Leather Roll-top backpack build - Veg-tan brown

Follow me as I make a leather roll-top backpack inspired by the messenger bag style.
Made with 2.5mm thick vegetable tanned leather, dyed with Fiebing's Oil dye in walnut and hand stitched.
Do let me know what you think in the comments =)
Leatherwork starter kit : bit.ly/3vMoC5h
Vegtan leather: bit.ly/3oEWFbu
LOXX closing mechanism: bit.ly/3BsJmCI
Utility knife: bit.ly/3ODUPlz
Strap cutter: bit.ly/3baECXD
Metal ruler: bit.ly/3znnl5E
Saddler's needles: bit.ly/3cEkzRw
Cutting mat: bit.ly/3cPxkZR
Stitching chisel: bit.ly/3bckwfq
Mallet: bit.ly/3zQaZEB
Exotic wood slicker: bit.ly/3barcuM
Edge beveler: bit.ly/3Saj26g
Thread pack: bit.ly/3PHB3qB
Fiebing's Pro Dye: bit.ly/3binI9h
Skiving knife: bit.ly/3ziSxTg
Cotton gloves: amzn.to/3eQnxzz
Alcohol burner: amzn.to/3OHZ9QX
Stitch groover: bit.ly/3oFl0hc
Tokonole: bit.ly/3Jef1cF
Thread zap: bit.ly/3OIY5Mw
Saphir renovateur: amzn.to/3zkAxI6
Saddle soap: bit.ly/3zf0N6Q
Leather protection cream: bit.ly/3vo7x19
Revolving punch: bit.ly/3BH9yJZ
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I have been making leather products for the past 7 months, mostly bags, backpacks and small items like wallets and card-holders. I am still learning a ton every time I take on a new project and always appreciate feedback on my creations.
For the moment I don't take orders as I like to spend too many hours getting the finished product as good as I can : this means that if I were to sell these bags, the selling price would be way more than the bags are worth due to the hours of work involved.
As always, do let me know what you think of this creation and this video. If you have any tips or comments about the techniques used, please let me know by dropping a comment below this video :)
Thanks for watching!

[@evanhawk2574]

Man, after I saw you put the ring & strap on bottom,I now realize. You are my brother from a Euro mother. I sure of it. Carry on mate.

[@flykickznation714]

Beautiful bag man

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks, I'm glad you like it!

[@mossdavis4447]

I live in america and I don't understand the imperial system either. WHY CAN'T WE JUST USE THE METRIC SYSTEM IT MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE This was really cool James, very entertaining and I love your voice!

[@JamesBerry]

Hahahah, thank you Xan Davis for the nice comment, glad you enjoyed the video and that you share my point of view on how cool it is to be able to divide everything by ten ;)

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

Of course I don't speak for everyone in America, but I have my own reason as to why I'm reluctant to switch completely to the metric system which is: I was taught in school the Imperial, or "Standard" system of measurements from the earliest age, on. The metric system wasn't even mentioned for many years and because of that, my brain THINKS in the old system. So because of that, whenever I see "meter" I have to mentally estimate in "a little more than a yard." Yep, the metric system does make SO much more sense, but it's a lot like learning a foreign language that is so different than yours that you actually need to THINK in that language before you can be fluent in it. I think that scares a lot of people away from learning it.

[@sherwin4ever]

That's a nice handmade bag! 😍😍😍

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah, thank you :)

[@gezdonaghy2456]

Really enjoy your builds. No silly music you explain important steps and the reasons behind it. You are brutally honest and realistic when it comes to mistakes and you share these lessons well. You do a really good job and your bag is fantastic. A matching weekend holdall would be an amazing traveling set of luggage and look fantastic as it ages. Thank you for sharing. 👌

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks for your comment :) I'm glad you like this type of video!

[@stephenlandry4351]

I must applaud you for designing and creating such a fine quality messenger bag after only five months of leatherwork experience. It provides a certain amount of inspiration that a novice such as myself could possibly create something this nice without years of practice. Very well done.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for your message Stephen! I'm so glad my videos can inspire other newcommers to the craft to test new things :)

[@robertsherman9975]

I really like the finished bag ! I totally agree with dying the leather the way you did. Gives it a patina of warm and used look. This will last a great many years, softening and becoming more beautiful ! Here in the States, the weight of leather, is by the square foot. Beautiful work !

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Robert, thanks for your message! I'm glad you like the finished bag and totally agree with you about the patina :)

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

JamesBerry I’d like to make a bag like this with a high shine or gloss on the outside. Almost as if you could shine it like a good pair of leather shoes. Also, very dark almost black on the edges and near the stitching but more of a medium dark over the rest of the leather. Would you be able to help me figure out how to do both of those please. Love your videos very much Cheers mate

[@JamesBerry]

@@prepperjonpnw6482 For me the most important thing to get a good shine is using good polish. It's interesting that you compare it to shining shoes because I regularly use shoe polish on my finished projects as I find that to be a great easy way of getting good results... maybe you could try that ? I'm no expert but I would say that if it works for shoes it will work for a bag... it's all leather right? :)

[@PabloJ1968]

BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much Pablo!

[@htchtc203]

Such a beautiful bag

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :)

[@MyCovertNarcissism]

Fantastic, you did an incredible job with this.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for your message :D So glad you like it !

[@felicelcius8002]

what a lovely backpack

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you for your nice message :D

[@johngalv9288]

Good job! the final bag looks very nice. thanks for sharing.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you John, I'm glad you liked it =) Using the bag every day I love the final result despite it being too deep and the side leather too stiff to be really practical.

[@CeeJay254Art]

Wow. Beautiful bag

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Jane !

[@scotwally]

Hey James. You are truly a craftsman. I couldn't agree with you more about taking time and not rushing any part of the process. Attention to detail is key. Your leather coloring process is very high quality. It shows when the finished product looks as good as this bag. I like the slightly dappled dye pattern as well. Leather isn't perfect either. Keep up the good work and the very entertaining and instructive videos. I look forward to more.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much Walter for your very supportive comment! I'm really pleased you enjoyed watching this :)

[@frankvanpijkeren8824]

Your enthousiasm and detailed information is great!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Frank :)

[@newhomemech]

gorgeous

[@terryclark7864]

Well done. 5 months into leather working, very impressive.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Terry, I'm still learning a lot every day and hope to be able to improve on this design in the future =)

[@jamesking5508]

LOOKS GREAT PROFESSIONAL JOB

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks a lot James, glad you enjoy the final result :)

[@conceptrial3400]

another passionate guy here. I like making leather things

[@JamesBerry]

Nice, thanks for joining the fun :)

[@matthewward7220]

Lovely bag that James fantastic result

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Matthew, glad you like the result :)

[@claudioscola]

Nice job!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Claudio ! Pleased to hear you like the result :)

[@florencekho3574]

Thanks a lot, James. I'm glad I found your video. I just begin my adventure in bookbinding and the leather stitching skill, your video encourage me a lot. All the best to you, JamesBerry.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Florance I'm glad you liked the video! Good luck with the bookbindong, sounds like a great hobby also :) do check the /leathercraft on reddit or the leatherworker.net forums if you need any help/advice!

[@justdoenme]

JUST BEAUTIFUL!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much Ana :D

[@livewiya]

Some advice for future projects: perhaps you may cut your blanks before dyeing. This makes dip-dyeing easier. As for the straps bring too thick: often you stitch/joint a thinner yet softer leather for comfort while not making it too thick/stitch. You could've also used a French skinning knife to skive the edges you glue and stitch together. Never to be critical, only hope some of my advice may be useful

[@livewiya]

Although dip-dyeing may result in a more even coloration that the method you applied, I still think it allows the character to show through (I will admit, since it'll dye the back you'll use more dye and will likely need a means to flat hang dry)

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the input ! I have never dip-dyed and I'm not sure I would know how to for such a big piece. If I ever find some decent water based dye I might try this out but I'm afraid the pro dye from Fiebing's would be too strong for this and dry out the leather too much. I've learnt a lot since posting this video and will 100% be skyving the straps next time before stitching! I also really like your idea of having a different leather for the backing... as I have quite a lot of supple chrome-tanned leather lying around this could be a great idea for the next project. Anyhow, thanks for your message, hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@livewiya]

@@JamesBerry I've had to get creative to find containers both wide and deep enough; I then needed to baffle the container so a small volume of dye will fill the container to an adequate depth. I myself have only used Fiebing's pro dye but I really only use utility leather so I will admit they weren't very supple to begin with.

[@ScottTurnerformeindustrious]

Awesome work James!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Scott !

[@tassiespirit]

That will last you for 50 years or more. Great job!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :) I really hope to keep it for a long time !

[@rafaelcervantes7212]

Amazing work!! Thanks for sharing.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Rafael, glad you like it :)

[@sandradi7845]

My god that's fantastic craftsmanship.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks so much Sandra :)

[@MrMilky1190]

Fabulous. Well done indeed.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks you Neil :)

[@biosk4hvd]

"I apologise for those of you who don't use the metric system, that's not your fault". hahahahahaha Great video :)

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thank you =)

[@dperry19661]

it great for small precision measurements. Just like Fahrenheit is more precise the centigrade..

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

@@dperry19661 Just exactly so. It's much simpler to measure in millimeters than fractions of an inch, or even tenths/hundredths/thousandths of an inch...but it's difficult for us old school folks who grew up with Imperial Measurements, and learned to THINK in those terms. Metric really is much simpler, but not when you're trained from the beginning to THINK in standard measurements.

[@dperry19661]

@@jamesthe-doctor8981 Well i guess it was when they said we were going to convert to metrics in like 75 i paid attention in that years 4th grade math. I use both

[@jamesthe-doctor8981]

doug perry I remember that, it was the year I enlisted in the Air Force, and although it wasn't taught in school back then, I checked it out on my own after the Air Force gave me my first assignment, which was 2 years in Germany. Since we never really switched over, I still tend to think in Standard, but most conversions are very easy and mentally converting it all gets me in the neighborhood. I think we all have to use both here in America. A lot of places use both so if you don't, you're probably missing out on things.

[@kayleatherman8714]

Great job!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :)

[@illustrious1]

Your bag looks great and Im happy for you.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks a lot, I'm loving it so far !

[@baffalote]

I have got to say....truly astonishing!....patience is key to a true rewarding effort on a piece like that....thank you for a truly great messenger bag as well as a fully detailed video or your artwork....

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you for the high praise! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hope to bring you more soon :)

[@baffalote]

You're Welcome!!....Bring on the Videos!!...

[@doghibthekobold7852]

That is gorgeous, mate! Brilliant work!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks you very much Avalon! Pleased you like it =)

[@AM-cx1ng]

This was the final project that I saw, that made me definitively decide on taking leatherwork as a hobby. Thank you!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you for your message, I'm so pleased to hear my videos can help others get into leatherworking ! :D Good luck and have a blast with your creations !

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

JamesBerry I use a different method when stitching through a double thickness of leather. Before applying glue I put the two pieces together lined up perfectly and then use clamps to hold the two pieces down on the edge of my workbench. I then use a four prong pricking iron with beeswax on it and punch all four corners through both pieces of leather. I then remove the clamps, separate the two pieces and proceed to punch all of the holes needed. Once I have all the stitch holes done I put the two pieces together and check that all holes line up. Next I glue the two pieces together and do my stitching. It sounds more complicated than it actually is and makes the entire process a lot easier to do.

[@11261966]

Good bag, good video. Thanks!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you =) I'm pleased you enjoyed it!

[@danielirvine7468]

Incredible mate great work I would love a bag like this and to make it by myself would be so rewarding

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much Daniel for your comment :D So glad you enjoy this !

[@Ranger4564]

That is a very nice backpack.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Ranger :)

[@fredir3596]

Great bag, great video. I intend to make a few bags and it’s always nice to see how others do it.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Fredi and good luck with your bag making !

[@jerrieyum]

That’s dope I think it’s wonderful.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you!

[@qrubmeeaz]

Nice work!!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you!

[@jerryogorman5895]

Another fascinating video wonderful

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks Jerry :D

[@northshorepx]

really enjoyed that. the best bit was you detailed commentary.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@ChamberlainCody]

Great video

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Cody :)

[@rowboat27]

Stewie makes a backpack Love it!

[@Lilpeepkinn]

Beautiful bag James!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Kevin =) Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hotmanmogayakinsitompul6805]

Amazing...good job...

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :)

[@V3leathercraft]

Wow. Thanks for this wonderful idea.😘

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks, glad I can inspire others with this :)

[@kevinpowell54]

Great job. Looks great, and some good lessons learned..

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the message Kevin :)

[@zulmahmud3248]

just completed my own project inspired by this video..thank you sir

[@JamesBerry]

Love to hear this kind of story :D Glad it has inspired you to make your own and I hope you'll love using it for the years to come !

[@francoisduguay1361]

Great craftsmanship :) love the color of dye you choose as well!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much! Yes i love the color and i can't wait to see how it will age :)

[@francoisduguay1361]

I can only see it aging beautifully! Really hope to see more leatherworking videos like this, made me want to try out the craft.

[@JamesBerry]

I'll make sure I upload more videos for future projects then! If you're looking for something manual to do leathercraft is really nice as you don't need much space or many tools to get started!

[@dave8709]

Very nice love watching will definitely subscribe have a great day all way from Colorado

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much Dave :)

[@dave8709]

@@JamesBerry Your welcome hope you have a great day

[@laurie886]

Very nice bag love the walnut Finnish

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Laurie :)

😍 preciosa mochila! Buen trabajo! Me encanta el cierre 💜

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Monica 🙌

[@nbekirichardson5337]

Very impressive work. Keep going

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much =) I intend to continue!

[@DianePahl]

Stunning!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Diane!

[@lauraweiss7875]

Very pretty bag. I use chrome tanned leather (3-4oz) for a lighter and much more supple bag. I also like to include a waxed canvas lining on the inside. It gives a more finished look and allows for a zippered pocket and/or a laptop sleeve.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Laura, I'm glad you like it! I also like your idea of a waxed canvas for lining the bag : do you glue this to the leather or sow it in?

[@chriscraig3886]

Hey James, when I use the pricking fork to punch sewing holes, I tap the tips of the fork on/into bees wax before punching the holes, each time. Comes out of the leather much easier.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the tip Chris :) Indeed, I do this now if I need to get through many layers of leather.

[@elizabethwatson71]

I like the strap stitching, it looks ha d made. If you want to ‘age’ your leather I have a few suggestions, they work for me and several others..chains and bricks. Get the bag as flat as possible and drop thick chains (I threw them down) repeatedly. Lay dry paper towels across the bag and drop bricks down. Fill the bag with a few bricks this will help emphasize the stress points so you can flex around them. Then there is soap or washers, put fresh dry soap into a long sock, now swing it at the bag (with bricks inside) like using a sap. You can also use heavy metal washers or screws.. I love this bag, if you have the dimensions I’d love to give it a go

[@EgdeFilms]

So very cool.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Matt, glad you like it :)

[@stanhegeman8751]

Gorgeous! Fine designing as well. Your patience was well rewarded. I might have added a gusset to the front pocket to increase its capacity, but perhaps not. Personal choice and I truly respect yours. Again, very, very nice. One of your best overall. Thanks for sharing.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks you Stan for your kind words! Adding a gusset to the front pocket could be an interesting idea to play around with in a future build of this bag. Will keep that in mind :)

[@tychamilton-whiten7401]

Excellent!

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Tycha :)

[@MrKirby2367]

Very nice job,

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you!

[@siyuanxu3537]

I used to use the tool with "6 legs" to punch the stitching holes, but sometimes like you have said, it is hard, so now I rely more and more on awl to finish the punching and use this tool to mark the holes. great videos, thanks

[@JamesBerry]

If you're able to use an awl well, then that's definitely the best option ! Most pros will only using the stitching marker to punch small marks in order to see where to place their awls. This is a technique I really should learn if I want to improve my stitching. Alternatively I have found that better stitching punches help minimize friction (but I spent a lot on the ones I use now to get there).

[@moutazemad6889]

A pice of art 👏👏♥️

[@barbaravance6774]

Thanks so much for this video! I have been looking for a camera bag online and was shocked at the cost for a simple leather messenger bag. The few, yes few, that weren't $350 seemed to have major issues. Mostly due to poor stitching, bad hardware, glue and sadly added plastic zippers( ahhh why???). I'm looking at leather-work for the second time in my life. The first being a child.lol! But, 4 years of home ec. and sewing leads me to think I could do this if I take the time. Your project is great! And your voice and demeanor are so pleasant! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah, as a photographer myself, this is so true ! Before starting leatherwork I wouldn't have thought I would ever be able to make something like this. One of the next steps for me would be to get myself a good sewing machine and try myself at different fabrics. If you're already used to sewing then don't let complexity stop you ! Work on your design, start simple, and go from there :) Do share your results with us !

[@kildareman051]

Having made something similar, although one seam was 13mm thick, I prefer to bang out the stitching holes separately on each piece of leather, so lots of careful measuring. I would personally have added adjustment to the shoulder straps but a great project none the less.

[@markedwards2005]

Loved it...

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Mark! :)

[@KaramKaram-tk9ge]

Muchas gracias

[@kevinreyesphotography]

Excellent production and results! Just starting in leather crafting myself and so exciting to learn your ways. Great job, new subscriber :)

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much Kevin! Hope you have great fun with your new hobby :)

[@MLunenborg]

You just earned a leatherworking enthousiast-subscriber. I will be doing a workshop in August to get into leatherworking myself. And I've been going crazy with my searching of Leatherworking KZbinrs these past few days. I cant wait for the workshop, in fact. I am strongily thinking of just foingnout there, buying a few supplies and juat fo for it. 😂

[@JamesBerry]

Hey Maatren, thanks for the message :) Leatherwork is a great hobby and I would suggest that you don't wait for the workshop and grab yourself some basic equipment right now, start making very simple key-rings and card holders using the knowledge you've gained from the youtube vids (that's how I started off). Then when you go to the workshop you'll be able to start asking more specific questions from the start :) Good luck with the craft and have fun !

[@johnwayne3554]

great project. 30 hrs well devoted to self improvement 💪

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks John, couldn't agree with you more :)

[@izaradesigncom]

very nice design 😍

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks :D

[@skyruner2001]

I remember your MM:DOC days, good times.

[@JamesBerry]

Heheheh good times :)

[@DeputatKaktus]

You have created something really beautiful there, and something that may well outlast the both of us. Bravo! 👏🏻😃

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much Tim for your praise :) So glad you like it !

[@mukhumor]

Barring Armageddon that bag will be around in 500 years!

[@gracaperuna190]

mais uma vez falar que a sua arte é muito linda é redundância ...parabéns e sucesso

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you :)

[@gracaperuna190]

@@JamesBerry obrigada a vc

[@gracaperuna190]

@@JamesBerry por nada lindo

[@StuffUCanMake]

This is excellent stuff! I subscribe!

[@JamesBerry]

Heheh, glad you like it :)

[@raulgarcia863]

Good job in the video.. this is really impressive for only 5 months of skill time..

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much Raul =) I'm very happy with the result.

[@chuckcassel5417]

Good job, 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Chuck !

[@simplyrise5217]

That bag will last a 100 years👌. Good job bro👍👍👍. I subscribe 😁

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thank you so much :D Glad you like it !

[@mzigliara]

Really nice! Subbed!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you very much Max :)

[@realcraft3785]

nice

[@branfrandisco]

If you treat your stitching punch with bees wax it helps the tool release. Cool project!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you, I'll try this next time I have thick layers to get through.

[@matthewkovach3455]

I really enjoyed this video. I feel the commentary was spot on. It was satisfying to see how well the bag turned out in the end. I went looking for information on two things when I was done watching. I wanted to know about the clasp and found the link for that. I also wanted to know about the straight edge your using with the handle and the bubble levels. Could you tell me who makes that one?

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Matthew for your comment! I found the straight edge ruler on Amazon after some searching for long metal rulers. Hope this info helps you find yours :)

[@albertofrancia6549]

Un excelente trabajo muy bonito y cuidado pero es cierto que es antieconómico. Solo cuando es para uno mismo o un regalo merece la pena.

[@JamesBerry]

Muchas gracias por su mensaje Alberto, me encanto que te gusta!

[@soladeos]

hi James. thanks for the vid. been thinking on doing a roll too bag myself. appreciate your time to show us your build. i don’t know why US uses ounces for thickness but 6oz means two things.. • the leather is 6/64 of an inch thick (aka 3/32” ~2.3mm) • 1 square foot of that leather weighs 6 oz thanks again. cheers.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks David for your message, I'm glad you enjoyed watching the video :) Yeah it's clear why the US measure in OZ on a historical standpoint (used to be sold in big batches by weight from what I understand) but it no longer seems appropriate as a form of measurement.... I guess I just need to keep an eye on conversion charts :D

[@petesnap1969]

Hello James, I enjoyed watching your video, the tip with the neatsfoot with the final coat of dye is definitely one i'll use! I'm new to leather making myself, but a good tip for preventing your pricking irons from sticking in the leather is have a small block of Beeswax to hand and stab the irons into the wax periodically and that should help. :-)

[@JamesBerry]

Hi Peter and thanks for the comment! In my next build I'll try diluting the dye from the start to have an even more controlled dye process. As for the pricking iron trick with the beeswax, I did try a type of wax we have here called "Seal grease" (Graisse de Phoque) which should work in a similar fashion but I didn't notice it making things easier for me. I'll try and find beeswax here in France and give that a try next time :)

[@zarhawe]

Or u can invest in a better set of pricking irons / stitching chisels as the irons u are using usually have jagged edges inside. but for 6mm of leather I recommend to punch each leather separately or use an awl to punch through leathers. btw, thanks for the video

[@embeaston]

JamesBerry You could definitely dilute the dye, but that will probably lighten the color. You could also case the leather before you dye. It will take longer to initially dry because you’re adding water and dye, but it can give a more controlled application of dye. Great job on the pack!

[@xanderlutz7856]

If you are anxious about the cutting phase? Use a paper pattern.. so make a paper one first.. then take that apart.. use those pices... .. use a touch of wax on your tool will cause it to release from the leather. For sanding. Use a dremmel.. with a sander bit. Burnishing fuses the fibers at the cut end. Seals it a manner. I like your side gussets.. glue is a necessary evil to hold things in place to glue later. Ok hand sewing 🤦🏾‍♂️ should be easy.. or your not doing it right.. to much to go over here. Really nice finished product... amazing given your experience level...

[@darvit1514]

Very nice. But I think you should have added an inside pocket for keys, pens, etc.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for your message :) For future builds I definitely want to incorporate more storage options like that. As this was the first time I attempted such a big build I really wanted to keep it as simple as possible to make.

[@EmperorProtects4848]

wow, great video and escpecially impressive for your experience... dabbeling in leather myself, but nowhere near your level. subbed.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Florian, glad you enjoyed it and found it informative! Good luck with your leatherwork :)

[@DavidZeusChiang]

Wow this is such a cool bag! I am looking for a leather backpack for work to wear it with a suit, and this one you’ve made looks amazing! I would perhaps prefer the bag: 1) to be slightly wider 2) to have a few pockets inside the bag plus a 15” laptop pocket 3) external pockets and side pockets to hold water bottle or umbrella 4) adjustable shoulder straps But honestly, the bag you’ve build is amazing!

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you David for the feedback, I'm so glad to hear you like the bag that much! After having used the bag for a couple of months I agree with ALL the improvements you have suggested. As it is it's a great fashion piece but it lacks a lot of basic functionality that would make it a good everyday work/commute bag.

[@susantipsyhealy7655]

Found the ruler...made by shop fox...24”. Did a google search for ‘metal ruler with handle & bevel. Sweet

[@sailorjohnboy2325]

No worries with the metric measurements, almost every ruler in the States has metric measurements on the wrong side. Honestly, we hold onto to inches so we can torture primary students with fractions. :D Great video and craftsmanship.

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you for your messages, I'm pleased you enjoy the videos so much :)

[@JaneDoe-bh8gy]

When punching your holes an easy way to ease the process you can put masking tape down before and put wax on the tape. It makes the punch come out much easier.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the tip Jane, many people have recommended wax but this is the first time I hear about using tape also! This is a great tip that I'll be sure to try out :)

[@emilion94]

I really like your style of voice over! Nothing too shouty, you talk good about your work and one can tell you like what you're doing. Keep it up! (Y)

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you so much for your comment :) It's a style I enjoyed in other people's videos and wanted to emulate it in mine. Glad you like it !

[@MountainFisher]

l use a 1x42 belt sander with a fresh 80 grit belt to sand something that big. I also use a wore out 15 micron belt to burnish the edges.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks for the tip, looks like quite a few people use similar systems. I don't have the space or confidence yet for something like this, taking my time hand-sanding means I can be sure of the final result even if it takes ages.

[@romeitaly]

Very very nice🥰😉😎👍🏻❤️👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹

[@njneer]

Beautiful bag! Did you work from a pattern or just figured it out as you went along? I wouldn’t worry about using glue as it’s a very common practice particularly around the edges to hold the leather while punching holes. Also, I use a piece of corkboard behind the leather and an small awl to make the holes a bit larger for sewing. They generally shrink back down after sewing.

[@JamesBerry]

Thanks Greg, glad you like it :) I worked of rough dimensions that I had in mind (and planned on paper) but I didn't test it out beforehand with a full-sized template to see if I liked it. Thanks for the tip with the awl ;)

[@Smajtastic]

Its the whole metric/imperial argument...sort of. There's so much history to that question its unbelievable. I take it you're from the UK? You'll be surprised that mm, oz and also irons can be used to describe the thickness of leather, depending exactly where you're looking, e.g. Abbey England has some equestrian/bridal leather given in irons and is the only place I've seen so far give it in that older measure. So the thickness will be often referred to as the weight of leather, now aside from the obvious that the thicker the leather the heavier it is, it goes back to when leather was more commonly sold by the weight, rather than the square foot, this arguably led to some practices of over tanning the leather, I. E. Imbueing the leather with extra tannins increasing the density, the leather was super stiff too! Anyway, that was a bit of a ramble, sorry

[@JamesBerry]

Hahah thanks for the answer and the ramble, I'm learning more every day!! I had never heard of "irons" before and glad of the explanation. This does indeed make a lot of sense and I'm slowly understanding more and more about different types of leathers. I still think the metric system is better though ;)

[@don_monedero]

Very interesting !! Like

[@JamesBerry]

Thank you Don :)