Mission Mercantile Stateroom Wash Bag – $225

If you are anything like myself there are goods that you typically don’t think much about. In my case, this fell in the category of my toiletries bag. I never gave much thought to the hideous looking black pleather monstrosity that held my toiletries when traveling. I just assumed that everyone dealt with flaking pretend leather, crushed toiletries, and an eyesore on the counter holding their various products of choice. Once I got my hands on the Stateroom Wash Bag I knew that was a thing of the past.

The Stateroom Wash Bag is a handsome bag indeed.

Construction

As soon as you put your hands on the Stateroom Wash Bag you know that you have a serious piece of leather that is going to last long enough to pass on to your children. It is constructed with vegetable tanned leather, durable solid metal YKK zippers, and brass feet on the bottom. The stitching is immaculate and robust, and the inside of the bag is lined with an easily cleaned water repellent fabric. The bottom of the bag gives just enough structure to not crush completely while being soft enough to be easily pack-able.

The inside of the bag stays organized while leaving room for larger items.

Function and Aesthetic

The design of this particular wash bag is extremely thought out. The high stress points are sewn extremely well, and the bottom where it will get the most wear has extra rivets added for durability. There is also a handle on one side to help carry the bag if you are anywhere you might need to travel to the bathroom and not want to leave your items there.

The handle is attached well, and the bottom has rivets for added durability.
Just a few of the things I travel with. Much more than this will fit of course.

The interior of the bag is fairly simple, including only a couple open pockets and one zippered pocket allowing for some organization while leaving a large space to store your various products.

The Stateroom Wash bag features a great looking water repellent lining.

In my use of the bag I ended up with some shaving cream leaking out (my fault for not putting the cap on) and put the liner to the test, which it passed with flying colors cleaning up easily. I’ve taken this on a few trips now and it has performed spectacularly. My family no longer has to look at an eyesore when I visit, none of my toiletries have gotten damaged, and thanks to the well placed brass feet even when the sink gets wet the bottom of the bag isn’t soaked.

Brass feet on the bottom of the bag, because no one likes their goods getting soaked.

If I had to issue a complaint it would be that initially the zippers on the bag could bite your hand while moving goods to and from the bag due to the stiffness of the leather. With a little bit of use that problem has almost completely disappeared but I did end up with a few scratched knuckles.

Conclusion

If you or someone you know is looking for an upgrade for their toiletry travel bag you don’t need to look any further than the Stateroom Wash Bag from Mission Mercantile. While it certainly costs more than your typical toiletry bag from a bargain store this will be the last one you, and possibly your favorite child will have to buy.

Smith Cornejo Leather Wine Satchel- $600

Inspired by drinking red wine and riding horseback across Andalucia, this one-of-a-kind design is perfect for gifting a truly special bottle, picnics in the countryside, or slinging over your saddle horn (or bike).

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ABOUT SMITH CORNEJO

Smith Cornejo is a family business in West Virginia dedicated to functional leather goods of both rugged durability and elegance. Although they design and make some of the products from their workshop in West Virginia, most of the products are made in Guanajuato, Mexico, one of the leather making capitols. The leather is carefully sourced from gold rated tanneries. Although the leather comes from Mexican tanneries, most of the hides are from the US. Their partnership with Mexico ties into the family’s Mexican roots and their commitment to skilled workers and crafters.

CONSTRUCTION

The bag is constructed with 5-6 oz. full grain vegetable tanned leather and the straps are 7-8 oz leather. The hardware on the bag features buckles, d-rings and lobster style clasps made of solid brass. Solid copper rivets are placed stress points. The stitching is a silk thread. Lastly, the bag is fully lined with thick shearling wool. The dimensions of the bag is 13 inches tall by 6 inches wide and 5 inches deep with a single wine bottle and is about 13 inches wide by 8 inches wide and 6 inches deep when expanded to carry two bottles. Empty, the bag weighs about 3 pounds.

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FUNCTION

This tote features a design that aids in the versatility of what you can carry and how you can carry it. The bag can carry up to two standard sized wine bottle or related spirits by adjusting the to buckles on the side of the bag that extend or synch the inner compartment together. The bag closes with a lobster style brass clasp that can also be adjusted for length (for those taller bottles) with a buckle directly above the clasp.

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When carrying two bottles, they fit snuggly in the shearling lining and do not clink together while traveling (or horeseback riding).

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 This is one tough little tote with the thick leather, brass and copper hardware and the shearling lining. It defiantly is strong enough to hold more weight than just two wine bottles.

Another great feature to this bag and design is that there a few (if not more) ways to carry it. There is a sewn in handle on the back for the most basic way of handing it. There is also a clasp attached handle that has d-rings in which a longer strap is fed through and attached to two bottom d-rings. This design allows you to either carry it over the shoulder, cross body, or as a two-strap backpack mode. I found that if you are solely using it for a shoulder or cross-body, it is helpful to remove the smaller handle strap as it evens out the balance of the tote. Although a little cumbersome to take off the various straps, it is a well-designed system. Either way you do it, the bag is designed impeccably to be adjusted to comfort and carry.

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 The handles on the back create the perfect system for mounting on ones bike, horse saddle, or wall. Seeing how this piece is artfully designed, hanging it on the wall or a nice hook is a great way to show off the piece when not being used.

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AESTHETIC

When I first received this leather wine tote my initial reaction was “Wow this can’t get any fancier”. My second reaction was something along the lines of “This little tote is built solid and can be used on a mountain trek let alone a simple excursion to a friends house with wine.” Whether you plan an adventure or just want to show off a fancy (or less fancy bottle, for that matter), this bag will stand to the occasion.

My girlfriend and I took it down to a clearing in the woods where we staged an afternoon wine tasting. Although I don’t usually retreat to a clearing in the woods for a midday glass of wine, I can say that owning a bag like this just may bring out the snob in me.

The leather is tough but not too stiff, which is nice since I didn’t want to struggle getting a bottle in and out of the bag or with adjusting the straps. The shearling lining is luxury to the max. I love reaching in the bag and feeling the soft wool and imagine myself being able to crawl in there if I was much smaller.

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Besides function, this piece is really a piece of art and should be displayed as such. Again, the handle is perfect for mounting on the wall. You could even put it near your bar (if you have a bar in your house) and use it to keep your favorite scotch, spirit or other treasured bottle.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

Although one might contest to the higher price I can say without hesitation that it is a solidly designed piece with no noticeable design or function flaws. I would agree that the price is high and intimidating but so is the price for any such handmade luxury item made from thick full grain leather, shearing lining, and quality hardware. I’m looking forward to the age and wear on the piece. Although meant to carry wine bottles or other spirits, it can, of course be used for various other daily carry. And when not in use, it is beautiful piece of art to hang and admire. Check it out –here-.

Traveling Through Europe With The Thrux Lawrence Thrux Pack

Taking a trip to Europe has always been a plan my wife and I had. This past month my wife and I finally got the chance to go. Our plan was Paris for three days, from there we would fly from Beauvais to Pisa. From Pisa we would take a train to Cinque Terre and stay in La Spezia. And we would end our adventure in Florence, for another three days.

Because we were going to be traveling so much we decided to pack light. Our goal was to be as simplistic as we could when we traveled. This meant we both needed a sturdy, quality, and durable bag, that could carry our clothes, toothbrushes, and copies of St. Augustine’s ‘Confessions’ (a must read for any true renaissance man). Our permanent solution to this temporary problem were two Thrux Packs, built in the USA by Thrux Lawrence. The packs fit everything we cared to bring with a bit of room to spare.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris08These packs ended up serving us very well. They made for great conversation pieces on every plane ride, they transformed into incredibly comfortable stools when waiting to catch the train, and they even had enough room to carry a baguette or two.

Our first leg of the trip brought us to Paris. My wife and I were most excited about this because we got to see my sister and her family and we also got to be in the most romantic city in the world (I’m not kidding, people were making out everywhere, it was a freaking epidemic). We entered the city by going through the doors of the metro station, my wife’s pack got stuck in the doors as they closed, I had to pry her out but the Thrux pack held true, not a scratch on it. We walked up the steps and onto a very quiet street near the Notre Dame (which was our rendezvous point). Before us lay an empty cobble stoned, scooter scattered road, littered with cafes and bakeries, and a heavy smell of tobacco in the air. It was marvelous. We walked to the end of the road and found where all the people were. Everyone seemed to be gathered on the side of the road, next to the Seine, waiting in anticipation for someone. We found out from some American woman that the Queen of England was about to drive by (she had been visiting Paris that weekend). Showing how truly American we were, we shrugged our shoulders and kept walking, “I’ve already seen the queen on my 5 dollar bill from the Toronto airport”, my wife said. I love her.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris02We found my sister and her family in front of the Notre Dame as planned, and spent the next 72 hours eating way too many pastries, seeing way too many beautiful buildings and works of art, and all-in-all enjoying ourselves way too much. Our packs were used minimally while we were in Paris, mostly because we were staying in one place the entire time we were there. However, our packs became much more essential to us as we left France and headed to Italy.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris01We landed in Pisa at about 8 pm. The nice thing about Pisa is that you can literally walk from the airport into town. The bad thing about Pisa is that all of the street signs are carved in marble on the sides of old buildings, and half of them aren’t even there. Needless to say, finding our airbNb house for the evening was quite the challenge. We ended up roaming around Pisa for about two hours before we found our place, but the entire time our packs did not present us with much trouble. After finding our hosts house, we ditched our packs, went to the nearest pizza shop and bought a margherita pizza and two beers. From there we roamed the street of Pisa until about one in the morning, talking and eating, seeing the Leaning Tower, and eating the best gelato I have ever tasted.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris10The next day my wife and I found ourselves eating Wheaties with our host’s lover. The one thing all cultures have in common is the sense of awkwardness. We left Pisa extremely excited to see Cinque Terre. Our plan was to hike as far as we could with our packs and take a train to La Spezia to stay at an olive farm. We got to Cinque Terre around noon and were immediately blown away. The streets are speckled with row boats from local fishermen, and nearly half of everyone there was American, which was really comforting for us. We began to hike around the first hill when we came to a blocked off trail, the road had been washed away by rain the week before. So we decided to hike up to the top of the hill. It was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on. Imagine climbing a staircase and on either side of you are vineyards terraced into the Mediterranean sea. And every direction you look is a feast of colors and flowers. Beauty aside, this trail was wicked hard. Our packs seems to grow heavier and heavier and we started to feel like Christian from ‘Pilgrims Progress’. One thing I will say about the Thrux Pack is that when they are stuffed as full as you can get them, they don’t form as well to your body, making them a bit awkward to carry. This was normally not a problem for us, but when we began our hike up the long trail we started to feel the discomfort. The sun began to bake us like gingerbread men, and we were sweating so hard our sun glasses wouldn’t even stay on. If any of you readers are going to hike Cinque Terre with a Thrux Pack, make sure to pack very lightly. This was the only time in our trip where we weren’t thrilled to have packs strapped to us, in hindsight though, there were not very many hikers with backpacks. We on the other hand had every one of our possessions along with us (big mistake). We got to the top of the hill and decided that swimming was more fun. We worked our way down the hill and spent the rest of the day swimming in the sea and watching fire flies. There was a positive side to this mishap though. Our backpacks became much more supple and less stiff when we got done with our hike. I think the sun and the sweat of our backs actually made them more comfortable. I know this sounds gross but it’s true, if you want to truly break in your Thrux Pack, just load it with as much stuff as you can and go hike the closest mountain to you. Works like a charm.

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From there we moved on to Florence. Neither of us really knew why we were going to Florence, but we heard it was great, so we went. We got there and were not enthused. I think by this point our morale was incredibly low. we were sweaty, dirty, and the architect we were staying with was frustrated that we could not speak Italian. This is where our packs really started to show their strength. Every day we were in Florence we got dumped on by rain. We are talking Florida sized alligator tear drops raining from the heavens. Our packs were exposed to the rain the first day, I was worried because I thought the bread I just bought was going to be soaked, but when we got back to the house, our bread was warm and dry, and everything else in our packs was dry as well. The only thing that even looked wet was the leather, which even though had not been treated for rain, had remained a beautiful brown. This happened two more times, in front of the Academia, and the next day when we snuck in the Bomboli Gardens.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris09The first thing most people notice when they buy a Thrux Pack is how stiff the straps are. They are incredibly tough, Horween leather on leather stitched to the nines. If a nuclear bomb went off the only two things left standing would be cockroaches and the world’s Thrux Packs. This made me a bit nervous for our trip. I was afraid the straps would be a bit too uncomfortable and too stiff, but by the time we left Florence, the straps of our bags were well broken in, and had lost none of their strength. In fact they seemed to grow even stronger from all of the use.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris03We left Florence much happier, we had seen the most amazing pieces of art in the world and all the while looked awesome in our packs. My wife and I got countless compliments on our bags when we walked through the Florentine leather shops (which if you know anything about the people of Florence, it’s that they know good leather products when they see them).

We took a train from Florence back to Pisa and had about five hours to kill before our plane took off going back to Beauvais. When we got back to Pisa we were dying of heat, our feet had huge blisters, and our morale was now at an all time low. We found a good pizzeria with a/c and watched the World Cup as our skin cooled off a bit. Then we headed to an old abandoned church on the side of a river and sipped on a bottle of champagne. “We are easily the most stylish bums any of these tourists have ever seen”, my wife said. I couldn’t agree more. There we were, sitting on the steps of this church laughing our heads off because we were dirty, sweaty, and very sleep deprived. That was the best moment of the trip. It is funny how sometimes the most unexciting events of a big trip, can also be the most fond memories when looked back upon.

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We got to Beauvais late that night and were greeted at the airport by our host for the evening. He gave us some grim news. Apparently, the Parisian transportation unions were on strike that week, and there was only one train leaving for Paris in the morning. Needless to say we were worried. We slept very lightly that night, and woke up as early as we could to catch the train. We were the first ones at the counter that morning to buy our tickets, but when we went to pay for them, our card was declined. “Oh my goodness!, We are going to be stuck in France!”, I said to my wife. We ran around Beauvais trying to find an ATM, and found a very creepy man who led us to one. In hindsight this was not a very good idea. But he was our last resort. He brought us to an ATM and sauntered off. I used the same card and it worked! There must have been a problem with the train stations card reader (note to the reader: on a big trip abroad, cash is key). We bought our train tickets and were finally on our way back to North America. But the trip does not end there.

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We had an eighteen hour layover in Montreal. When we landed we desperately tried to find an earlier connecting flight, but we had no luck. So we decided to stay with my brother-in-law’s cousin in the city. We took the bus only to find ourselves lost in suburbia. At this point we were delirious from the lack of sleep and decided to lay down. The Thrux Packs made very nice pillows as we waited on some old lady’s yard for the bus. Long story short, we made our way to the city, enjoyed some very encouraging Canadian hospitality, and made it to our flight back home without any problems.

thrux lawrence thrux pack in paris05This trip was one of the most exciting adventures I have ever been on. It was also one of the most difficult learning experiences I have ever had. I have never been a very big traveler, and so we learned mostly by trial and error. But the one thing that would not fail us was our Thrux Packs. They remained strong and useful. They carried all of our belongings, kept our champagne cool, and our baguettes dry. We will most assuredly be taking another trip back to Europe soon, and when we do, our Thrux Packs will be joining us.

– by Phillip Siemens

The Distance – An Article On The Horween Leather Company

A website recently came to my attention that writes an in depth article every month on companies older than 25 years.  Called TheDistance.com, the site has just two articles published so far, but the very first was on the Horween Leather Company.

It is an excellent article that explores why Horween has thrived in an ever changing environment by being committed to old fashioned ideals and continuing to provide the highest quality products.  For any lover of leather or business, it is a very interesting read.  You can do so by clicking this link.

We have also done interviews with Horween on their Shell Cordovan and Chromexcel lines of leather.

Happy reading.

Building-People

Moore & Giles Donald Dopp Kit – $155

A dopp kit is a small bag made for carrying a razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, clippers, scissors, deodorant, and other toiletry and grooming essentials.  It can be made from leather, canvas, vinyl, cloth, or other similar material.  The name “dopp” was unfamiliar to me prior to my interest in fine leatherworking. The name derived from Charles Doppelt, who immigrated to the United States from Germany and set up a leatherworking shop in Chicago in the early twentieth century.  He introduced a small bag meant to carry toiletries, and had printed the word “dopp” on each of these bags.

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Dopp kits became popular among Chicagoans, but when the United States Army adopted these bags for World War Two and had one made for each enlisted soldier, they became nationally known and recognized.  After the Second World War, it became popular to purchase a dopp kit for a young man as a symbol of reaching adulthood, and those bags were often passed down from father to son, a testament to excellent craftsmanship and tradition.

Moore & Giles of Forest, Virginia, makes a dopp kit that can be handed down from generation to generation.  The Moore & Giles Company has been producing fine leather since 1933.  Their principal product to this day is finely tanned leather made for a number of industries, including the high-end hospitality industry and the commercial and residential interior design markets, among others.  Producing other fine leather goods such as dopp kits, rucksacks, and messenger bags became a natural extension of fine leather tanning.  BestLeather has had the opportunity of reviewing one of these fine leather goods, their Donald Dopp Kit.

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LEATHER

Moore & Giles Donald Dopp Kit is made with their Brompton line of leather.  This is leather that has been vegetable tanned and drum dyed a deep dark brown, then finished with hot waxes that highlight the leather’s natural grain.  The result is a beautiful, antique look with a fair amount of sheen.  This antique look is a very nice feature and lends a sophisticated air to the bag.

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The leather is 1.0 to 1.2 MM thick, which equates to approximately 2 1/2 to 3 ounces thick.  It is not boot thick leather, but I do not think that is necessary for a dopp kit which is meant to be carried within another bag.  The leather feels fairly thin, but it is robust at the same time.  It is fairly rigid, especially for a thinner leather, which is common with vegetable tanned leather.  As a result, the bag keeps its shape well, without any internal structural support.

FUNCTION

One of the first things that caught my attention when I opened the Donald Dopp Kit was the space the bag had.  Most Dopp Kits are tall and narrow.  The result is a bag that can be more difficult to dig through and find what you need on a trip, especially if the dopp kit is full.  The Donald does not have this problem because the bag is wide open; there is ample space for all of your toiletries.  On a recent trip I was even able to get my long sonicare toothbrush in without collapsing it.  The bag measures nine inches tall by eight inches wide by three and a half inches tall.

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The inside of the bag is made with an Italian, waterproof jacquard so that you can clean out any spills with ease.  Moore & Giles also went the extra mile and treated their size 92 polyester thread so that it too was water repellent.  The leather is similarly finished in a way that water is naturally repelled.  The result is a product that will not mildew or easily stain, and that is a snap to clean out.

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DESIGN

The Donald Dopp Kit is made from just two pieces of leather.  The first piece travels from the bottom of the bag up the back to the top flap.  The second piece wraps from the side around the back to the other side.  Using as few pieces of leather as possible to construct a bag is a good sign, and means that the bag is designed to last.  In general, the fewer the seams the better, as the seam of a bag is the weakest link.

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The Donald also has a leather bead sewn in where the two pieces of leather meet, and which runs along the perimeter of the bag.  This gives the bag a higher level of finish and adds some depth to the dopp kit as well.  Similarly, the Donald has an all-leather carrying strap on the back of the bag which is both useful of course, but also aesthetically pleasing.

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On the inside of the Donald is one large space, but also contains two zippers.  The first is on the inside of the top flap of the bag and has a fairly large pocket lined with the same Italian jacquard.  The second is on the inside of the back panel, with a smaller pocket with the same waterproof lining.  I liked this design because it gives you one large space for the majority of your items, but a couple of zippered pockets for those items you do not want to mix.

BESTLEATHER CONCLUSION

The Donald Dopp Kit from Moore & Giles is a bag that is excellently constructed and smartly designed.  It is crafted from premium leather at an attractive price point.  It is made to last generations and is the perfect bag to carry on the tradition of handing down your dopp kit to the next generation.

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A Review of TrunkClub.com – Part 1

BestLeather.org has partnered with TrunkClub.com to provide a full review of the Trunk Club experience, service level, and products. As always, we will share the results with you to help you better decide if they are appropriate for yourself.

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What is TrunkClub.com?

Imagine receiving a custom tailored box of clothes from a high end retailer each time you want new clothes –that’s TrunkClub.com. You suggest what would be appropriate for you through their online sizing, styling, and ordering process, and then they do the rest of the work. One week later, you receive a box of clothes on your doorstep (that you will have to sign for) with items suited to your style. That’s it. Shop online, save time.

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Through the service, you can acquire shoes, belts, pants, socks, shirts, sport coats, ties, and bowties. The focus is definitely up-market, but, along with the “dressed-to-the-nines” trunk, you can also request a casual trunk.

It’s an interesting idea to ship custom clothing packages, and it seems to be catching on in a big way. Trunk Club is shipping over 1000 “trunks” per month–at an average of $1,000. That is some serious volume. Furthermore, with 182,000 fans on Facebook, there is quite a large pool of customers ready to pay for these custom services. In 2012, Trunk Club did 17 million dollars in revenue and projected numbers for 2013 were around 40 million dollars!

Judging from the number of open positions advertised on Indeed.com, we suspect Trunk Club plans to continue their impressive growth.

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signup

For the MBA student readers we have here, pay attention to this: there is a smart rule in business that says to make as few steps as possible for customers to give their money to you. Trunk Club does this well.

Your first glance through the website makes the sales process instantly clear.

1) Sign up.

2)Your individually assigned stylist selects your clothes according to your specifications.

3) In about a week, open the box.

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The actual process was that simple. Sign up took three or four minutes. My very pleasant stylist, Holly, called me that evening and we talked about my preferences. And here, a week later, I write these first thoughts with my introductory trunk sitting on the bed.

So far, I am impressed with the service. It has been concise, professional, prompt, and easy. There is a lot of hard-earned wisdom that has gone into this business model. It is well worth paying attention to, but is it worth subscribing to?

Next up, we will evaluate the value of these items Trunk Club sent. What do you get in a $2,500 trunk and what happens if you don’t like it? Those important questions and more in the next article.

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Introduction to Danner Boots – A Quality History

Portland, Oregon is a hub for all that is cool. As Fred Armisen would say, “The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland.” People wear flannel shirts, tights jeans, big glasses, gauges, the lot. It is a timeless casually classy look. Leather is everywhere you look — Leather wallets, leather pants, leather jackets, leather iPhone cases, leather bags, leather, leather, leather, leather, and, finally, more leather. One of the most prominent of all of these trades are boots — Portland is a leather boot city. And that’s where Danner comes in.

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Danner Boots

In 1932, Charles Danner realized a dream. Amidst the throes of the Great Depression, he realized that quality was fading in the American boot trade. Thus, fueled by his passion for quality and craftsmanship, he began building American sourced and American made leather boots out of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Danner Boots was born.

Photo courtesy of Danner Boots.
Photo courtesy of Danner Boots.

Four years later, with the growing need for highly durable boots in the Pacific Northwest due to the growing logging industry, Danner uprooted himself and moved west — To Portland, Oregon. In Portland, he was building and selling the best, most durable leather boots available to loggers, who needed them most. A pair of well worn Shipyard boots in the 1940s was the mark of a man’s man. They were said to be virtually indestructible and were thus the chosen boot of men who labored long and hard in the woods, at the docks, or really wherever there was excessive mud, rain, snow, or any other extreme elements.

In the mid-20th century, mass production was rising in popularity and quality, handcrafted goods were falling by the wayside. Danner frowned at this and insisted that Danner Boots be handbuilt with the highest standards of craftsmanship and quality — no matter the cost or increased production time. And they’re still committed to craftsmanship and quality today. I like that quite a bit.

Handcrafted from quality materials. Courtesy of Danner Boots.
Handcrafted from quality materials. Courtesy of Danner Boots.

The Stumptown line from Danner are constructed entirely in Danner’s Portland, Oregon factory. www.danner.com/boots/stumptown

Danner’s impact on leather culture

Danner is a prime example of the fact that companies can continue the pursuit of quality and craftsmanship even through growth and expansion. It is all too easy for a company to fall into a trap: “Because we’re putting out so many products, we need to sacrifice quality”. Charles Danner had the right idea back in the 30s and that philosophy continues through to this day at Danner: quality is of the utmost importance. And you, the consumer, will pay for that quality. But, Danner will deliver and it will be well worth it.

Real people with real hands constructing boots by hand. That is what I like to see. Courtesy of Danner Boots.
Real people with real hands constructing boots by hand. That is what I like to see. Courtesy of Danner Boots.

What do you think of the philosophy behind Danner and their impact on the leather culture? Do you have a pair of Danner boots? If so, share their story!

How Leather Is Graded And Selected At Danner Boots

Crafting Higher Standards – Leather from Alex Hamlin on Vimeo.

Danner Boots are sending a pair of boots for review at BestLeather.org and we are excited to understand their dedication to craftsmanship more. Till then this video has to tide us over and we thought you would enjoy it as well.

Since leather is an organic material it is not consistent in thickness or usability so each hide must be graded. What the graders are looking for are no fatty stretch marks that are found around the shoulders and lower girth of the hide, they don’t want scars or bite marks, what they want is thick consistent leather that will look and wear uniformly. As such, much of the “junk” leather is either tossed or repurposed for other less significant duties.

This Man Wanted A Successor For His Custom Boot Company So He Offered To Teach The Buyer Everything He Knows

This is a fascinating story. George ran a custom boot making company in Harper, Oregon and he wanted to pass his trade on to someone that will do his legacy justice. What is interesting to me about this is that he even needed to make a video (which was quite beautiful) and put the word out that he is willing to train. How lazy and inept does our culture need to be that it is this hard to find an apprentice?

It would take a long time to develop those skills on your own and here George offered to train someone to take over his business when they buy it.

Thankfully a buyer has been found. We reached out to Bowen Ames who was the art director on the project and he told us that while a good buyer has been found they are keeping their information anonymous until the sale is completed.

We have reached out to George to learn more about his company and to hopefully assist him in finding a suitable successor.

Photo credit goes to Neil Dacosta.

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With Gfeller Casemakers On A Shop Visit

Gfeller Casemakers is a producer of fine leather goods in Meridian, Idaho, with a long tradition of excellence.  I met Steve Derricott, the owner of Gfeller (pronounced with the G) on a chilly winters morning at his shop in Meridian.  I had a great visit as Steve game me a history of Gfeller and we discussed his product line and his continuous commitment to quality.

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My first impression of his shop was that this is a true leather craftsman’s shop.  Upon entering, you are immediately welcomed by the scent of freshly worked leather.  You notice that many of the workbenches and shelving are custom made. Many of the tool sheaths were made of fine leather by Steve himself.  His polishing and burnishing wheel, for example, needed a custom cover and Steve created a beautifully tooled and formed leather.  Why buy when you can make?

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history

Gfeller Casemakers was founded by Roy Gfeller in 1946 in Colorado.  A saddle maker by trade, Roy’s proximity to  the United States Geological Society prompted a request for him to create some custom cases for geologist field gear.  It was imperative that these cases could withstand some serious use and abuse and would not break down.  Roy became known for using the highest quality materials, and producing the highest quality goods.  Upon Roy’s passing in 1985, Gfeller became available for purchase.  Steve Derricott heard of this and after some inquiry and time spent at the company, purchased the company and moved it to the Boise, Idaho area.  The timing was perfect for Steve.  As a geologist himself, and as someone who had used Gfeller products, he was ready for a change and ready to spend less time on the road.  Steve made a decision at that time to stay committed to Roy’s standard of quality.  Steve was able to expand the business, and branch out into other high quality leather products.

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product line

Gfeller Casemakers has three general product lines: geoscience bags and goods, notebooks and small personal items, and custom leather goods.  Gfeller has been secured as a maker of fine goods by the likes of Chris Reeves, Tegam, West Point, and others.  They make custom knife sheaths, tool carriers, saber belts, cartridge boxes, etc.  Steve has made a conscious decision to stay away from horse tack and sporting goods.  Steve has provided the opportunity for BestLeather.org to review a couple of his products, a notebook cover and an iPhone 5 case.  Reviews for those two products will be posted soon.

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commitment to quality

One of the things that I admired the most with Gfeller was their commitment to continuing Roy Gfeller’s tradition of using the highest quality materials and the best processes, in order to produce the best product.  It’s the type of thing that we at BestLeather.org love to see.  Upon acquiring Gfeller, Steve made the decision to use the Hermann Oak Tannery for all of it’s leather.  Hermann Oak has long had a tradition of producing fine finished leather.  Many of the goods we have reviewed at Best Leather use Hermann Oak leather as well, in fact.

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This fact is no coincidence.  Part of the reasoning for this choice was consistency and efficiency.  Using the same high quality tannery results in consistently getting high quality leather, which Gfeller customers demand.  Also, using leather from the same tannery increases efficiency.  Gfeller is able to use pieces from different hides in constructing different bags and products.  This efficiency reduces waste and saves money, which allows Gfeller to sell high quality products at reasonable prices.

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Another interesting conversation that I had with Steve related to the type of thread they use for their bags.  On all of their geoscience bags, Gfeller uses linen thread, like Italian fine leather shoemakers.  Many high quality leather goods makers currently use synthetic threads for their bags, mostly polyester and nylon.  Like Roy Gfeller before him, Steve has chosen linen thread as a matter of appropriateness.  Linen, as it turns out, is a good match for leather, strength for strength.  Polyester thread can actually tear through leather stitching, linen is not likely to do so.  A look at a wall full of old Gfeller bags, at the Gfeller Casemaker’s shop, shows that this thread can pass the test of time, just like fine leather.  I appreciate this attention and thought to detail.  It’s this attention to detail and good business practices that has kept Gfeller thriving.

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business practices

It goes without saying that a quality leather good doesn’t become that way by chance.  Gfeller’s reputation for high quality goods depends on it’s adherence to best practices and efficiencies.  For example, Steve pointed out to me, quality assurance is as important as, if not more important that, quality control.  Quality assurance demands maintaining quality throughout the production process.  If a defect of some sort is discovered during the production process, the defect is fixed or discarded immediately.  This ensures that quality control is a breeze.

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Steve also devotes considerable attention to utilizing the most appropriate machines in production of Gfeller’s goods.  The tool, or machine used, makes all of the difference in the efficiency of one’s operation.  At Gfeller’s, you’ll find die presses, industrial sewing machines, polishing wheels, hand tools, etc.  These tools were all acquired to increase efficiency, maximize man hours, and allow Gfeller to offer high value in the products they sell.

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BestLeather conclusion

My visit to Gfeller’s shop gave me a greater appreciation for the work of fine leather craftsman.  Steve Derricott is a man devoted to maintaining a tradition of excellence.  This was evident from the hand made tool sheaths, to the perfectly punched hide hung on the wall, to the fine leather cases and goods being made to order.

You can visit Gfeller Casemakers Website by clicking here.

Below is a series of photos documenting the process of completing a Gfeller compass case, from soaking in water to burnishing, cleaning up with a deer antler to forming, riveting, oiling and done.

Steve, thank you very much for your time and open access to your operation! Very enjoyable!

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With Totem & Norman Porter In Philadelphia

While on a trip through Philadelphia I had an opportunity to stop in at the excellent men’s store, Totem, in Philadelphia. They are selling a wide range of men’s goods including leather and canvas bags.

The store is very well put together and stocked with quality brands. Phil started Totem Brand Co. because he wanted to offer great heritage brands with a focus on American manufactured goods and outdoor lifestyle. Phil takes pride that their leather goods are made in USA. In fact, most of their leather goods are made directly in Pennsylvania where they are located. Totem carries great leather goods from Norman Porter who makes all his products in Philadelphia. They also carry Billy Kirk leather goods made by the Amish in Lancaster, PA and even their hoof pick belts by Apolis are made in Howard, PA.

 

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Norman Porter

While I was perusing Totem’s goods I learned about Norman Porter who supplies high quality denim and leather belts to Totem. A quick introductory phone call to Mike, the owner of Norman Porter, had me set for a trip over to his show as well.

Norman Porter is a small operation primarily focusing on high quality denim jeans for men. They offer the experience of coming in for a custom fit and constructed pair of jeans sewn together right in front of you. Mike graciously gave me a tour of his facility and showed off some of the vintage yet quite competent sewing machines he puts to work on denim.

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Although he may look somewhat somber here, Mike was a great host and share quite a bit of knowledge on leather and denim working.

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Incredibly, and completely circumstantially, Aaron from River City Leather was also visiting Mikes shop. Aaron lives in Ohio and I had corresponded with him just the previous day not realizing I would bump into him at Norman Porter. Aaron and his lovely wife Erin had his first bag from several years ago and is holding up great!

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Thrux Lawrence – First Store Opening In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Thrux Lawrence is a relatively new men’s dry goods company that focuses on leather and canvas materials. They are local to Coeur d’Alene, my hometown, so I have been able to see their growth over time and enjoy the single-minded focus on quality. Tanden Launder, the founder, is a good friend of mine and invited me to the grand opening of his new location.

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