DHK 18 Inch Vintage Handmade Leather Messenger Bag Laptop Briefcase Computer Satchel Bag for Men

Compared to the mass produced nylon and canvas alternatives at a similar price, this is a real classic and quality item that should last for years. These are handmade in India, from goat hide I believe. All the fittings are metal and seem sturdy enough. It feels distinguished. No major or significant negatives... of minor note is that there is an ok leather/olive oil smell that lasted for a few days, also the side pockets were a little squashed out of shape from shipping... its nothing really. After about 3 weeks use, I have noticed that an improvement or suggestion for a more expensive model, would be to have a firmer base of support. As it is, the front and rear panel edges are the support and tend to curl outward a bit, which still works and looks okay. In the middle is a large full length compartment and on either side of this, two full length padded canvas type sidewall partitions attached to the back and front main leather panels. I can fit an older 14 inch laptop into one sidewall partition nicely which is ideal, but two could fit. Newer laptops with smaller bulk and bezel size should fit a 15.6 inch (diagonal visible screen size) standard laptop size in there. However the main compartment in the middle would likely take even a larger 17 inch, but it would need cushioning at the base to avoid bumping when the bag is put down. In addition to the four visible outer leather expandable pockets, there are two half length pockets inside, attached to the rear canvas partition. Also a leather loop type holder for pens. Lastly, two full length zipper compartments in the front and rear leather walls for papers etc.

This bag looks stunning, maybe slightly more "tan" in colour than the Amazon picture shows, but that's fine with me. The bag arrived with all buckles/metal well wrapped in polythene so the bag itself was very well protected from scratches in transit. The bag feels very solid and up to the job. The inside of the bag has a very nice green substantial canvas finish with 5 various compartments (2 of them zipped). Most bags have a very thin material inside dividing the compartments but this was a pleasant surprise and something I would expect to find in a bag costing a lot more The leather feels a little hard at the moment but I expected that from a new leather product and I have no doubt it with become more supple over time. Some previous reviews have mentioned a "smell"........ well yes there is a smell, but to me it smells of new leather. Probably no different from a new car smelling of "new car", or a new book having a "new book smell". To be honest I would worry if this bag di not have a smell about it. All in all I am very happy with this bag and would not hesitate to recommend it.

Decent quality and ok so far. One thing, hence 4* not 5* is the colour is not so much brown as quite orange. Hope it will mature to a quieter colour in due course.

I bought this to commute to work and to go with smart casual attire. It gets positive comments. Durable and well made. This expertly crafted bag has a vintage leather style that will only get better with age. The high-quality goat hunter leather has been backed with what seems to be hessian or jute material, making it harder wearing, and double stitching has been applied on crucial areas like zippers and pocket flaps to help it last for years to come. The imperfections of the leather only add to the charm of the bag. The maker clearly takes a lot of pride in their work and offers a high level of customer satisfaction with a ‘thank you for purchasing’ and care instructions leaflet included with the bag. There are plenty of pockets for storage. The main cavity of the bag is around 12 litres and consists of five pockets, two of which fasten with zips. Another two more zip fastenings on the outside, along with four further buckle fastening pockets. The bag looks a lot more expensive than it is. A colleague was surprised when I revealed how much I had paid for it. It came well packaged and is tanned/coated with vegetable oil to give it a distressed look and some water protection. The only downside is that this process makes the bag smell a bit. Other customers have noticed this, but I didn’t let that put me off. It can be sponged down with a damp cloth or quality leather cleaner and left to air. After having for a few days, the smell has already faded. The metal buckles come wrapped in plastic film to protect them during transit. This is easy enough to remove. Fantastic quality bag. I’m so glad I purchased it. If you are considering buying it – go for it!

Very excited to have this arrive, I did see some comments saying about the smell however I didn’t see any issue, I let it air in the kitchen overnight and opened it up and it was great. The bag looks great and nicely made apart from some of the stitching on the strap (just the part on the picture rest was great) and the two marks on the front. One has cleaned off (some sort of glue), the other mark (white) hasn’t gone 😞. The bag is a good size, fits the laptop well and plenty of space for other bits too.

My lap top bag arrived on time and in good packaging. I'd read reviews where the purchaser complained of bad smells, on opening my suspicions were confirmed. Deep inhalation and yes this real leather bag smelled of real leather- lovely! I chose this bag because in the vendors pictures it looked slightly distressed, roomy and looked like a loved old thing that would be with me for many years and the real article definitely lives up to my expectations. It is certainly hand made, that doesn't mean amatuerish- it means it looks like a human not a machine made it! If you like the idea that a real human being somewhere in the world made this for you, as I do then you will appreciate this item. Stitching, zips, lining, fittings are all very good quality and look good to last a very long time, probably longer than the new lap top I bought it for. I'd say my old bag was slightly better quality over all (quite similar but not big enough for new lap top) but it is Italian hand made and cost over £200 several years ago, still looks lovely and I know I won't be able to part with it. If I was buying now and had both in front of me to look at, it would be 50/50 and I'd probably come down on price. Love it and fully recommend it- quality/ price ratio is brilliant.

I bought this as I commute a lot and decided to opt for a leather satchel rather than a nylon bag which will not last me very long. This bag is really cheap for the quality. I would estimate it to have about 12litres worth of space in all the pockets which suits me as I am an artist and therefore carry art matwrials and books etc. This bag is very comfortable to wear and is well made. Stitching is very neat. Bag is well packaged and arrived undamaged. All metal clasps are working and aren't stiff which is great. These were wrapped in cling film which did give the clasps a slightly sticky feel, a quick wipe took it right off. It does arrive with a strong leather smell which will subside with time. Picture definitely looks more worn than what the bag is in person but that doesn't bother me. Overall, really nice bag, very compact for the amount of items it can carry. I ordered the 18" for reference. Only one thing I will say is the plastic the clasps were wrapped in were riveted to the bag but it does peel right out so it's not a massive issue. 9/10 would recommend

Not a pleasant smell! First thing the bag has been stored squashed flat. First thing I did was pack it full of boxes to try and restore the shape. The buckles are covered in a cling film material which leaves a sticky residue on fingers and metal buckles when removed - clean fingers and metalwork! Left in the office oververnight - next morning the office stunk! Examined bag in more detail, the flap is two sheets of material glued together - it hasn't stuck properly and the glue is still liquid (2nd picture) Bag is now in the garage 'airing' to see if the smell reduces (and glue cures!). Not sure if the smell is the material or uncured glue! Shame the bag style is very nice and functional, the overall build standard looks good ...but the smell is a real problem - I really wouldn't want to carry this bag on any public transport or use when visiting client offices, I hope leaving it open in cool air gets rid of the smell! P.S Trying to contact the seller to ask about the glue and smell - have not been able to find the necessary link