A leather briefcase is one of the most complex leather goods a maker can produce. It requires precise pattern cutting, careful edge finishing, multiple types of hardware, and hours of hand-stitching. When it's done right, the result is something that will serve you for decades and look better with every year of use.
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how we make leather briefcases at Craft and Lore — from selecting the hide to the final quality check.
Step 1: Selecting the Leather
Everything starts with the hide. We source our briefcase leather from premium tanneries — primarily Horween in Chicago and Wickett & Craig in Pennsylvania — because the quality of the leather determines everything that follows.
For briefcases, we look for hides with consistent thickness, tight grain, and minimal scarring. A briefcase requires large, clean panels of leather, so we're selective about which parts of the hide we use for the main body versus the straps and smaller components.
We typically use full-grain leather in weights between 3–4 oz for the main panels and 4–5 oz for straps and handles, which need to bear more weight and stress.
Step 2: Pattern Making and Cutting
Each briefcase design starts with a paper pattern — a precise template for every panel, strap, and gusset. We've refined our patterns over many iterations, adjusting proportions, pocket placement, and strap angles based on real-world use.
Cutting leather is not like cutting fabric. Leather has a grain direction, and cuts must be made with the grain to ensure the panels are strong and consistent. We use sharp clicking knives and steel rules for straight cuts, and swivel knives for curved edges. Every cut is made by hand.
Step 3: Edge Preparation
Before any stitching begins, every edge that will be visible in the finished piece is prepared. This involves:
- Beveling: Removing the sharp corner from the edge with a leather beveler
- Sanding: Smoothing the edge with progressively finer sandpaper
- Burnishing: Using a wooden slicker and water (or beeswax) to compress and polish the edge fibers until they're smooth and slightly shiny
Edge finishing is one of the most time-consuming parts of making a briefcase, and it's one of the clearest indicators of quality. A well-finished edge is smooth, consistent, and slightly rounded. A poorly finished edge is rough, uneven, or simply painted over to hide the raw leather.
Step 4: Stitching
We saddle-stitch all of our briefcases by hand. Saddle stitching uses two needles and a single thread, with each stitch locked from both sides. It's stronger than machine stitching and more repairable — if a stitch breaks, the rest hold.
A typical briefcase requires 4–6 hours of stitching. We use waxed linen thread in weights matched to the leather thickness, and we stitch at a consistent 4–5 stitches per inch. Every stitch is pulled to the same tension by hand.
Step 5: Hardware Installation
We use solid brass hardware on all of our briefcases — buckles, D-rings, rivets, and feet. Brass develops a beautiful patina over time that complements the leather, and it's far more durable than plated zinc hardware, which can corrode and flake.
Hardware is set with hand tools and checked for alignment and security before the briefcase is assembled.
Step 6: Assembly
With all panels prepared, edges finished, and hardware installed, the briefcase is assembled. Gussets are stitched to the main panels, handles are attached, and straps are adjusted and secured. This is where the briefcase takes its final shape.
Step 7: Final Conditioning and Quality Check
Every finished briefcase is conditioned with a light application of leather balm, which nourishes the leather and gives it a subtle sheen. Then it goes through a final quality check: every stitch is inspected, every edge is examined, every piece of hardware is tested.
Only then does it leave our workshop.
The Result
A briefcase that will serve you for decades. One that will develop a patina that reflects your life and work. One that, with proper care, will look better at year ten than it did on day one.
Browse our handcrafted leather briefcases — each one made by hand, built to last.