Legend of Zelda Tool Bag

A tool bag was one of those essential shop accessories I needed, but didn't have. I came across a holster bag a while ago made by Epbot, and being inspired by her build I made a tool bag for myself for the smaller tools that I use on a daily basis to always have with me while I'm working in the shop. I made a smaller one for my son too.

Here's how I put it together:

Step 1: Materials

The materials I used:

Leather (6oz for the front, 4oz for the back, and 2/3oz for the gusset)
Hyrule shield printout
Wax string
Zipper
Screw rivets
Strap clips
Tan and Black stain
Leather conditioner

Tools I used:

Knife
Leather hole punch
3 hole punch
Leather sewing needles
Leather bevel stamp

Step 2: Cut and Punch

I started by taking my shield cutout and tracing the shape onto the 6oz and 4oz leather pieces, one for the front of the bag and one for the back of the bag. I measured around the outside of the cutout, and cut a straight piece on the 3 oz leather for the gusset.

After all the pieces were cutout, I took the 3 hole punch and punched holes around the outside of each of the face pieces and the gusset piece.

Step 3: Adding a Pencil Holder

I took a strip of the 3oz leather and set it against the inside face of the back piece. I marked where I wanted the holder/slots to go, then slid a pencil in to make sure that there was enough space to slide pencils/tools/whatever in and out easily.

Once I had my markings, I punched holes in the small strip and the back piece, and sewed the small strip to the inside face of the back piece.

Step 4: Stamping Out the Design

Using the shield printout again, I traced the shield designs on the the front piece of leather. Once I had the outline all traced out, I wet the leather and then starting stamping the inside of the design out using my bevel stamp.

I took the edge of the stamp and marked the lines of the design, making sure to re-wet the leather when it dried out.

Step 5: Adding the Zipper

I took my gusset piece, marked a straight line down the center, and then used my zipper to mark how wide I needed to cut the insert out. After marking it, I cut out a center strip from the gusset, then tested to see if the cutout was wide enough for the pull tab of the zipper.

The zipper itself was too long, so I used some pinchers and took out a couple teeth from the zipper at the length I wanted the pull tab to stop at, then moved the stopper pieces from the end of the zipper to the places I took the teeth out.

I used some leather glue to glue up the zipper and the inside of the gusset piece, and then fit and glued the two pieces together.

Step 6: Adding the Straps

I took some of the saddle strips and used the leather punch to add some screw rivets and attach the clips. I measured the straps to be long enough for the bag to sit just slightly lower than my pant's pocket, then riveted them to be back side of the shield. I took a D ring and sewed it to the the back side of the shield. Taking another strip, I added a clip that would attach to the bottom side of the shield to wrap around my leg.

Step 7: Sewing It All Together

With the front shield piece stamped, the zipper added to the gusset, and the straps attached to the back shield piece, I took the wax string and started to sew all the pieces together.

I used a saddle stitch method to first attach the back piece to the gusset, then added the front shield piece.

Step 8: Stain and Condition

I used some black leather stain to paint the reassessed areas of the shield piece, giving a nice contrast to the emblems on the shield.

Using some tan leather stain I stained the rest of the bag, then once it was dry I covered the bag in leather conditioner and let it dry overnight.

Step 9: Fill It With Tools!

The last thing to do is to grab some tools and put them in your new, totally awesome, super geeky shop tool bag! Then just zip it closed, and enjoy!

I have more geeky projects you can check out here on Instructables, so be sure to follow me for when I put out new Instructables

AND you can watch more of my project videos here

AND you can also follow me on Instagram @onceuponaworkbench

Comments

[KathyC2]

You do beautiful work!

[OnceUponaWorkbench]

Thank you!

[Eh Lie Us!]

Nice. I can see myself making this as a CHEST pouch. Easy access to my tools and looking like a superhero at the same time. :)

[OnceUponaWorkbench]

That's a good idea! You should make an instructable for it

[CptPikachu]

Nice! I really like the strap.

[OnceUponaWorkbench]

Thanks! The straps make it so it is just the right height to grab somthing when I need it, and the leg strap keeps it from moving around too much

[TheoF11]

Tools for what? A tool bag holds tools, that will hold a tape measure, and a pencil, that's about it. I normally carry a tape measure in my pants pocket, and pencils in my shirt pocket. In truth, while the work is well done, and it looks nice, it looks like something a girl would use to keep her makeup in. A working tool bag is going to be used to carry wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, and such, usually made from heavy canvas, with handles, set on dirty floors, etc. Made to be actually useful, not just pretty. If you hadn't tried to pass it off as a tool bag, I would have applauded your work.

[OnceUponaWorkbench]

Since I don't work construction or do anything that requires wrenches, hammers, and such, this tool bag is right for what I need. Most of what I build is small scale, so a tape measure, pencil, knife, measurement card, etc is what I need on hand at any given time.

[TheoF11]

In that case, it suits what you need, which is actually the bottom line. However, if that is all you need on hand at any given time, I would say the zipper is totally useless, a flap would be much more appropriate. You could have your design on the flap, and another, different design on the front, under the flap. I do a lot of sketches for designs of my projects - finalize them later - so carry pencils, erasers, pens, so I would not mind something like what I just described. But I would want a shoulder strap, that goes over the head, no time lost messing with a belt and leg straps, rather a waist strap would work, if you didn't want it swinging. As is, I have a cloth bag I received when leg problems were healed, says Healed and Happy. I ha ve that packed with sketch books, flashlight, plastic templates, steel ruler, drinks bottle etc. Carry it with me to do sketches when I do doctor visits, etc., anyplace I have to wait. Comes in handy when I go to get my legs treated again. :) Would like to see a bag similar to what I described, I like your workmanship.

[CptPikachu]

I feel like the a lot of these projects can be customization to ones needs. Point is that this is a cool pouch to hold stuff in. At the point where one needs a pouch to hold all the tools that you are talking about it would make more sense to get a tool chest. Here is a legend of zelda of tool chest that would better fit your needs:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Legend-of-Zelda-C...

[TheoF11]

Everything I make for use in my shop IS customized to my needs. And I do not need a tool chest. A tool chest is made to store tools in, not toting to where work will be done. If you are going to carry tools to your works site, that would require a tool bag, or tool tote. And the link didn't work.

[CptPikachu]

hold down control and try clicking it again. Might be ur pop up blocker.

[jessyratfink]

AHHHH! It turned out so fancy. The stamping and painting really take it to the next level. :)

[OnceUponaWorkbench]

I'm experimenting with different ways to stamp or maybe even paint the leather to get more colors into the mix. It's been a fun process to try out