Woodhull 4756: Hand Dyed Tan
No two Woodhull 4756 briefcases look alike, because the dye goes on by hand and the leather decides where it settles. The body is natural vegetable tanned leather, 16 x 12 x 4 inches, with two cross straps closing over Cobra quick-release locks.
Dye applied by hand
Natural veg tan arrives undyed, and I dye each panel myself. In the finished briefcase in the video the dye is streaked, tan over tan, so the panels carry the marks of the brush and the grain underneath. Nothing about it is uniform.
The edges are dyed and lightly burnished, not painted. Painted edges chip eventually. Burnished ones are the traditional finish, and they wear in rather than wearing off.
Cross straps on the locks
Two things are new in this design, and I was not sure the first would work. Cross straps run over the quick-release locks. It came out perfect. The straps can be made crossed, as in these photos, or straight.
The second is the handle. It is a flat stitched handle, and instead of D-rings it now secures into the top flap with long leather straps. That lets the case move smoothly on the rings when you carry it.
On the video I mention that mounting the locks straight down makes them easier to open.
Unlined, so it can take weather
The case is naturally unlined. Without a lining, nothing inside can be spoiled if the case gets rained on. Undyed veg tan and dyed veg tan both patina, which means the dye will deepen as the leather takes oil from your hands and light from the sun.
Inside are two compartments, 16 x 12 x 4 overall, with the standard set of pockets and a back newspaper pocket. The adjustable shoulder strap has a 20 inch drop and 1 inch width. All of it is hand saddle stitched.
Hardware chosen for strength
The Cobra quick-release lock is the closure I trust most. In my experience it is the strongest, the longest lasting and the easiest to use of the locks I have worked with. A new case in this style can take up to six months to build.
Same line, different leather
The Woodhull line began with the huge pivot-flap file cabinets, and the 4756 belongs to the same family at standard size. Where the 4703 uses bridle leather in three colors, the 4756 keeps to a single leather and lets the dye do the work.
How it is made
The leather is natural vegetable tanned, the same stock that takes patina. For the care it needs, see my leather care page: veg tan wants conditioner or leather oil, rubbed in on a clean cloth and buffed out with a dry one.
The cross straps over the locks belong with my front straps, which I make both removable and fixed, hand stitched with painted edges. The seams are saddle stitched by hand; The Saddle Stitch Explained: Hand-Sewing Leather Step by Step walks through it.
The case is unlined. See natural leather lining for how the inside is finished.
