Amazing job! I like the narrative you gave and how you have gone on this journey of finding a great briefcase. I'm glad you're embracing other companies out there. I just started doing that this past year. Thanks for sharing.
I love how you are teaching your son. Keep up the good work and you shall rise a fine young man. Thanks for sharing this here with us all, your methods should be seen. Cheers!
Hi Sam - thanks for the excellent review of our Wing Briefcase...much appreciated! I hope it will continue to serve you well for many, many years to come. Thanks! ~Tim
This was the best review on this subject I've seen on TH-cam. Thank you. I'm going with the Marlondo Winged Briefcase in 15.8, that one is PERFECT for what I need. Now just trying to decide if Brown or Tobacco color. Thanks again!
I just received my marlondo wing briefcase. I love it but its stiff. I hope it breaks in soon. I cant put in my 15 inch laptop in yet since the sides are still too stiff.
I ordered and just got the Marlondo wing briefcase in the 16" and I love it! Mines chrome tanned in dark brown. I noticed yours was "softer" than mine,is it veg tanned? Does that make a difference in how it breaks in? Either way, I love the ruggedness, the weight and how its built. I noticed the strap hooks rub on the flap of the briefcase, have you had issues with that on yours? Great video by the way, I would like to see a follow up on your Marlondo in 2021!
Hey, thank you. The Marlondo in the video is chrome tanned leather. Veg tan leather patinas more readily and generally has better qualities, while chrome tan leather has what’s called pull-up as it ages. That’s where the dyes/oils are pushed out of stressed areas leaving a nice marbling effect. Either way, full-grain leather ages beautifully. I had more of an issue with swivel clasps rubbing my thigh on this bag. I actually now carry a Double Rivet Leather bag that addresses those minor issues with some other briefcases. More on that later.
I'm leaning toward either the K&H or the Marlondo. Both provide a great quality built. The Marlondo does provide some extra rigidity around the places you need it the most. It comes with the buffalo leather - not a bad leather by no means. However, the tanning process of the vegetable leather in K&H provides a thicker and more durable leather. The saddle is a good product, but over priced when compared to your other two reviews.
The bottom of that bag does have a reinforced seam where the side gussets meet down there with an extra strip of leather on top. It does not compromise the strength of the bag, but it does add more rigidity to the bottom so it'll stand easier.
Don't kid yourself about thieves. Slash and run is only one kind of theft, but they can, and do, slash and run with even very complicated bags, right up to full day packs or small backpacks that have several straps. They practice this until they can do it faster than you can react. Anyway, from my leatherworking experience, design is a very personal thing, but where pure quality is concerned, I don't think there's any doubt that SBL is as good as it can possibly get. They use the best leather, they use the fewest pieces of leather, they use just the right thickness of pigskin backing, and they use the perfect number of stitches, which is not as many as most companies seem to think. Too many stitches is as bad as too many seams. Worse, in some ways. Now, this said, if you want the best, the strongest, the longest lasting, and the perfect design for you, then you need to have a custom bag made, and it won't be made from cowhide.. The simple fact is that really good cowhide can last a long, long time, with the proper care. Just as SBL says, they will fight over it when you're dead. But the truth is also that cowhide is far, far down on the list of best leathers. It's used because so many cows are slaughtered than leatherworkers can get the tanned leather very cheap. If you're willing and able to part with the money, have briefcase made to your specs, and with a leather other than cowhide. You won't be disappointed with the looks, or with the longevity.
All good points! A fully custom briefcase from stitch to leather to specs is definitely the top-of-the-line option. For a mid-range budget, however, I'd hate to see anyone waste $400 on a "genuine" leather briefcase from a department store that will fade and fray in a year when for the same price they could've ordered a full-grain leather one like the ones in the vid that will last for generations.
I’m not sure what you are talking about. Cowhide is by far the toughest leather out there. The comparable one would be bison or (water) Buffalo but they are not necessarily “stronger” it’d depend heavily on how they are tanned. Maybe you were referring to steer hide as oppose to cowhide (they are the same animal just different sex), I wouldn’t know. There are other animals out there that are tougher than cowhide when you compare by the thickness, such as deer hide or kangaroo but at the same time they won’t be available in thick hides like cowhide does, and thicker cowhide would obviously be stronger than a thin kangaroo or deer hide so overall if you want a really good structured briefcase it’s always down to (a very well tanned) cowhide or steer hide.
Amazing job! I like the narrative you gave and how you have gone on this journey of finding a great briefcase. I'm glad you're embracing other companies out there. I just started doing that this past year. Thanks for sharing.
I love how you are teaching your son. Keep up the good work and you shall rise a fine young man. Thanks for sharing this here with us all, your methods should be seen. Cheers!
Thank you for you kind words! We're looking forward to filming the next one.
Hi Sam - thanks for the excellent review of our Wing Briefcase...much appreciated! I hope it will continue to serve you well for many, many years to come. Thanks! ~Tim
It has gotten A LOT more use since filming. Currently my daily work briefcase, and it's wearing in very nicely!
The laptop does fit into the rear compartment on the Marlondo bag though, right?
Tim, this is the review that made me order the Marlondo. Looks amazing and thoughtfully designed. I am just waiting to get it in my hands in Sep 2019
This was the best review on this subject I've seen on TH-cam. Thank you. I'm going with the Marlondo Winged Briefcase in 15.8, that one is PERFECT for what I need. Now just trying to decide if Brown or Tobacco color. Thanks again!
All are great. Comes down to personal taste.
I just received my marlondo wing briefcase. I love it but its stiff. I hope it breaks in soon. I cant put in my 15 inch laptop in yet since the sides are still too stiff.
I ordered and just got the Marlondo wing briefcase in the 16" and I love it! Mines chrome tanned in dark brown. I noticed yours was "softer" than mine,is it veg tanned? Does that make a difference in how it breaks in? Either way, I love the ruggedness, the weight and how its built. I noticed the strap hooks rub on the flap of the briefcase, have you had issues with that on yours? Great video by the way, I would like to see a follow up on your Marlondo in 2021!
Hey, thank you. The Marlondo in the video is chrome tanned leather. Veg tan leather patinas more readily and generally has better qualities, while chrome tan leather has what’s called pull-up as it ages. That’s where the dyes/oils are pushed out of stressed areas leaving a nice marbling effect. Either way, full-grain leather ages beautifully. I had more of an issue with swivel clasps rubbing my thigh on this bag. I actually now carry a Double Rivet Leather bag that addresses those minor issues with some other briefcases. More on that later.
Man.. You need to get in the know about The Leather Shop Business 2. No bag compares go it. Simply gorgeous. American made and owned.
Very nice review, I've been eyeing up the Holdfast gear camera bag!
Springfield Liz it's very nice! I am considering selling the one in this vid, since it doesn't get as much use as it deserves.
When I see a ThinkPad, I know someone already has an attitude of "I want stuff that lasts" ;-)
hell yes
I'm leaning toward either the K&H or the Marlondo. Both provide a great quality built. The Marlondo does provide some extra rigidity around the places you need it the most. It comes with the buffalo leather - not a bad leather by no means. However, the tanning process of the vegetable leather in K&H provides a thicker and more durable leather. The saddle is a good product, but over priced when compared to your other two reviews.
I think K&H is out of business now, yeah?
@@TRFootball54 Late to the party, but yes they are out of business.
@@TRFootball54 yes
Super helpful. Thank you.
Pls allow me to ask one more question. Which one has the thickest leather? Kendal Hyde, Saddleback or Marlondo?
Hi, the K&H veg tanned leather uses the overall thickest pieces of leather. Marlondo and Saddleback are same thickness.
really good review!!!
Had to subscribe when I saw that K&H bag!! Dude if you ever decide to sell it let me know! =)
Could you pls share if bottom of Marlondo bag is a whole piece leather or joint leather
The bottom of that bag does have a reinforced seam where the side gussets meet down there with an extra strip of leather on top. It does not compromise the strength of the bag, but it does add more rigidity to the bottom so it'll stand easier.
Will you do some more reviews?
onenessbaycity Yes! I’ve got a couple videos filmed that just need to be touched up and uploaded.
What color is your Kendal & Hyde satchel? It seems that you use the saddleback a lot, not the Kendal & Hyde.
The Kendal & Hyde satchel is their Mocha color. Their veg tanned leather takes a while to break-in!
Did you condition the Marlondo bag prior to shooting the video?
Hi, none of the bags were conditioned.
those two back D ring does not suppose to at the bottom. Marlondo is doing the correct way
Don't kid yourself about thieves. Slash and run is only one kind of theft, but they can, and do, slash and run with even very complicated bags, right up to full day packs or small backpacks that have several straps. They practice this until they can do it faster than you can react.
Anyway, from my leatherworking experience, design is a very personal thing, but where pure quality is concerned, I don't think there's any doubt that SBL is as good as it can possibly get. They use the best leather, they use the fewest pieces of leather, they use just the right thickness of pigskin backing, and they use the perfect number of stitches, which is not as many as most companies seem to think. Too many stitches is as bad as too many seams. Worse, in some ways.
Now, this said, if you want the best, the strongest, the longest lasting, and the perfect design for you, then you need to have a custom bag made, and it won't be made from cowhide..
The simple fact is that really good cowhide can last a long, long time, with the proper care. Just as SBL says, they will fight over it when you're dead. But the truth is also that cowhide is far, far down on the list of best leathers. It's used because so many cows are slaughtered than leatherworkers can get the tanned leather very cheap. If you're willing and able to part with the money, have briefcase made to your specs, and with a leather other than cowhide. You won't be disappointed with the looks, or with the longevity.
All good points! A fully custom briefcase from stitch to leather to specs is definitely the top-of-the-line option. For a mid-range budget, however, I'd hate to see anyone waste $400 on a "genuine" leather briefcase from a department store that will fade and fray in a year when for the same price they could've ordered a full-grain leather one like the ones in the vid that will last for generations.
I’m not sure what you are talking about. Cowhide is by far the toughest leather out there. The comparable one would be bison or (water) Buffalo but they are not necessarily “stronger” it’d depend heavily on how they are tanned. Maybe you were referring to steer hide as oppose to cowhide (they are the same animal just different sex), I wouldn’t know. There are other animals out there that are tougher than cowhide when you compare by the thickness, such as deer hide or kangaroo but at the same time they won’t be available in thick hides like cowhide does, and thicker cowhide would obviously be stronger than a thin kangaroo or deer hide so overall if you want a really good structured briefcase it’s always down to (a very well tanned) cowhide or steer hide.
No the biggest skin is there for feel. Because they use thick cheap Chrome 10 leather which is gross on the inside.