• Home
    • Recent
    • Calendar
    • Register
    • Login
    Iron Heart Forum
    Iron Heart Forum

    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    ZeeBee Leather

    Other Brands and Shops
    65
    725
    172.1k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • seawolfS
      seawolf
      Mod Squad
      Joined:

      A brand new ZeeBee Leather Hand-Stitched Briefcase in Black Horween Chromexcel Front Quarter Horsehide for our dear friend @burnt_goat . Fully lined with Horween Wheat Essex and outfitted with YKK zippers. It has a zippered pocket, a passport pocket, and a sleeve pocket inside too. Fully custom and fully handmade in USA.

      “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

      @zeebeeleather

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • GilesG
        Giles
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        Next Level…

        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • seawolfS
          seawolf
          Mod Squad
          Joined:

          Thanks @Giles ! It was so hard to pack it up and let it go. That bag and I became good friends 🙂

          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

          @zeebeeleather

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • ?
            A Former User
            Joined:

            I can totally relate to that sentiment with my work as well @seawolf …..But it's the only way to get the real magic out of it.

            And what magic you've produced here!  Your photos highlight the stunning craftsmanship, and I'm sure there are still more impressive details that we can't see.  It is great to witness such marvelous achievements of mind.  I would love to see it in thirty years!  Instant Heirloom.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • seawolfS
              seawolf
              Mod Squad
              Joined:

              Thanks @adam313 ! You've hit the nail on the head.

              One detail that I couldn't seem to capture but tickled me a little, are the hand-polished copper rivets. When rivets are made, I'm guessing they pour the hot metal into a mold until it's cool enough to release. Many of these rivets have a texture on the head that looks like solidified drips of hot metal. It has a certain slightly bumpy texture to it. There's nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to take it to the next level with this bag, so I sanded the rivets up to a 400 grit, then polished them with green jeweler's compound to bring them to a mirrored shine. They immediately began to tarnish from the oils on my fingers, but they're smooth and gorgeous.

              “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

              @zeebeeleather

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • ?
                A Former User
                Joined:

                😘 Hit the "rivet" on the head more like it.

                That's a delicious nugget of craftsman glory!  That's what it's all about, and they are gorgeous!

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • seawolfS
                  seawolf
                  Mod Squad
                  Joined:

                  Thank you! That kind of stuff doesn't really matter to most people, but to a select few, it's all in the details!

                  “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                  @zeebeeleather

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • seawolfS
                    seawolf
                    Mod Squad
                    Joined:

                    It occurred to me recently that I could use a naming scheme for the items in my shop. I was getting tired of item descriptions as item titles (i.e. Compact Bifold), and felt like they could use a little freshening up. I came up with a (nearly) completely arbitrary but appropriate naming scheme that revolves around Bees.

                    Back in July it was my wife's birthday, and I wanted to get her something she'd really get some use out of. Something she's love and have forever. I told her that I would make her the purse/bag of her dreams. So, we both sifted through pictures of bags that she liked, for inspiration, and settled on a style. She picked out the color, thread, and hardware, and left the rest up to me.

                    It's still in the early stages, but I thought I'd share some pictures of the build with you all. It's 7oz English Tan Dublin by Horween, and by far one of the most interesting leathers I've ever worked with. It's vegetable tanned, and absolutely stunning. It's a saddlebag style satchel with outer stitching (meaning that it won't be stitched and flipped right-side-out afterwards) and will have a main compartment and a smaller pocket attached to the front. I made a pocket for her phone and a couple pens, and plan to make a little business card sleeve for it as well.

                    I'll try to remember to snap some pics along the way, but I thought it would be fun to share whatever I can think to capture with you.

                    Presenting, a work in progress, that will ultimately bear the title "Queen Bee."

                    “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                    @zeebeeleather

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • B
                      browniemcghee
                      Joined:

                      Loving that briefcase.  Thanks for sharing your work with us.

                      Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • neph93N
                        neph93
                        見習いボス
                        Joined:

                        Beautiful! Look forward to seeing the complete piece.

                        “Some of those that work forces
                        Are the same that burn crosses”

                        • Virginia Woolf
                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • seawolfS
                          seawolf
                          Mod Squad
                          Joined:

                          Thanks gents!

                          Here are some more progress pics of the Queen Bee!

                          Stitching that floating pocket was quite difficult, but I think it came out pretty well, and it's not going anywhere. I polished all of the rivets to a mirror shine, but it's really hard to photograph so it's hard to tell in the pics.

                          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                          @zeebeeleather

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • seawolfS
                            seawolf
                            Mod Squad
                            Joined:

                            Queen Bee Satchel Progress shot. Almost there!

                            “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                            @zeebeeleather

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • AetasA
                              Aetas
                              見習いボス
                              Joined:

                              This is marvellous!

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • ChrisC
                                Chris
                                Raw and Unwashed
                                Joined:

                                That's a sexy looking French hammer hanging in the back.

                                Bag looks great, of course.

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • seawolfS
                                  seawolf
                                  Mod Squad
                                  Joined:

                                  Until I get out and take some shots with the fancy camera, these will have to do!

                                  Queen Bee Satchel
                                  This hand-stitched satchel is made from 7oz Horween English Tan Dublin, and has solid copper rivets, solid brass hardware, and a solid brass quick release.
                                  zeebeeleather.com

                                  “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                  @zeebeeleather

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • seawolfS
                                    seawolf
                                    Mod Squad
                                    Joined:

                                    @Aetas:

                                    This is marvellous!

                                    Thank you!

                                    @Chris:

                                    That's a sexy looking French hammer hanging in the back.

                                    Bag looks great, of course.

                                    Good eye! I love that hammer 🙂

                                    Thank you for the kind words!

                                    “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                    @zeebeeleather

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • neph93N
                                      neph93
                                      見習いボス
                                      Joined:

                                      Beautiful work.

                                      “Some of those that work forces
                                      Are the same that burn crosses”

                                      • Virginia Woolf
                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • pillowPANTSP
                                        pillowPANTS
                                        Joined:

                                        Looks wild man. Good job [emoji1319]

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • seawolfS
                                          seawolf
                                          Mod Squad
                                          Joined:

                                          @pillowPANTS:

                                          Looks wild man. Good job [emoji1319]

                                          Thank you! I appreciate it 🙂

                                          @neph93:

                                          Beautiful work.

                                          Thank you!

                                          “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                          @zeebeeleather

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • seawolfS
                                            seawolf
                                            Mod Squad
                                            Joined:

                                            Nectar Protectors

                                            Jacob Bromwell Copper Flasks wrapped in Horween English Tan Dublin and Color 8 Shell Cordovan.

                                            Edited to include the name!

                                            “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible” - Don Norman

                                            @zeebeeleather

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright Iron Heart 2025.