We want you to love your Scaramanga leather satchel, messenger bag or leather travel bag or leather accessory. So to keep it looking its best here are some suggestions and recommendations.

• All our leather products are handmade and your new leather bag may be subject to a natural variation in size and colour. The “Hunter” (distressed leather finish) and black buffalo leather hides used for our bags have been processed and tanned to give the finished leather an antique / vintage look and feel.
• This means each hide may be slightly different from the next, e.g. the grain on the hide may be a little uneven or have natural marks on it and the colour may even vary. This together with the hand finishing means that no two leather bags look exactly the same. The leather will naturally soften as you use it.
• Avoid getting your leather item wet and keep it in a cool dry place. Should it get very wet simply dry it in a warm room - but do not place the bag directly onto a source of heat like a radiator as that may cause it to crack.
• We’re confident your bag will last for years. We’ve been using similar bags everyday for over eight years and they’re still going strong!
• We cannot be held liable for any damage that is caused to a bag after a cream or oil has been applied by yourself, and we cannot refund or exchange a bag that has had such a treatment applied.
• Please be aware that the natural dyes in the leather may transfer across to lighter clothing and vice-versa - we cannot accept responsibility when this occurs.
• Our black Hunter leather has been specially tanned and finished to have a distressed vintage leather effect, which means over time and with exposure to sunlight the leather's initial black colour will fade to a grey or dark aubergine colour.
• Our canvas is hand dyed in small batches and then waxed, which may result in variations in colour and shading. Creases, folds and light distressed marks may be also be visible in the canvas.

CARING FOR YOUR LEATHER:

For day to day maintenance a dab of sunflower/vegetable oil, on a dry, clean sponge or cloth rubbed over the bag evenly will work to re-oil the leather and also protects the leather from cracking as well as sealing the leather for mild weather resistance. This will also help if you have got small water marks on the leather.

Small scratches can be removed by rubbing them gently with your finger, as the natural oils on your hands will work into the leather. For larger scratches and marks apply a tiny amount of oil to the mark, let it soak in for a few minutes and then wipe the excess away with a clean soft cloth. It may make the leather initially appear darker but this is just because the oil is soaking in.

WATERPROOFING:

Your Scaramanga bag should be able to withstand an occasional rain shower and ordinary wear and tear but is not waterproofed. To further protect your bag you can waterproof your bag yourself by buying a waterproofer such as the Collonil Carbon PRO Waterproofer, or even a standard hiking boot waterproofer.

LEATHER ODOUR:

Your new bag may give off a leather odour for a week or two, which is not unusual for a natural leather product. If you find it a little overpowering we suggest putting a sachet of nice smelling lavender etc into the bag, for a few days and that should help. Some of our customers have recommended using a little oil (vegetable oil or even an essential oil such as Mandarin or Lavender oil) on a clean soft cloth and wiping over the bag evenly, as this can also help with the smell.

CARING FOR YOUR CANVAS BAG OR ACCESSORY:

Our canvas is waxed, which makes it weatherproof, so it will withstand an occasional rain shower and ordinary wear and tear very well. If your canvas gets dirty, simply dampen a cloth and wipe it clean.

ZIPS:

If your zip has started to come undone, you can try this simple method to mend it. Make sure the zip is open all the way to the end. Take the zip pull in one hand and using a small, ideally pointed, pair of pliers, press down firmly on one side of the zip pull (on the metal itself). You are just trying to mesh the teeth together a little so do not press too firmly. Then repeat this on the other side of the zip pull. This should allow you to pull the zip once more.