A few notes on how I did it and the supplies employed: I used some quite nice 25lb test wax coated nylon thread designed especially for stitching leather: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/1227-03.aspx?feature=Product_3&kw=thread
<http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/1227-03.aspx?feature=Product_3&kw=thread>I'd encourage anyone contemplating a similar modification to use a product like that. The thread ends up under quite a load! I also used this leatherworking awl to expand the existing stitch holes in the bag: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/3209-00.aspx?feature=Product_1&kw=awl <http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/3209-00.aspx?feature=Product_1&kw=awl>Any sharp narrow awl should do the trick. Finally, I used these needles: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/1195-00.aspx?feature=Product_14&kw=needle <http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/searchresults/1195-00.aspx?feature=Product_14&kw=needle>They are noteworthy because the tips are blunt, which helps your stitch follow the awl hole. I'm sure there are ways to do it without these things, but they certainly made the process much more pleasant. Cheers, Reed On Sun, Oct 3, 2010 at 10:04 PM, manueljohnacosta < manueljohnaco...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Great fix! need to try this i bought 2 bags that I want to fix > > On Oct 3, 8:29 pm, Seth Vidal <skvi...@gmail.com> wrote: > > On Sun, Oct 3, 2010 at 8:33 PM, Reed Kennedy <r...@notfine.com> wrote: > > > One of the more wonderful items available at yesterday's Rivendell > garage > > > sale were Nigel Smythe Country Bags. > > > Apparently the first run of these bags had the saddle rail straps and > > > support dowel quite far back, on the flap of the bag rather than the > > > enclosed body. > > > As a result of this, the bag hangs slightly oddly, especially when > loaded: > > >http://www.flickr.com/photos/gzahnd/249889284/ > > > (Not my bag or my photo, credit to Gino.) > > > The fine folks at Rivendell decided this was unacceptable and declined > to > > > release the bags to the public. The official solution was to comission > a > > > second run of bags with the dowel and saddle straps moved forward, off > the > > > flap. > > > Yesterday at the garage sale folks were given the opportunity to > purchase > > > the original, slightly flawed bags for only $30. Many were available, > and I > > > think nearly every person there left with one. > > > Most of the folks I spoke to were entirely untroubled by the way the > bags > > > hang, and planned to simply use them. This was originally my intention > as > > > well, but on the way home I remembered that I own some leatherworking > > > supplies. > > > So I decided to see what I could do. > > > In the end, I decided to sew the flap down an extra inch so that the > > > dowl-and-seat-strap portion would be fully supported: > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/2-in_progres. > .. > > > It worked pretty well! > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/3-after.JPG > > > (Compare to Gino's picture above.) > > > Unless you look very closely, you can hardly tell the bag has been > modified: > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/4-close-up-o. > .. > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/5-close-up-t. > .. > > > The only downside that I can see is that the opening is now slightly > > > smaller: > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/6-smaller-op. > .. > > > However, given where it sits relative to my saddle I don't think it > could > > > open much more anyway while on the bike: > > >http://notfine.com/pics/nigel_smythe_country_bag_upgrade/7-smaller-op. > .. > > > All in all, I'm very happy with this bag and with my modification. > Thanks to > > > the wonderful folks at Rivendell for the generous deals on such lovely > > > objects, and also for a idyllic ride. > > > Cheers, > > > Reed > > > > Wow, well done - that's a fantastic and beautiful fix. > > > > The bag looks great. > > > > -sv > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
