Restoring a 1945 "Kartentasche" from the Swiss army

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Restoring a 1945 "Kartentasche" from the Swiss army - leather renovation

Рет қаралды 13,435

Күн бұрын

This military map pouch was made by the Swiss Master Saddler H. FREI in Busswil using thick vegtan leather.
Today we're taking it apart and rebuilding, hopefully giving it a new life :)
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 video. If you have any tips or comments please let me know by dropping a comment below this video :)

Пікірлер: 64

@dillytam6352 3 жыл бұрын

I bought this exact bag from James on Etsy and it is every bit as amazing as in the video. Getting to see how the bag came back to life is a unique experience, and for what the bag is and the efforts and time James put into restoring it what James charged me is more than reasonable. Thanks for the amazing bag and video James.

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your comment! I'm so pleased to hear you like the bag this much and that it's found a good new home for its new life :D

@eiward 2 жыл бұрын

Super awesome.

@driven61vw Жыл бұрын

James, thank-you very much for this. I'm a leather worker and Army veteran based in London, your videos on these have inspired me to buy a couple of ratty 60's examples from Etsy and restore them, my wife already has one earmarked as a handbag!

@JamesBerry Жыл бұрын

So pleased to hear this has helped :) Have fun crafting!

@shawnataylor7998 2 ай бұрын

Beautiful bag.❤

@Voyagersk9 3 жыл бұрын

Great video James. It’s really cool to see such a great piece put back into service. I would love to find one and restore it myself. Great job on the restoration!

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the praise Tim, glad you enjoyed the video :)

@helvetiabushcraft 2 жыл бұрын

I could get you on of these in very good condition. But they sell for 100.- chf plus shipping. if you live in North America, then the shipping has gone up sadly. it would be around 35.- chf

@Voyagersk9 2 жыл бұрын

Hi James, I would love to get one if you have one available? Maybe we could connect on a Dm and you could send a picture. I would be excited to restore one and put it back into service as a personal bag. Thank you for you reply! I really enjoy your videos. I would use the same steps as are in your video! Very helpful and informative.

@lillrasmus1505 Жыл бұрын

Hello james! I Believe that the carrier straps are from a pair of y straps. On the round ring on the strap there should be one more strap connected to your belt on the back, the two straps used for carrying the map case now are to be used on ammo pouches. You can se d rings on ammo pouches

@teogabrielsson4717 Жыл бұрын

Beautiful work James!

@JamesBerry Жыл бұрын

Thank you Teo :)

@helvetiabushcraft 2 жыл бұрын

the traditional Swiss National Topo Maps fit great in these bags even today.

@Tammy-un3ql 2 жыл бұрын

Great video James.👍👍👌👌😍😍

@alexanderdylanthomas1891 2 жыл бұрын

Gorgeous restoration!

@eiward 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. Thank you for making it.

@paulmartinez9908 3 жыл бұрын

good work James! keep the content coming

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul, will do!!

@kajuslementauskas 3 жыл бұрын

The strap seems to be similiar to a ww2 french military y straps (equipment suspenders), or some other military from that time

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Ah do you think this could be a mismatch from different pieces of equipment? That would explain the "homemade" adjustment cuts on the pieces. Wish I knew what the original was supposed to look like...

@kajuslementauskas 3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesBerry i did some more research, and the strap is definetly ww2 french equipment suspenders (with the backstrap removed) :)

@kajuslementauskas 3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesBerry and it is definetly a mismatch

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

@@kajuslementauskas Thank you!! Any chance you could share your sources with me for future reference? I often have a difficult time finding the proper equipment name for that period, let alone picture I can reference x) Thanks again for your help :)

@kajuslementauskas 3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesBerry www.etsy.com/au/listing/643657226/swiss-army-brown-leather-bag-1945-swiss Here i found a similiar bag, i think its a same type of bag, but a bit different model

@DavidDiNatale 3 жыл бұрын

quel talent et quelle patience ! bravo superbe restauration !

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Merci beaucoup David, très content que ça te plaise :)

@ginnysimpson5232 3 жыл бұрын

I love this piece.

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Ginny :)

@dziadydziady 3 ай бұрын

Ive got exact bag from 50. My have original belt attached into back side of bag (22mm wide). It's interesting because I do not have mounting holes drilled on the sides but back side. Yours do not have any holes at the back side. It means they had two belt mounting systems.

@JamesBerry 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for your message, I'm always curious to hear about the variations in these bags! I wouldn't be surprised if they had different versions of this bag for different uses, or maybe it evolved over the years and was adapted... or maybe the user themselves modified the bag to suit their specific needs. Anyhow, great to read yours is still in use :D

@TysonHaverkort 3 жыл бұрын

Beautiful work! It looks like someone scratched the initials "RD" into the top right of the back

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Yes it seems that's the case but unfortunately I have no idea who that was...

@ParkourFalke95 Жыл бұрын

hello there. I am Swiss an my grandfather was actually using one of these while he was serving. I never hold one of these bags in my hands but i there was some sort of attachment for the "weird" ring (3:15) in the middle of the straps. in that way one could have used it as a backpack. i am not a 100% sure if every model was built that way or even were meant to be a backpack. but that is what i heard from stories. there are many of these flying around in swiss fleemarketsites. mayby you´ll find an other one.

@barryhannon5634 2 жыл бұрын

"Block of wood in intieor to hold spickes of map dividers "!

@JamesBerry 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Barry for the comment and help identifying these! What exactly do you mean by map dividers?

@barryhannon5634 2 жыл бұрын

@@JamesBerry "Hey james!Map dividers, used for plotting maps distance ect. same as a compass except two spikes on it"!

@onzemarine 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video! Actually the R stamp is the mark that the inspector of the army would give a bag if it was qualified. These bags were made bij civil saddlers and they had to meet the standard of the army. The sling I think is from the same time period, but not belonging to this bag. I have only seen these bags with a very slim strap (adjusted to the back and not to the sides), or with no strap at all.

@JamesBerry 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the message, it's so hard to find relevant information on these bags especially as I don't speak German and a lot of the official documents are in German. If you have any sources I can dive into I would love it if you could share these with me :) Someone has tentatively identified the straps as belonging to French military harness straps...

@Valiumtino71 3 жыл бұрын

If you want to blacken steel parts, try Birchwood Superblue.

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip, I did not know that :)

@lanceflanagan Жыл бұрын

I don't think that's dirt coming off with the alcohol, I think that's dye

@gabrielvargas5100 3 жыл бұрын

excelente !

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

@johnh5008 3 жыл бұрын

May I ask how long you left the Renovateur on before brushing or wiping?

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

I usually leave it for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how much I use and how dry the piece was.

@johnh5008 3 жыл бұрын

@@JamesBerry Much obliged!

@rofe5959 Жыл бұрын

Nice video, thanks. Want to restore my fathers army map-case(same as yours), which is in pretty bad condithion. What kind of alcohol exactly have you used, what kind of saddle soap exactly have you used? Thanks and best , Rolf from Switzerland

@Elimnio 3 жыл бұрын

At 3:26 the strap looks to have a bit of mold on the piece where it gets narrower...what did you do to treat that part? Anything in addition to the rest of the process? Thanks, great work btw!

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

The mold wasn't too bad and came off easily when scratched with a blade. I then cleaned it up with alcohol to make sure there was none left. Thanks for your message, glad you like it :)

@teresagibson4946 8 ай бұрын

Could of used Brasso on the hardware.

@preciousangelica4095 2 жыл бұрын

Hi! Can you restore a vintage suede bag? thanks!

@erikzorger3311 3 жыл бұрын

great job. I wanted to mention that if you have trouble finding the cream used you can also use Skidmore's which is essential the same thing. as far as oils like you said neetsfoot oil is most common but a lot of saddle makers swear by extra virgin alive oil. you said that cooking oils can go rancid which is true, though all oils including neetsfoot goes rancid if over applied. my experience with using evoo it to just wipe on and rub it in, then wipe off any excess. don't apply to heavily. I've used it before without any problems but I do prefer neatsfoot oil and Skidmores.

@JamesBerry 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this, I did not know of Skidmore cream but will keep an eye out for it so I can test it out! True, all oils can go rancid if over-applied. I've always stayed clear of extra virgin olive oil though but it's certainly better than leaving the leather to dry out :) Thanks for your message!

@eiward 2 жыл бұрын

I second the Skidmore's product. I use it and it's excellent. I would never use olive oil on my leather.

@dc85337 4 ай бұрын

Don't know why you completely un-stitched every piece as it appeared that most of the main seams where in pretty good condition. The only ones that should have been replaced were the high stress ones. Just my opinion. And would have saved you a lot of stitching work.

@edgarkings4420 2 жыл бұрын

Hi! Might be a dumb question- is box stitching basically just saddle stitching for box shaped edges?

@PickledAmericano 2 жыл бұрын

Better late than never...yes, essentially. A box stitch will go through at least one of the panels at an angle, or both depending on if they are butted (one overlapping the edge of the other) or mitered (both cut at 45 degrees to create a corner.) As with normal seams, however, there are other stitches that can be used besides the traditional saddle stitch.

@edgarkings4420 2 жыл бұрын

@@PickledAmericano thank you! Very helpful!