100 Year Warranty - Have your great-grandchildren talk to my great-grandchildren, and we'll fix it or replace it for free. Only for 100 years, though.
Full Grain Leather - Only thick Full Grain leather; not Top Grain or Bonded leathers.
No Breakable Parts - No zippers, snaps, buttons or any other breakable parts.
Industrial Thread - Hand-sewn edges with stiff waxed, nearly unbreakable, cord normally used for sewing soles to boots. The cord is knotted together in each hole for extra strength and durability.
Fully Tanned Leather - Good tanneries remove natural oils and preservatives from the hide and then replenish them with high quality synthetics and oils. Then they soak and tumble it for up to 20 hours until the new colors and oils reach the middle. Cheap tanneries only tumble them long enough to color the surface and leave the middle to dry up and crack.
Rivets - Kind of killing a fly with a shotgun, but any place that could ever come apart in 100 years, gets a rivet. Even rocks wear away.
Functional Art - Stores handsomely next to sofa, desk or stacked as end table. Ideal for storage décor around the home when not in use.
Leather - 100% hypoallergenic 4 to 5 ounce (2.0mm to 2.2mm) thick Full Grain chrome tanned leather. Usually, cowboy and work boots are made with 1.8mm - 2.0mm thickness. And, our leather isn't “buttery soft” (fibers separated and broken down by hours of tumbling and stretching at the tannery). It’s your job to tenderize it over the years.
Construction - Made from as few large pieces of leather as possible. Instead of metal hinges that could rust and break, I doubled up two pieces of full grain leather and riveted them to the bottom of the suitcase for the hinge.
Thread - The double zero continuous-filament Polyester thread we use is a little thicker than what is used on most boots. It’s impressive and expensive. Common thread is made of short little fibers wound together into one long thread. This thread is made of long continuous fibers that won't fall apart in a strong wind. Polyester thread is also the only thread I know of that doesn't deteriorate with exposure to the sun like Nylon or Kevlar. The edges of the suitcase are hand sewn with thick boot cord. The cord is knotted at each stitch for extra strength.
Lining - Tough pigskin lining. Pigskin is the second strongest hide in the world, second to kangaroo.
Which color should I get?
Pick the one that fits who you are. I've observed what the bag owners tend to be like based on the color they have chosen over the years. The category below that fits you best is probably the color you'll enjoy most. Remember, your first inclination is usually the correct one.
Tobacco Light Brown (Sanguine)
Easy going
Laid back and casual
Likes old Land Cruisers
Forgives quickly
Creative (enjoys writing)
Loves big dogs
Traveler
Never met a stranger
Low maintenance
Lots of random thoughts
Inventor
Funny
Loves the outdoors
Adventurous
Only wears clothes because you have to
Carbon Black (Phlegmatic or Choleric)
You look good in a thick black leather jacket
Rides a cruiser type motorcycle
Wear thick black framed glasses
Drives a Volvo or Saab
Perfectionist
They know your name at the coffee shop
Sci-Fi is your favorite genre
Are very interested in Oriental culture
Prefer cats over dogs
Loves modern contemporary style square furniture
Chestnut Reddish Brown (Choleric or Melancholy)
Professional
Highly educated
Belongs in a Mercedes Benz or Jaguar
Classier than most
Perfectionist
Has excellent taste in dressing and decorating
Great sense of humor
Intellectual
Smokes a pipe instead of a cigarette
Appreciates the finer things
Dark Coffee Brown (Phlegmatic or Choleric or Melancholy)
Loves the outdoors
Is the best friend of many people
Reads a lot of books
Loves big dogs
Intellectual
Loves adventure
Independent
Musical
If you still aren't sure, then just buy all four colors.
How can I get my spouse to understand that I need this?
Here's your rationale: Buy the best, cry once. It's all about the cost per year. In college, I bought a pair of very expensive shoes for my job as a waiter. I couldn't afford them, but I bought them anyhow. They were really light and comfortable and took me through two years of waiting tables and one year as a limo driver and another year of occasional use. And then they still looked good for a month of Sundays. Cost per year was about $25. Most of the other waiters bought a new pair of $55 heavy and uncomfortable shoes every 6 months because theirs wore out and looked ratty by then. One of the principles the successful in the world understand is this: If one buys quality from the start they save money. Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish. This will be one of the most savvy investments and inexpensive leather pieces you'll ever have. And remember, you must truly love yourself before you can love others. A couple of other things to think about you'll be more popular. Everybody isn't buying one. I'll invite you to my birthday party. What's wrong, you chicken?
Are the animals tortured before they are slaughtered?
Absolutely not ! With some pigs we do use waterboarding and sensory deprivation techniques previous to slaughtering them, but the cows do not require any special handling.
Where can I see one of the suitcases in person?
I don't have any of the items in stores and we're not big fans of folks coming to our home in San Antonio because of the weirdo factor. My sister, Patricia and her husband (my Chess and Scrabble nemesis), send out the leather from their place near Ft. Worth, Texas, but again, because of the weirdo factor they're not set up to show either. If it helps, everyone tells me that they look better in person.
How much do they cost you, Dave?
Well, I lived for three years in a $100 a month apartment in Mexico with no hot water, because of these bags. My dog, Blue, and I drove for thousands of hours all over the North American continent because of these bags. I had a crooked Federale sent to kill me because of these bags (I convinced him that Señor Alarcon would never pay him) and we became friends). I've shed gallons of blood and tears and sweat and at least a quart of other people's, because of these bags. I've slept in my car or on the rack of my old Land Cruiser at least 150 times because of these bags. I've lost weeks of sleep and have gone hungry for days because of these bags. I was broke for years and even had to trade two of Blue's little puppies for a month's worth of tacos in order to eat because of these bags. I've been detained by who knows how many Mexican police because of these bags. I've thrown away thousands of dollars and made hundreds of mistakes because of these bags. I've been stolen from, taken advantage of and robbed because of these bags (they even stole Blue once, but I got him back). All of these things and more have happened to me because of these bags. They cost me a lot.
beautiful and sexy in tobacco and black!
My partner and i just had the opportunity to use our suitcases. Mine is the lg tobacco and hers is the sm black...perfect and yes, tons tons of compliments. I have developed an addition! Dave and Suzette..not fair! great prices, and fabulous quality... what are your thinking?! wink teasing. we love your stuff...but i have too much now...well, do i? yes...but but but...
Excellent
I recently received the small chestnut leather suitcase. It's beautiful to see an American company making truly heirloom quality products. The suitcase is gorgeous to look at. It smells rich, and lovely to touch. The family will fight over this luggage when I'm dead, but that will be awhile. I plan to live a long time. These suitcases will travel with me around the world.
Medium tobacco
I was finally able to purchase the medium suitcase in tobacco. I got it to add to our collection of saddleback products in addition to fly home for our wedding in May. After our wedding Im sure my wife will place this somewhere in our house to add as a decorative piece. The suitcase is nice and sturdy. You can tell there was a lot of handmade work that went into this case. The stiching is nice and even, the rivets have a nice copper look to them. I havent weighed it yet but the UPS tracking said the entire package was 21 lbs. The main strap has an eyelet re-enforced with a metal grommet. The only negative thing I can say is that it looks so good I hope the airline doesnt misplace it on our travels. Someone may want it more than me! Other than that Im sure this will stay in our family for generations.
Awesome
I own the small tobacco brown suitcase and it is the most durable bag on the market not to mention I receive the best compliments.
This suitcase will also fit just about all the clothes you will need for a week.
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