f-the-land]

Beautiful restoration.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :)

[@borjojo]

Would boiling the leather be a better way to restore it, albeit a much longer process?

[@AlessandraAndersson]

Could you use kevlar tread dor the stitching?

[@Dougout92]

really good video. I learned a lot. Thank you, Doug

[@JamesBerry]

Glad this helped Doug :)

[@DavidConstanza]

What a wonderful work.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much :)

[@Stonecraft_Leather]

Love this content.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Keith!

[@BlueJazzBoyNZ]

There are so many "Tired" but brilliant leather goods thrown away in ignorance That can (must/Should) be brought back to life with a little TLC.

[@JamesBerry]

I couldn't agree with you more!!

[@bunionpain16]

What was that he put on the bag? The close-up of the bottle wasn't close enough for me.

[@WDWysong]

Just found your channel...excellent work! Thanks for doing such a great job and sharing that!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks a ton, so please to have you with us :) Glad you like the end result!

[@bbrachman]

James: I purchased your template, read the instructions but cannot figure out how to match the left and right pieces together. There are no 'registration' marks to match and tape together. Can you help?

[@JimGlasgow-e5o]

Most people use hand cream but very few feed leathers. Great job with your restoration.👍

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@cholmes0305]

Thank you for the advice in your video. I didn’t use alcohol, but after applying pure neatsfoot and rénovateur, the bag is fairly dark and doesn’t really buff to the shine that I’d quite like. I wonder if I should have taken the extra step to use a little alcohol to strip the leather back a little more.

[@cholmes0305]

… it certainly wasn’t picked apart either 😅 I don’t have the space or tools for that kind of procedure.

[@KB1.1]

May I ask if the inside is the suede side? The Neatsfoot oil does not destroy it?

[@amoghwadikar5229]

You're awesome brother! That requires great skill btw ❤️

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for the kind words :D

[@South711]

love your restoration videos)

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks so much man :D

[@cindychristian1700]

Great job!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks!

[@andreamangraviti-cw3fe]

BEAUTIFUL TKS

[@eschmichel]

Super Muster

[@gildafontoura1340]

Thank you

[@kimness5733]

Can i have a piece of ur old vintage leather? That would be a nice gift from you to me 😍😍😍 Merry Christmas 🎄⛄

[@VeganSmasher]

Great video James and very informative! Question - the two large rivets on the front and bottom of the bag (which weren't removed); what are those rivets / fasteners called? Thanks so much!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Tim, so glad you like it :) These are called button posts or button screws or button heads. The original are riveted aluminum and I have not been able to find any online. You can find alternatives on Etsy and other resellers though.

[@mbs6585]

sam brown studs or pouch studs

[@8MWm3e4b]

Any advise what to do when a leather bag is already hard as a quartz plated diamond graphene?

[@JamesBerry]

Same as I did here: clean with saddlesoap inside and out, let it dry then use alcohol to get rid of the grime before oiling the piece. If it's good vegtan leather this should do the trick. You may need to repeat the saddlesoap clean two or three times to make sure you're getting rid of as much dirt as possible - this also helps bring some oils back into the piece.

[@8MWm3e4b]

@@JamesBerry thank you, but i think i'm too late with this. After drying, still hard as stone

[@ernestberry-songsrestored5637]

lovely work. Thank you.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you for your message :)

[@cyndisaunders1208]

Nice job!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Cyndie :)

[@delinaokubay3480]

Nice job

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Delina :)

[@Sooner-im9qf]

Are your brushes boar's bristle, or horse hair? I don't have a Swiss Army pouch, but I do have some vintage leather handbags that could use attention. Really enjoyed this video. Always appreciate craftsmanship; in this case, the original maker's and yours! It's always great to see a worn, or even discarded item be returned to beauty and usefulness.

[@JamesBerry]

I believe the ones I have are horse hair. Generally speaking boar's bristle will be harder and great at removing dirt, while horse hair will be softer and better at getting a shine after you've waxed your piece. Glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@TheRedbeardster]

Nice work!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Artem!

[@martchi8525]

I am new to leather restoration and i need advice - i have a very old and dry doctor's bag (like Dr. Dolittle bag). i need advise - how many times is it ok to apply neastfoot oil? i see huge improvement on the leather but i am not sure how soft can the bag get considering that it is quite old

[@JamesBerry]

Hi there, if you've cleaned it out with saddle soap before hand, you should only need to apply one or two coats of neatsfoot oil max on the outside. You really shouldn't be adding more than that normally. If you feel that's not enough, you can try Saphir Renovateur or adding on a layer of soft wax (such as a Saphir cream). Hope this helps!

[@grecoltv5128]

Good morning James, I’ve just found your channel and was really impressed with what you achieved with this bag. I recently bought a very tired ring binder / organiser in a similar tan leather on eBay. Is there any way it can be renovated while keeping the tan colour? Or more generally, is it possible to lighten leather which has darkened over time? On various KZbin channels which restore leather items, the end result is always a lot darker… Thanks - Greg

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Greg, Thanks for your message! I'm so pleased to hear you're taking care of old leather products, it's wonderful to see how long leather can last when given just a bit of care :) Please note that over the years your leather has dried up and this lightened in color. Naturally it should darken over time as 1. the sun will tan it very slowly over the years and, 2. the oils and waxes you may add to protect it will darken it. So go ahead and clean it up, oil it up and more importantly DARKEN it up! Don't go looking for a specific color, instead enjoy watching your leather come back to life! Hope this helps :) Happy crafting, J.

[@stanhegeman8751]

Sorry, your technique is awesome. The pliers were overkill. A light mallet, then sewing, which will ensure the bond is less invasive. Overall, one of my favorites. Thank you for your beautiful and truly informative video. I do the same alignment technique when making.

[@kemosaabe]

What a great video, I learnt so much. A problem I have with a leather satchel I bought on eBay is that the previous owner waxed it. So much so that it’s actually sticky to touch. Do you please have any thoughts on how I could treat it to resolve this?

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Paul and thanks for your message! I'm glad to read you enjoyed this :) The only thing to do for too much waxing is to gently rub the leather with a clean cotton rag to remove any excess wax. Take it easy on the leather and don't try removing too much... ultimately the extra wax will simply go away with use, so use it as much as possible, enjoy it and it will just get better and better with time.

[@barbarakinsey2789]

Saddle soap isn’t for cleaning. Try water with a drop of dish soap in the water. Use a facecloth to remove dirt. Then nests foot oil then saddle soap. That is how l learned to clean tack

[@familyrecipes6967]

The thread is Mazzy? Not sure if the link for the tread is the same? Thanks great work. Will have to try and make!

[@narimanmussayev2561]

The name of this thread is Meisi. There is the official website of this company

[@usernamemykel]

If you wanted to add dye, would you apply the dye before or after the application of a conditioner? Thank you!

[@JamesBerry]

Definitely before applying conditioner!

[@MarinaNeri-jl1zx]

Can i use water for cleaning leather?

[@JamesBerry]

Technically yes, it will help a bit but could also do quite a lot of damage depending on the type of leather and whatever was previously used to protect it. If you have vegetable tanned leather with no artificial top coat, you can try gently rubbing it with a damp cloth. If possible I would still recommend you find some saddle soap (can be found in most places selling leather goods or horse-ridding equipment) - it will both clean and moisten your leather in a safe way.

[@stuartmarkman769]

I have an extensively carved shoulder bag that is very old and stiff. I want too soften the leather but I dont know how. any help would be appreciated.

[@JamesBerry]

Hard to say as this primarily will depend on what your leather is protected with. A safe bet would be saddle soap to clean it as this will also bring some suppleness back to the leather - then you can try a small amount of neatsfoot oil.

[@stuartmarkman769]

@@JamesBerry Thank you. I will try it.

[@Lord_Ivoundy_Creood]

Neatsfoot can rot the stitching so I would advise vegtable oils instead, like castor or lindseed among others

[@JamesBerry]

Information on the internet varies widely with some saying the opposite - that neatsfoot oil is fine but vegetable oils will go rancid/rot. All I can say for sure is that I have always used neatsfoot oil and have never had any issue with it over the course of my 8 years of leatherworking (which admittedly is not that long).

[@kyrantjuh6519]

Hey mate! I've got a old military helmet and it has a leather chinstrap wich has completely dried out. Is there any way I can fix it a little bit?

[@JamesBerry]

The best thing to do is to give it a good clean through with saddle soap, let it dry a few days and then give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil. Hope this helps :)

[@obscuriosities]

So u did use neetsfoot-do u have any thoughts since this on the frequency people seem to claim on the internet that it will speed up degradation of leather via oxidation & shouldn’t be used on old leathers? (I’m not sure I buy it bc literally everyone contradicts everyone abt these things & 80% of the feedback / info is from companies peddling their own product / service or random people with affiliate links) Im really trying to find natural go tos for diff purposes w conditioning & rehydrating diff leathers… mink oil seems to be the only one there’s a consensus on but I’m trying to find an option that’s a little more ethically sustainable. I’ve heard good things abt pure beef tallow. It seems to me like it would equate to neetsfoot tho. Haven’t seen much of a verdict on jojoba. Thoughts? (Also thanks for this def inspired me to get a hold of one myself)

[@horsebydayartbynight]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just found this video! I used to restore saddles. Neatsfoot oil is perfect for leather. It still gets a bad rap because back in the day, saddles and horse tack were stitched with sinew, aka "catgut". These all-natural threads could degrade overtime when too much neatsfoot oil was used over a period of time. However, the leather was never harmed. If your leather piece is stitched with sinew, just go lightly with the neatsfoot oil in those areas. All other threads should be fine with it.

[@season.appreciation8102]

Amazing 😍

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks :)

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Is there any way to smooth out and repolish scuffs in leather?

[@JamesBerry]

That really depends on the type of leather and the scuff... You can start by buffing the piece with a cotton cloth, then try adding some wax (of the same color as the leather) to try to mask it and buff again. If it's really bad there are some pastes you can apply and sand off but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone who doesn't know what they're doing.

[@majaK1990]

Good morning, you make good movies that are good to listen to. I'm going to renew my grandfather's bag. One thing puzzles me is when is it worth replacing the seams? A few seams broke in my bag, I tried to pull out more thread to secure it, but it breaks when I try to pull it out. It stays well untouched. Are such threads worth replacing? I will be grateful for any answer. (English is not my native language so sorry for mistakes)

[@cahtshiri]

Another video on leather restoration referred to this as "dry rot" and used a technique for that as it seems tone a common issue with older leather articles.

[@usernamemykel]

Instead of Ethanol Absolute, could one safely (for the leather) substitute Acetone????? Thank you!

[@JamesBerry]

I NEVER use acetone on my leather and cannot recommend it. Some professionals may use it for certain applications but I cannot comment on that as I am not a professional.

[@pierafasulo1184]

Un lavoro eccellente, la pelle va nutrita proprio come quella degli esseri umani!!!

[@lindaaustin-morin7781]

Hi. Great content. Do you have a suggestion to get “old smell” out of leather?

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :) If you can, use some alcohol to lightly clean the surface, sadle soap to clean it more completely, then a good protective cream to add oils back into the leather. This should help. Also, make sure to keep your leather in a dry place!

[@monicali2608]

Effective Microorganisms with water sprayed on paper and put in several times get out the smell.Homegrown jadam microorganisms will do. Usually they are used in gardening.

[@cindyrae2605]

What did you use for the glue?

[@JamesBerry]

I use a neoprene cement glue.

[@pangle88]

Hey Luke, awesome video! What weight is this leather?

[@aliciaevans2012]

If I have a lacquered leather box (from the 1950s or 60s), how would I clean/restore it?

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the question Alicia, unfortunately I have too little experience in lacquered leather to be able to give you an answer. I would recommend joining some leatherwork Facebook groups as the people there are a fount of knowledge and always happy to help a fello crafter :)

[@aliciaevans2012]

@@JamesBerry thank you!

[@matt3408]

did u document thia on paper work?

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Matt, if you mean did I create a template for this then yes I did: please find the link in the description of the video :)

[@AdrianLopez-sn3ei]

What product would you recommend to clean a type A-2 jacket with dry leather? Greetings from Spain

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Adrian, it's hard to recommend anything without having the leather product in hand. I would say that using saddlesoap to clean and give a new life to leather is always a good place to start. Then I would recommend bringing your jacket to a cobbler and ask for their recommendation for a product specific to the type of leather. Hope this helps!

[@chloetolman6058]

Long time wood furniture restorer, new to leather restoration! Your channel has helped me learn a lot! Thank you! Where do you find these damaged treasures to fix up?

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Chloe, and thanks for your message :) I'm so pleased these videos can help you! I find them on second hand websites and at flea markets.

[@onlyyou711]

Is it possible that was 1884 and not 1984?

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah I would love to work on a bag that old! However, having found out a lot more about these bags since making this video, I know for sure this bag was made after the 2nd World War.

[@derweakzaeg894]

"Käser" actually means cheesemaker. Fitting for a saddler f4om switzlerland

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah love this :)

[@tombaker3000]

I wasn't aware they had velcro back in 1884...

[@cink106]

Subtitulos en castellano por favor.

[@estateofthearts4868]

Mink oil, pig bristle brush and cow hoof oil.. that’s all gotta cost more than the bag

[@JamesBerry]

These aren't that expensive compared to the bag, especially considering most leathercrafters should have these in their shop already.

[@MrGalpino]

Looks like something from the 1930s or earlier.

[@aliciaevans2012]

*spool of thread

[@petebutler5139]

Beef is cow and pork is pig, but chicken is..? Chicken!! 😜

[@CrashCarson14]

Looks like it may have needed more oil lol

[@mtkoslowski]

Sure the date wasn’t 1884?

[@JamesBerry]

Hahahah would love to get my hands on a piece that old to try and bring it back to life!

[@JamesBerry]

Download the PDF template here: www.etsy.com/listing/888700634

[@lindaaustin-morin7781]

Does the PDF include the cross body strap templates?

[@dreamwarriors979]

Must of the time the leather brush are from horses the hair from pigs are too hard for leather !!! I mean horse hair best for leather work !!!

[@viceverse11]

Unspooled

[@brianjordan6391]

I can.t help but cringe watching you use paper towels instead of cotton rags.

[@Flavum]

Aaaaah! Don't reveal the result right off the bat. Total spoiler, mate.

[@Onethirtytwo]

I'm not going to sit here and listen to you ramble for 20 minutes. Less talk, more work.

[@almorabe4033]

FRUITY.

[@nicoladegiuseppe8354]

Thank you