Woodhull 4756b: Light Havana and Chocolate
The light Havana and chocolate Woodhull 4756b is a 16 x 12 x 4 inch English bridle leather briefcase in a color pairing that has become harder and harder for me to source.
A color pairing that is getting scarce
Bridle leather is dyed by the tannery, and the tanneries do not keep every shade in stock. This combination is not always available. It has been harder and harder to find, so when I order it I also keep a backup in mind, such as brown or black.
The leather is English bridle, from the UK or the USA depending on what is available when I build the case.
The build
The body is 16 x 12 x 4 inches. A Cobra quick-release lock closes the flap, and my signature bottom cross stitch handle carries the case. It is unlined, so the bridle leather forms the whole interior.
Hand saddle stitching holds it together.
Why unlined bridle
Bridle leather carries heavy waxes, and those wear in over years. An unlined case leaves that finish on show both inside and out. Leaving it unlined also keeps the weight down.
The leather and the finish
English bridle is vegetable tanned, waxy and stiff, and it takes a while to soften. In dry climates the waxes can bloom to the surface as a haze; I buff it out with a cloth and conditioner, and the leather care page has the routine. What English Bridle Leather Actually Is, and Why Briefcases Are Cut From It covers what the leather is.
The unlined interior is natural bridle leather lining, matted down and smooth, and the seams are hand stitched.
