My new bag
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Mine is black.
If you look at the black and white diagram, and then click on the picture of a brown backpack to its left, you can see a picture showing the placement of the zippers, and except the fact they stop half way down on each side, you can see what looks like suitcase. This is the essential part of this backpack's design, imho.
Vegetable tanned leather, medium shine, made in Florence, Italy.
I decided I couldn't use my Toscanella bag because it didn't hold nearly as much as I need. It was too narrow for me and I got frustrated trying to find things.
I found this company and decided to replace my cross shoulder bag with a backpack.
Backpacks are popular here. I think it's because you can use one when riding a bike, they carry a reasonable amount of stuff, and you have your arms free when going from A to B.
It has many strong magnets outside and inside. For instance, you see a pouch on the front, on the bottom, tied down with buckles. There are magnets under the buckles. You can have it buckled or unbuckle it and use the magnets.
The leather is beautiful.
It will take a few months to break it in and soften it.
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Very nice!
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Very attractive!
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Thanks!
Andy, I don't know what I'll do yet because I have a "how to care for the leather" pamphlet that came in the box and I haven't read it yet. I made sure I kept it.
The Toscanella leather (Toscanella is a division of Pierotucci and the Toscanella and Pierotucci lines are practically defunct now) was recommended to be washed occasionally with a damp cloth. That's it. I assume this was to stop dust and dirt from being an abrasive.
I bought a Samsonite backpack too for $30. It's made of tough nylon. It would be hard to cut it apart. It's TSA compliant. It has two main compartments. Each one is locked with a TSA compliant key lock.
It basically has my wallet, my change, and my important documents and receipts in one side, and my medications, OTC's, and supplements in the other.
I store everything in it I don't want my kleptomaniac housemate to steal.
I'd rate it at 5 stars too given its quality, price, and because it's very functional.
I load my good backpack with what I need for a trip, along with my wallet, all keys, some medications I don't want stolen, and a file of documents I don't want stolen either. Then I lock this stuff in the Samsonite again when I get home.
My good backpack won't lock. The openings at the top of the zippers are too narrow.
But, yeah, the new leather backpack is awesome and I need to read their leather care recommendations.
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Daniel, I suspect there are different care regimens for various kinds of leather. I have a leather bicycle saddle that needed a treatment before first use (the company’s own, but others work too). I bought a tub of a waxy paste that my bike company offers, and use it on the leather straps and trim on my bike bags, as well as the saddle.
We have a leather couch that needs attention, but I am scared of using the “wrong” stuff on it.
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Joe, thanks. I expect the recommendations will be very specific. I remember something about a paste from a video. I compartmentalize tasks like this and just haven't found the right time to figure it out yet.
I bought an adult tricycle. It's 24", 1 speed, and folds in half. It has a basket in the back of course and I plan to use it to get exercise, go the mailboxes, haul garbage to the dumpsters, and I've decided I'll ride on the sidewalks to my nearest CVS and Publix a little more than a mile away when I get lights and reflectors to make it safe. It's not assembled yet. I made a deal with housemate to assemble it. The bike shops balked at doing it and offered me prices of $240 and $250. I couldn't pay that. That would be ridiculous.
I haven't had a bike in forever. I'm looking forward to it.