How to Make a Leather Briefcase

Leather briefcases are both stylish and functional. This leather briefcase is much less expensive to make than to buy a new briefcase. With a few leather working skills and patience, make a beautiful leather briefcase you will be proud to carry.

Things You'll Need

• Leather knife
• 2 24-by-1 inch pieces of leather
• 1 38-by-16 inches piece of leather
• 2 3-3/4-by-5/8 inches pieces of leather
• 2 6-by-1 inch piece of leather
• Glue
• 2 11-1/2-by-1 inch piece of leather
• 1 4-1/2-by-2-1/2 inches piece of leather
• 2 12-1/4-by-3-1/4 inches pieces of leather
• 2 gussets
• Leather punch
• 2 1-1/4-inch "D" rings
• 410/D rivets
• Needle and thread

Instructions

1. Punch two rivet holes in the end of each 24-inch leather strip. The holes needs to be centered about 1 inch from the end of the leather.

2. Angle both sides of one end of the 38-inch piece of leather to 45-degrees. Start 3 inches from the end. Cut two 1 and 1/4-inch square holes into the tapered end of the leather 1 inch from the end of the leather piece with the side lined up with the end of the taper.

3. Measure 6 1/2 inches from the other end of the 38-inch piece, 3 inches from the side of the leather. Cut two slots into the leather. The slots need to be 1 1/4 inches long and spaced 1 1/4 inches away from each other. Repeat this step on the other side so there are two sets of holes the same distance from the edge of the fabric.

4. Skive 1/2 inch from the 3 3/4 inch pieces of leather. To skive a piece of leather, shave the leather with a leather knife to make it thinner. Skive 1/2 inch off each of the 3 and 3/4-inch pieces.

5. Glue the 6-by-1 inch pieces of leather to the underside of the end of the 24-inch pieces that do not have holes.

6. Fold the 38-inch leather piece into a briefcase shape. The bottom needs to be 3 inches wide and about 12 1/2 inches tall. Fold the tapered side over where the holes in the tapered end match up with the two slits you cut on the other side. This gives you the basic shape of the briefcase.

7. Insert the ends of the 3 and 3/4-inch pieces into the slits cut into the front of the briefcase. Glue the backs of the pieces to the back of the leather to create two loops. These hold the straps into place.

8. Fold in both ends of the 11-1/2-inch leather piece to create loops. This becomes the handle. Place the "D" rings into the folds of the loop. Glue the folded pieces to the back of the leather. The open end of the "D" ring needs to face out.

9. Fold the 4-1/2-inch piece of leather into a tube around the 11-inch handle you created in Step 8. Stitch the leather together with a running stitch.

10. Punch four holes into the top fold of the briefcase for the handle. Find the middle and line up the holes with spot where the "D" rings fit. Place the "D" rings into the holes.

11. Bend the 12-1/4-inch pieces of leather to make a 1 inch seam around three of the outside edges. This creates the sides. Place glue around the seams and slide them into place. Allow the glue to dry before finishing.

12. Place rivets into the holes on the two 24-inch pieces. Line up the straps with the two loops you attached before. Attach the rivet to the back of the bag. Slide the straps around the front and through the loops you created.