I have always admired these classic trunks and was keen to have a go. I decided to make a slightly larger version than the example in the class; going for a small case rather than the shoulder bag.
The covering is goatskin with veg tanned leather reinforcement.
The handle is the same size as that taught in the Mini Doctors Bag course and that then sits nicely between the two brass locks.
It's my first attempt at anything like this and it has taken a while. There are lots of small errors but I'm very pleased with the overall look.
I have built a pocket into the lid using the design in the Mini Doctors Bag and plan to make a removable divider tray for the base (but thats for another day).
It was a complicated build but I found that the course videos provided excellent step by step guidance.
Hi Gavin. For handmade belts, the most popular filler for a raised centre section is going to be a strip of vegetable tanned leather, and some kind of synthetic non-stretch fabric backing. On very cheap belts you may see cardboard or rubber, but I wouldn't recommend it for durability reasons. Some also use bonded leatherboard, which can cut costs if bought in bulk.