60 year old Swiss army pouch becomes perfect vintage clutch bag! - leather restoration / rebuild
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- We restore 2 leather ammunition pouches from the Swiss army from 1964 and 1965 and rebuild them into the perfect vintage clutch bags !
Want to buy an ammo pouch? Check out my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/shop/JamesBerryLeather
Download the template on my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/847720185
Leatherwork starter kit : bit.ly/3vMoC5h
Vegtan leather: bit.ly/3oEWFbu
LOXX closing mechanism: bit.ly/3BsJmCI
Utility knife: bit.ly/3ODUPlz
Strap cutter: bit.ly/3baECXD
Metal ruler: bit.ly/3znnl5E
Saddler's needles: bit.ly/3cEkzRw
Cutting mat: bit.ly/3cPxkZR
Stitching chisel: bit.ly/3bckwfq
Mallet: bit.ly/3zQaZEB
Exotic wood slicker: bit.ly/3barcuM
Edge beveler: bit.ly/3Saj26g
Thread pack: bit.ly/3PHB3qB
Fiebing's Pro Dye: bit.ly/3binI9h
Skiving knife: bit.ly/3ziSxTg
Cotton gloves: amzn.to/3eQnxzz
Alcohol burner: amzn.to/3OHZ9QX
Stitch groover: bit.ly/3oFl0hc
Tokonole: bit.ly/3Jef1cF
Thread zap: bit.ly/3OIY5Mw
Saphir renovateur: amzn.to/3zkAxI6
Saddle soap: bit.ly/3zf0N6Q
Leather protection cream: bit.ly/3vo7x19
Revolving punch: bit.ly/3BH9yJZ
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I make and restore leather products in my spare time, mostly bags, backpacks and small items like wallets and card-holders. I am still learning a ton every time I take on a new project and always appreciate feedback on my creations.
For the moment I don't take orders as I like to spend too many hours getting the finished product as good as I can : this means that if I were to sell these bags, the selling price would be way more than the bags are worth due to the hours of work involved.
As always, do let me know what you think of this creation and this video. If you have any tips or comments about the techniques used, please let me know by dropping a comment below this video :)
Swiss guy here: the difference in the condition of the pouches is imho due to the fact, that these were items that were left in the care of the individual soldier (Swiss keep most of their army gear at home including the sevice rifle, even today). Some were more careful than others ;) Nice work. I have used some of those for making watch straps, but maybe rebuilding one is a future project.
Thank you so much Michael, it's really nice to have some insight like this! You've confirmed what I had suspected about the way the Swiss army works, and it does make me look forward to more leather items like these trickle down into the general public.
So pleased you enjoyed the video and thanks for your comment :)
Hi Swiss guy. Do you have any info on a 1943 Otto Müller (Affeltrangen) pouch? I can’t find anything. Much appreciated.
I just received my Walter Wyss 1964. Thank you! I might do a quick review soon! 😁
So glad to hear that! I hope it lasts you another 60 years :D
It was very cool to see the differences in how the two bags have aged! Wonderful restoration and repurposing of these bags. Love how you've given them a wonderful new life and new purpose while keeping the design authentic
Thanks a lot for the nice message! I'm always surprised at how different two pieces of leather can become over the years depending on how they were cared for. Love the way these turned out :)
I have many Swiss Army leather bags of all shapes, all in top condition (some famous "salt & pepper cotton canvas ones as well). I think natural materials cannot be replaced by anything, they always look good. I keep them as unmodified as possible, but now and then I do change some little things for functionality and comfort. Thus right today I received some D rings to add to my ammo pouches exactly in the way you did here. I bought these ammo and map pouches many years ago when they were quite cheap, nowadays they cost as much as 10 times more and are also not so easy to find (in very good condition) I am glad I did.
Thanks for your message, I'm so glad to hear you've also got some of these pouches and keep them going :D I am forever amazed at how well leather ages when taken care of and love restoring them and giving them a new life!
James Berry Leather, whenever you have a project such as this, that you take the item apart, Make Patterns for goodness sake!! Offer copy's of them at your store for free or a minimal charge. Just a suggestion. Keep up the good work!
Yeah, this was a bit of a missed opportunity... I'm still looking out for more of these pouches (they're not easy to find but not impossible either) and will create a PDF template with the next one.
@@JamesBerry I am impatiently waiting for this pattern. LOL. Maybe you could give us the basic sizes of the parts, that would be good too. This is the first video of yours I've watched, but not the last.
I'm pleased to say that the pattern is now available on my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/847720185
I was able to grab another bunch of these ammo pouches on the web and took the time to trace the pattern on Illustrator. I've added a full guide to building it as well so you'll have all the step-by-step information you need to make it :)
It's me again, and I'm very impressed with the turnaround of this one. Great job
Thanks Aodhan, pleased to read that you like the end result :)
I would love love love one of these smaller ones to complement the bigger one I have. You know, for pencils and pens and such. Great video!
Oh my gosh! Amazing work! I have a 1943 pouch that I will be selling. I never considered up cycling it!
I love your channel. I have always loved leather and just invested in a Vintage Chanel bag and learning how to care for her. Your channel has been very inspiring.
Very nice, definitely the new stitch work made this old leather pouch come to life! Made it perfect again. Love leather products especially old leather messenger and camera bags!
Thank you so much for your message :D
Great video. Great idea. I have been working with new leather and never considered old leather. You turned me on to a new way of leather crafting. Thank you.
Hahah so glad to hear that Robert! Hope you have great fun recycling old leather :)
Pro Tip - If you're looking for Swiss leather with a similar age / patina to use for straps, check out Schmidt Rubin K31 rifle slings (the real ones, not repros) available on eBay and other places. Those are fantastic pieces of leather!
Thank you so much for the tip :o
I'm constantly looking for things like these and knowing the exact names really helps out a ton!!
Super rad video sir. Enjoyed this so much. Keep up the vintage restorations. Awesome niche to set you apart.
Thank you so much Kent, I loved the whole process of this and will absolutely be doing more in the future :)
Beautiful work
Thank you Dinanath!
Its kinda scary how easily an item of war can be made into an item of love and useful
It's a nice thought :) Glad you like it!
Very cool. Keep doing these types of rebuild videos.
Thanks Keith, I'm keeping an eye open for this type of thing so I can showcase them in future videos :)
Hi! I really enjoyed watching this video. It is a perfect combination of information, beauty of the leather, ambient music and respect to the bags’ history and usability for the future. Awesome job, happy to be a new subscriber :)
Thank you so much Anna for your very nice message! So pleased you like these videos so much :)
You are awesome! Loved the process
Hahah thanks André, glad you liked it :D
Very nice.....👍
Thanks Henty :)
Who woulda thought it's going to I be used as intended after all
More or less.. I don't think they'll be housing more dangerous items than a sharp pen from now on.
Thanks! Great craftsmanship!! G
Thanks a ton Gordon for the praise!
Wow amazing ...im from Indonesia i like this
Thanks Wist Moon!
I got one from 1963, for sale if someone wants to reenact your project. Nice work btw!
Nice.
Thanks Scott!
You obviously have great skills in stitching but I would use slightly different steps: Firstly best way to thoroughly clean is by using a sponge and soapy water. Then wipe off the grime with a rag and repeat as necessary. Now they ARE clean. When dry then I would use one type of leather preserver / nourisher which I consider sufficient to do its job. And if in good condition, as appears in these examples, I would keep the original stitching . Oh and I would use an old newspaper to protect my work-surface of grime etc that would come off the pouches while I treated them.
maybe they used tallow? that was the old way to protect hides
the cleaning and rehydrate is great ...taking the original stitching out needlessly is a mortal sin.😢
Oh wow.... I have some something like this but in three compartments, I am assuming they are for carrying bullets! I dare not pull them apart, and simply carry them around my waist once. This one has a larger space and more useful I feel. The compartments on mine are only enough to carry some coins and keys since each are so narrow!
These are a bit narrow all said and done, but it really works well as a small walk-around clutch bag with just keys, a phone and a small coin purse :)
I do completely understand though how scary it is to cut in at first x)
love your work. I have military pouches, can I just clean up and not de construct? Will the stitches get colored when using saddle soap that you use? Thanks.
Great work,wonder if u could give advise me about what to do with a leather bag that I picked up from a market.
Basically it stinks a lot,got a rotting smell,really bad.
Can I get rid of the smell?If so would you tell me how.
Thanks Joe
Best thing to do is to wash it delicately with saddlesoap.
Make sure you get a good lather going on the soap and use a soft brush to clean inside and out. Once that's done use a clean damp (NOT WET) towel to remove the extra soap and let it dry in a well ventilated place (avoid heaters and direct sunlight at all costs).
This should help!
Thank you James for all your videos, very inspiring. I have a brief case that I would like to renovate, it needs a lot of oils. The inside has quite a rough leather - would you use saddle soap on that and any additional oil like neat foot (it seems to need it but I have not yet done the outside)? Cheers, Richard
I would use saddlesoap to clean the inside but would only oil the outside.
I have oiled the inside of a piece only once or twice (in over a dozen restorations) and that was because the leather was the driest I had ever seen. Using oil on the inside is possible but the leather will just soak it in REALLY fast and it may absorb too much.
If needed, and if you're not sure what to do, I would suggest several very heavy layers of oil on the outside of the piece and let the oils slowly be pulled into the dry leather (whipping off the excess oil on a regular basis).
Is the leather vegetable tanned?
A little sad that you didn't trace a pattern of it while you had it disassembled. I'd be willing to buy a pdf of an exact pattern replica.
Ah man... now that you mention it I'm a little sad about that also! I'm keeping an eye out for more of the same bags and will definitely do that in the future.
@@JamesBerry I'll be keeping an eye out for it! Awesome video btw! :D
@@dennisblogg I'm pleased to say that the pattern is now available on my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/847720185
I was able to grab another bunch of these ammo pouches on the web and took the time to trace the pattern on Illustrator. I've added a full guide to building it as well so you'll have all the step-by-step information you need to make it :)
Interesting project.
If I can make a few observations?
1. I NEVER use a scalpel for cutting out old stitching; far too sharp a blade for this, and as it is so sharp it is very easy for the blade to take a new path through the item, rather than the weak point (the old thread)
2. Saddle soap. This stuff is SOAP, not a leather dressing as such. It should be used in small amounts, by adding a little to a damp sponge, then using the LATHER that results as a cleaner....NOT directly impregnating the item with the soft soap itself.
3. Neatsfoot oil.... You do you. I ONLY use this SPARINGLY on brand new undyed veg tan hides, at TIME OF MAKING items from said hide....Neatsfoot has LONG been bettered by many many dozens of much improved (scientifically based) treatments that don't pre-date sailing ships and open sewers..
4. Saddle stitching is when you use two needles on the same thread....
Just an idea too?
If you are going to the trouble of completely stripping them down to then re-build them, you can add to their new functionality by adding a couple of thin layers of leather inside, on the face opposite the main rear panel; sew these panels the right way vertically before installing, and you then have instant pockets for credit cards, driving licence, etc.
You could also add a D-ring to one corner or the middle of this insert to clip keys onto, etc. just to take the pouch away from being an empty space for rifle magazines.
Great to see old kit being given a new function/life - hope the new users get a lot of use from your hard work
James, this is a fantastic video. Thanks for sharing and for creating the template on your Etsy site. By chance, do you happen to know what the main fastener on the front is called? I'd like to buy both of your patterns but doubt they'll look the same without that connector. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your message! The Swiss army use an aluminium button stud that is riveted onto the bag. I doubt you'll be able to get your hands on any of those, but I have found some good substitutes on Etsy: www.etsy.com/listing/486674552
What you're looking for is a large button stud that you can screw onto the front of the bag. You'll want to get the 8 to 10mm wide versions depending on your preference.
Hope this helps :)
How do you find stuff like this. Would love to do something like this myself
I find these on french second hand websites and sometimes ebay (if you know what you're looking for and the correct keywords in German ;) )
hi there - what a fab rebuild leather. may i ask, what brush do you use with the saddle soap to clean your leather? many thanks x LOVE your channel
Thanks a lot Vix for the kind message :) The brush is a small horsehair brush made for cleaning shoes (but works on all leathers) as it's just the right strength.
So pleased to hear you like my channel that much :D
A request if I may. Would you post the name of the suppliers you used for the special conditioner and finishes please?
Apologies - just found the info in your amazon tool link.
Hiya, no worries :)
I strongly recommend these two as the most useful elements for cleaning old leather:
Saphir renovateur: amzn.to/2TIvdtR
Saddle soap: amzn.to/3kPbZP4
Hope this helps!
Did you by chance trace a pattern of this bag when you had it all taken apart? If so I would be interested in buying the pattern.
I did not, a huge mistake on my part... However I am currently tracking down more of these bags and will make a PDF pattern when I get my hands on one.
I'm pleased to say that the pattern is now available on my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/847720185
I was able to grab another bunch of these ammo pouches on the web and took the time to trace the pattern on Illustrator. I've added a full guide to building it as well so you'll have all the step-by-step information you need to make it :)
Would you respond with the name of the final conditioner you used? Is it a French name? these are awesome pieces.
The brand is Saphir, and they can be found internationaly (most good coblers whould have some) and the one I use is their basic shoe/leather polish.
Download the template on my Etsy store: www.etsy.com/listing/847720185
Tools used all listed here: www.amazon.com/shop/jamesberry
How to swich broke less this bag plz 🙏tell me plz
Do you have an online shop?
I do indeed :)
www.etsy.com/shop/JamesBerryLeather
Why take them apart if the stitching was good?
IT allows me to clean the pieces completely and restitch while including extra D-rings for straps to be clipped on. In other such bags, pieces also may need to be replaced, so this is another reason to take it all appart.
Acetone will remove the wax
Thanks for the tip! In this instance I was worried about doing too much to it as I wanted to keep the look as original as possible. Will grab some acetone for the future though as I see how that could be very useful!
Very nice Job, Thanks for sharing.
I'd like to use a closing snap like this one on my bike bag project ... would you have a link to share ?
Thanks again for sharing your work.
Very inspiring
Hi Bertrand and thanks for your message :)
Unfortunately I've not been able to find similar closing snaps as these were build specifically for the Swiss army. The closest you can get are some XXL size collar button type closing mechanism that I've found on Etsy...
@@JamesBerry Nice to know ... thanks
as "impontant" as this :) @3.45
خیلی عالی
Thank you!
🙏
1964 and 1965 was only 57 and 56 years ago. Not 60 yrs ago.