Briefcase Appreciation thread

[Brandeis]

I like the looks of this--quite a lot,actually. I think that this is a classic color combination. You can see a green and tan briefcase on. JP Marcellino's site, or look, for example, at the Tusting UK site looks like you did well.

Distinctly not Walmart quality. Care to say what you paid?

 

[Brandeis]



Im looking for a briefcase for work, and frank clegg is a notch to expensive for me. any recommendation where i should ? I want a classy cognac leather briefcase that will last me for 5+ years

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Find Marshall's, T.J. Maxx and Tuesday Morning stores in your area (assuming there are any) and start haunting them. It may be a day, or a week, or many months, but sooner or later you will find something at a good price that will last til you buy from Frank Clegg. Jack George's, Tumi, Bosca, Filson , Bric are among brands I've seen and sometimes purchased at these stores at really good prices. And check e-bay frequently. Sometimes there are great briefcases that can be had for very reasonable prices because there just doesn't happen to be anyone else interested at that moment.

Or, Grafea, which are English, and Custom Hide, American, offer very nice full grain leather classy briefcases at prIces considerably lower than Frank Clegg or similar makers. To be sure, they are not the same quality, but they'll fit the bill. Finally, see if overstock.com has anything that strikes you.. Sometimes they do.

Good hunting.

 

[WestwardDrift]

Because of your recommendation I just got my first real bag (Hell its not even from walmart this time

)

Here are some pictures of of the vintage Dinoffer bag, in green and brown.
I am not sure how folks here react to green briefcases. They seem to be a rare animal looking at previous pics in this thread.

Ill review quality when I get it for anyone else that stumbles onto this one by this old brand.

Here are some pics:

Nice looking bag. I look forward to your review. I'm curious how true to color the pictures are. On my monitor the brown looks a little on the reddish side. I like the idea of a green briefcase, as long as isn't garish.

 

[leetpuma]

Nice looking bag. I look forward to your review. I'm curious how true to color the pictures are. On my monitor the brown looks a little on the reddish side. I like the idea of a green briefcase, as long as isn't garish.

I havent taken any new pics but the old ones are pretty representative. (e.g. they are not off by a shade)
Dinoffer Bag Review:
Good news:
The bag itself feels high quality and looks very nice.

Bad News:
There was an problem though. When I tried to put lexol on top of the green front panel it just sits ontop of it. Making me think this is just really high quality pleather or vinal top with leather underneath... This was a big bummer as the leather quality is not something I can attest to.

I paied about 100 USD for it and even at that price it may have been worth it. The thing is really solidly made and looks amazing in person. (Very young professional but with the non-standard coloring)

I am deciding whether I want to complain to the seller on ebay since I specifically asked him if this was leather and it turned out to be some plasticly covering. (the pleather even feels like leather but it just will not absorb lexol/water except for at one or two scratches on the bag. <-- If one of you knows what this leather is let me know.)

Also the shoulder strap is made up of 3x 1mm leather pices instead of 1x3mm leather. So dinoffer cheaped out there as well. They seem to be decently made bags but from this sample they cheap out on materials costs.

The bag interior is definetly suede leather though it sucks up water like no-body's business.


EDIT:
I talked to the ebay seller and decided to keep the bag for 60 USD which is not a bad deal since it is actaully really sexy and well consturcted. Just crappy materials

 

[Brandeis]

I havent taken any new pics but the old ones are pretty representative. (e.g. they are not off by a shade)

Good news:
The bag itself feels high quality and looks very nice.

Bad News:
There was an problem though. When I tried to put lexol on top of the green front panel it just sits ontop of it. Making me think this is just really high quality pleather or vinal top with leather underneath... This was a big bummer as the leather quality is not something I can attest to.

I paied about 100 USD for it and even at that price it may have been worth it. The thing is really solidly made and looks amazing in person. (Very young professional but with the non-standard coloring)

I am deciding whether I want to complain to the seller on ebay since I specifically asked him if this was leather and it turned out to be some plasticly covering. (the pleather even feels like leather but it just will not absorb lexol/water except for at one or two scratches on the bag. <-- If one of you knows what this leather is let me know.)

Also the shoulder strap is made up of 3x 1mm leather pices instead of 1x3mm leather. So dinoffer cheaped out there as well. They seem to be decently made bags but from this sample they cheap out on materials costs.

The bag interior is definetly suede leather though it sucks up water like no-body's business.


(If any of you know how ebay stuff like this works let me know ;P)

I found this, posted in 2012 in a BMW owners' forum. Whether it is accurate and whether it has anything to do with your situation, I don't know

"The common Lexol cleaners and conditioners (brown and orange bottles) are not meant for the leather found in modern BMWs, or most other manufacturers for that matter. BMW leather is urethane protected semi-aniline leather, meaning it has a protective coating (think clear coat for leather) over the hide. This type of leather has a low absorbancy rate, so water-based cleaners and conditioners are required, whereas oil-based cleaners and conditioners (Lexol) won't be absorbed by the surface, as it's moisture resistant.
Lexol is oil based, and using oil-based products on urethane coated leather accelerates the breakdown of the urethane layer."

 

[leetpuma]

I found this, posted in 2012 in a BMW owners' forum. Whether it is accurate and whether it has anything to do with your situation, I don't know

"The common Lexol cleaners and conditioners (brown and orange bottles) are not meant for the leather found in modern BMWs, or most other manufacturers for that matter. BMW leather is urethane protected semi-aniline leather, meaning it has a protective coating (think clear coat for leather) over the hide. This type of leather has a low absorbancy rate, so water-based cleaners and conditioners are required, whereas oil-based cleaners and conditioners (Lexol) won't be absorbed by the surface, as it's moisture resistant.
Lexol is oil based, and using oil-based products on urethane coated leather accelerates the breakdown of the urethane layer."

I thought lexol was water based. Since it is an mix of water and oil in an emulsion.
Oil is always needed at some point to condion. Because water alone has a drying effect on the skin. (Think of you own skin after swimming)

Something like neatsfoot oil/coconut oil are true oil based conditioners.

Truthfully even just leaving a coupple drops of water sittin on the surface for a couple hours does no soak into the bag.

__________________________________________________________________________

So i found the post on that bmw form: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=750378

I looks like what that guy is calling "waterbased" is not waterbased....
He later in the thread recomends a "waterbased conditoner" which is actially a CLEANER not a conditioner to use on car steats. A water based cleaner that will not break down the polyurthane layer that is on top of the leather ( http://www.detailersdomain.com/Leather-Master-Soft-Cleaner-250-ml_p_292.html ). His goal is not condition the leather but rather to keep the plastic looking good for as long as possible.

___________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for the help

 

[Trader George]

Hey guys, I need a bit of help.

So my briefcase took a small beating, but it's something I can live with. However, I was wondering if there is anything I could do to make the marks/scratches less noticeable.

 

[ThinkDerm]



Hey guys, I need a bit of help. So my briefcase took a small beating, but it's something I can live with. However, I was wondering if there is anything I could do to make the marks/scratches less noticeable.

beautiful case. love the look. the scratches don't look bad. consider it patina. I'm sure others might have some thoughts, I use Saphir reno on my cases, with a little wax, and have had nice results.

 

[Concordia]



Hey guys, I need a bit of help.

So my briefcase took a small beating, but it's something I can live with. However, I was wondering if there is anything I could do to make the marks/scratches less noticeable.

Add a bunch more. You'll hardly notice the first ones.

 

[leetpuma]

Conditioner will help like lexol.

Wax polish can actually fill deep gouges and make them disappear but is not great for the leather as it cannot breath as much

I would just condition the whole case and let it be.

 

[Trader George]

Conditioner will help like lexol.

Wax polish can actually fill deep gouges and make them disappear but is not great for the leather as it cannot breath as much

I would just condition the whole case and let it be.

How would Allen Edmonds Conditioner Cleaner be?

 

[Equus Leather]



Add a bunch more. You'll hardly notice the first ones.

+1. The first scratch is always the worst. Time and use will turn this into patina and will look amazing

Charlie

 

[razl]



Add a bunch more. You'll hardly notice the first ones.

+1 again, plus some deer bone might help, just like with shoes.

 

[leetpuma]

How would Allen Edmonds Conditioner Cleaner be?

Not sure. But maybe.

The key with most condioners is that they darken the leather color so if you darken one spot you may end up having to darken the whole case.
Conditioner = oil
oil+skin = darker + healthier skin
Healthy skin will not crack

Lexol is one of the one of the least darkening conditioners. They actually say it does not darken (once it is dry) which i find is true in most cases.

If you live in the states I would buy a liter of lexol for future use its like 12$ and will last you a very long time.
http://www.amazon.com/Lexol-1013-Leather-Conditioner-Liter/dp/B000637TNM

 

[leetpuma]

+1 again, plus some deer bone might help, just like with shoes.

Deer bone wont help in the same way it helps with cordovan shoes...

With regualr calf skin it will compress the fibers and slick the edges of the cut making it less deep and possibly even closing it up a but. (You do not need an acutal dear bone to do this any flat hard surface works fine with a bit of water on the leather that you are slicking. )