How our bags are made:

I start from the inside and move out. This is a buckskin laid out on my cutting table.

Using the bag dimensions I determine the best way to cut the skin based on grain and waste. I then outline the skin for cutting.

The skin is then cut ! The tool you see is a manual rotary cutter. The picture on the right shows the panels once they've been cut. The pile at the far end is scrap.

The pattern is then laid out on the leather and I begin sewing the pockets onto the liner.

All interior pockets and zippers are sewn by machine onto the liner.

 The interior complete.

The outside of a cow, actually this is called a "side" which is 1/2 of the top outside of the cow minus the belly section. It's measured and cut the same way as the lining, using the same rotary tool.

The outside panel of the bag. The tool on the right is a can of corn :-)) I use it to mark the rounded corners.

The pattern of the outside fittings of the bag are then penciled on. On the right are the 4 parts of an exterior pocket, the top gusset, zipper, bottom gusset and the pocket outside.

On the left is the outside pocket ready to be stitched onto the bag. On the right are the parts of a leather bag handle.

On the left the handle is being stitched and on the right it is being skived down to it's proper size.

One the left are the bag gussets, too long for the picture. On the right is an internal pocket with the zipper in the process of being sewn in.

The lining is now being fitted to the bag, On the right it's being trimmed.

....and then trimmed some more. On the right the gussets are being sewn onto the bag.

More gusset and lining sewing. The Outer shell of the bag is sewn to the lining and to the gusset.

Now if all my measurements work the zippers should meet on the bottom. Finally the bracket panel gets sew on.

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We'd like to thank Bill Burney for graciously designing the Smokin' Holsters logo.

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Last modified: January 12, 2008           Copyright © 2002 Smokin' Holsters